Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-24
HANDED EN- SURPRISE
Newcastle Voters Give the
Government a Setback.
OLD-AGE PENSION STUDY
British Experiments With Airships
for the Army.
DIVORCES AND THEIR TITLES
Dealers and Collectors Disturbed
Over Fake Sheffield Plate-Water
Rats Win Their Contest.
DIVORCES AND THEIR TITLES
Special Correspondence Of The Star.

1900
The Newcastle election result has come
as surprise to the government. A ma
jority of over 5000 has been turned into
a defeat by over 1000 A setback of 5000
in two years, the last election which gave
the big liberal majority occurring in 1910.
The government has banked largely in Its
old-age pension scheme, which comes
into operation in January next, and Tor
which pension papers were yesterday
made out by applicants for the first time
But in politics nobody, suppose, Is
grateful for favors given. and the proper
way for a government to keep In ONCE
is to promise and never perform; to hold
out hopes of favors to come. Two causes
contributed doubtless to defeat the gov
eminent at Newcastle. the tariff reform
movement and the indignation of roman
Catholics at the governments interference
with the Eucharistic procession Wheh tne
Catholic congress was here. If the free
trade vote had not been split between
the liberal and socialist free trade would
have won, after all. by about 500 votes.
Now that the tory has won the seat
there is good reason to beileVe thaI .ne
house of lords will reject the licensing
bill. The rejection of the bill would De
a severe blow to the government pres
tige for Mr.. Asquith has no intention OIL
appealing to the country on thls ISSUE.
There is no doubt that the temperance
narty would demand an instant appeal to
the country, and the refusal OF the gov
eminent to accept the challenge OF the
house of lords would turn the temperance
party into sulleD and, at best, apathenc
supporters of the government. The MS
tory of previous governments tends 10
prove that when once the tide has turned
against the government of the day tdle
longer that government ciings 10 once
the worse is the ultimate disaster that
Overtakes 1t.
Nevertheless. despite what has happen
ed at Newcastle, the government Will re-
main in Office for another two years.
1--WE are midway in the execution OF
comprehensive policy OF social reform m
liberal candidate at Newcastle, which
has not attracted the attention 1t de-
serves midway means two years ana
a half more of office for the government.
and one session will be devoted TO Dill
for church diseStablishment In wares,
while another attempt will be made In the
last session to satisfy the Irish party py
a scheme of devOlution.
If by-elections continue to go against
the government, the house of lords will
throw out the disestablshment bill and
the new Irish council bill. And as neither
of these bills will command the support
of the electorate outside of Celtic fringe
it is probable that the tory party will gain
part of the lords. Thus. Newcastle rising
midway in the career OF the government
is an omen of immense Importance
Claimants for Old-Age Pensions.
The importance of yesterday was not
lost upon London septagenarians- At
a large office in the west central district
there had been a steady flow of claimants
for old-age pensions since the moment
of opening right through the day. Sew
eral were unable to write. and were
obliged to requisition the services of the
postal clerks. Some Of the efforts Of
penmanship beggar description, and in
these cases the claim forms have sup
Elementary notes in the neat clerky hand
writing Of the post Office overseer.
1t was a deeply interesting study to
stand by and watch the varying express
sions on the faces Of the applicants.
Some were cheerful: others furtive and
suspicious, as If unable to believe that
In few months they would be able to
obtain 5s. week for the asking.
1t is the revenue officials. however,
who see most of the game, for they are
the authority charged with investigating
claims. Every imaginable kind of hypo-
thetical case was taken In order to test
the working of the act, but unexpected
instances of the most battling nature have
occurred even in the short time during
which claim papers have been available.
There have been several fraudulent re-
turns at one branch alone, but there Is
plenty of time for investigation before
payment begins
The best old-age pension story comes
from Salisbury. One of the earliest ap-
plicants at the local post Office for a
gave her age as seventy-three. A form
was given her. whereupon she said she
wanted another one for her mother. The
astonished clerk asked the old lady what
seven" she answered. Another form
was handed to her, and she departed
cheerfully.
Through the country there was a rush
to secure application forms. and many
queer and pathetic incidents are report
ed Probably thousands more have al
ready applied for the relief than the pres
ent grant can possibly provide for. One
old lady could not possibly tell her years.
much as she desired to do So She I'M
her in her arms to see the bonffres when
Queen Victoria assembled the throne.
There were many cases of this kind.
Other incidents arose out of misappre-
hension. In a little suboff1ce at Black
friars for example, an old woman wanted
to know when she would get the Ear
rears." She was seventy-seven last
birthday, she said, and she was conf
IDENTIFY reckoning that a lump sum would
be paid her to cover the odd seven years
1t took the postal clerk a good quarter
of an hour to persuade her to the con-
trary. and she left in a very detected
mood.
Some applicants adopted little tricks
to get something on account" keen
looking old man. on two sticks, generous
ly offered to take four-and- sixpence a
week If they would pay him at once. Zone
of the first applicants related one Lon
don subpostmaster. was an old man who
wanted his SIS. and he became very abu-
sive when / tried to explain to him that
the money would not be available until
the new year. II may be dead by<
then" he replied But he took the form.
all the same, though with good deal of
grumbling.
The conditions for getting the grant
are. the applicant must be seventy years
old. have been a British subject for
twenty years and not in receipt of more
than f31 los. year.
Kings Visit to Turkey.
Events are now moving rapidly toward
the accomplishment of King Edwards
visit to Constantinople, and understand
that Lord Denbigh. one of the lords in
waiting. has left England to meet