New-York tribune., 1908-10-12
A POLITICAL TAPLEY
Diversions of an English Optimist-
Unscientifc Reform.
London. september ao.

ever his associates in the government are dis
courazed by evidences Of public dlsapproval ot
their work he beams with optimism cnucaies
,,tth satisfaction and talks in A high key about
the good times which are coming Not only =
- ,,var,abl1, cheerful and hopeful over the
army reorganization scheme. which is az neou-
lous and disheartening the sportsrnen havs
+o,,nd the weather In Scotland this season. but
he is also genial and even joyous in discussing
the Iot Of the unemployed. the shrinkage of
revenues. the chaotic administration OF the poor
law the prospects Of the licensing oil, the de-
,,eIopnnent of the pensions system the abnormal
depression of trade and the Liberal defeats in
by-eections Nothing seems 70 cloud the seren-
tt, OF his buoyant mind. He resolutely declines
to be downhearted about anything. and even
finds in party defeats assurances OF ultimate
victory He has the comfortable habit of con-
vincing himself Of whatever he wants % be-
Iieve.
The hard times with an increasing horde u
uneu,ployed do not frighten this anniable opt-
mist At the worst the army Is open to aols
bodied men and a considerable portion o. the
workIess can be easily provided for by general
enlistment Mr. HaIdane naturally smiles over
this happy conceit. for. like other military re-
formers he has skeleton organizations on paper
ord ts anxious to I'LL them out with flesh and
blood For those who do not wish % spend TOO
-,,,cb time in barracks there the limited
experiences Of the special reserve Men out %
work can join this force for six months, get
fair pay and obtain thorough training as sol
diers on the second line In this way they can
survive the horrors Of a starvation camp IN the
overcrowded cities, and come out OF II with
beef on their bones" habits OF military precis-
sion and organization and improved chances for
6ndfng superior work late in the spring Ger
+ainIv IL IS a convenient device for helping out
the scheme of developing the defensive forces
NJ the country, but ii is doubtful II the indus
trious workers will be deeply impressed with
the opportunity FOR acquiring military train
ing The majority OF them need employment n
order to keep their families alive, and enlist
r,ent either for the general army or for the
sreciaI reserve Is poor substitute for remuner-
ative industrial occupation Starvation Is NOT
an effective recruiting sergeant for the terri
torial forces
Mr. HaIda1e has discovered that 1t IS not ths
habit or practice of working people TO insure
themselves against the risks Of being uneu1-
Moved in bad times. and consequently tnaI
there is much suffering when there Is generai
depresston in a world OF ups and downs ne
believes that legislation for stimulating tnls
practice would be one Of the greatest Oh sOt-@
reforms. but in his speech IN Fffeshire ne mas
- o,ro,,ncad that the government has any in
+e1tfon of introducing a measure Of TINS sort
The experiment has been tried in SF1tzeriano
and In Germany. but the results are not ehcOUi-
aging The merchants OF Cologne nave suO-
scribed an endowment fund for THIS clsSS VI
insurance, and a bureau has been IN opefaIoA
for fourteen years for supervising the system
and Ieipsic Munich and few other towns
have tried to adapt the Swiss $ stem 20 Ger
man requirements. Insurance against NorA-
1essness IS confined to three winter months, ana
the relief does not ordinarily exceed shilling
a day and in order to obtain THIS measTe Cioo
the working people are forced TO cOnOrlO0.7
their pennies regularly while they are employed
While the system cannot be accurately described
as q failure, the results small and disap-
nointtng German experience does not warrant
the Inference that it be converted INTO a
vreat measure Of social reform Mr. Haldanes
reference to IL is on a par with his assertion
that there is always a good deal OF extra Work
in the postal service about Chrtstnastlde OF
with his bid for recruits for the army when en-
pIoyrnent is scarce
The Secretary for War also holds out the hope
that the working classes are 70 be greatly oene-
flied by the general reform OF the poor law ad-
ininistration, for which the old age pension
scheme has opened the way. While he IS cheer
full in discussing this subject. he IS also vagus
and fnconelusive. like all the other rerornners'
who have been forecasting great things HolA
the overhauIing Of a system which has grown
entv wears Apparently there will be a saving
remedial agency in differentiation ard separa-
ton of classes The aged. inhrm and iucapaoe
are 10 be dealt with by themselves; those VhV
will not work are to be separated from moss
who earnestly desire employment those Win
criminal tendencies are 10 be isolated; tns
workhouses are TO be thoroughly reformed pr7
ventable diseases are to be stamped out; Jns
responsibilities Of the educational authorizes
for the care of poor children are TO be enlarged
and the administrative machinery is 70 De Ia
proved for the benefit Of the lower classes ~
Haldane talks most pleasantly about the happS
results which are 70 follow the social reforms
and systematic differentiatiOns to be introouceu
bv the Liberal government; yet he is not fOr
one moment convincing The administrator o
the poor law certainly can be made more en-
cient and less demoralizng than II is. out tnef'
is no evidence that anybody connected with 'n'
government. unless it be Mr.. John Burns nA1
taken up the subject seriously. nueh 's'
thought his way through IT with panStaAlns
care and concentrated power
The TapIeys have their function in pofncS'
and II is useful one There are always TN
orous people who need 20 be reassursd WE"
partisans are frightening them with reckless u
vective and contending that the country
pIunging into the abysses Of socialism Mi.
Haldane. with his smooth phrases ana orle"
smiles encourages a more reasonable VIC" -
the efforts of an able and conscientious sloNS
of ministers TO take up licensing edu0A
pensions. workessness. poor law sd1ninlsuS'
land reform and other questions and 70 S
vert England into a more contented and pr0S
porous realm Of workers. The optimism l. NJ