• THE PERIODICALS
The Silver Jubilee, the European crisis intensified by the rearming of Germany, British domestic politics, currency ' chaos, the plight of the farmer—these are the main themes with which the May reviews deal from various angles. Lord Crewe's concise and thoughtful article on The King
• and his Reign" in the Contemporary is to be commended. He reminds us of the King's beneficent action in several diffi-
- cult situations and of the fact that "the Crown is now the one pivot of the Imperial System." Mr. Wickham Steed's " Heartsearchings " with regard to Germany anticipated the Government's statement of policy last . week, in that the • rapid increase of the German air force—which Mr. Steed asserts to be far more powerful than our Ministers admit—. is to be countered and not ignored. Mr. 0. G. Villard, writing on "President Roosevelt in Mid-Channel," is charac- - teristically unfavourable, lamenting that "the weakness of the President should jeopardize the whole reform programme."
Mr. H. C. West pays tribute to the King in the opening article of the Nineteenth Century. Mr. Austin Hopkinson. M.P.. explains once again how Mr. Baldwin should use "The Great Opportunity" for Winning the next General Election : unemployment, he thinks, would vanish .if wage-rates were
. more elastic and if, with the co-operation of the trade unions, , the Government would abolish State unemployment insurance and let the industries look after their unemployed. Mr. Hopkinson writes well, from experience as an employer, but appears to be asking for the moon.- Sir Charles Harris has a , weighty article on -; Problems of -the 'Voluntary Hospitals." • whose .financial methods he regards with concern. But the beEt article in a good number is the first of a new series of
"Walks and Talks," by the new .editor, Sir. dr_nold Wilson, M.P., who has a rare gift for discovering, what the Man in the . street thinks and feels about current problems.
Professor Ernest Barker discusses "The Movement of National Life, 1910-1935,"' in the -Fortnightly, on the whole, very hopefully. -We were an insular people in 1910, he thinks ; now we know "that we are drawn into the life of the Continent" and have a duty to Europe. Whether "public opinion is more frank and outspoken than it was in 1910 may be doubted, with all "respect to Professor Barker. On the other hand it is refreshing to note his plea for more - voluntary effort and his closing remark that "The State is not all." Professor- Gerothwohl writes wisely on "Britain and a Franeo-Russian 'Alliance " ; "France must be told that she Cannot have both the Soviet Union and Great Britain as guarantors." Mr: L. F. -Easterbrook examines "Mr. Elliot's Beef Problem" and declares that British beef is too often inferior in quality and therefore unpopular. Professor T. E. Gregory pleads for an international effort to end the -" World Monetary Chaos '7 as a continuance of the present policy of drift is fatal.
On the other hand, in Foreign Affairs, the American quarterly which is quite the best journal of its kind in this sphere, Mr. A. W. Kiddy; writing on " Stabilization : :Why ? How ? When ?," regretfully concludes that nothing can be done for the present unless there is a very strong and generous lead from the United States." . Mr, Waltez-Lippmann, dealing with Anglo-American relations, holds that political co-operation between England and the United States is not possible, but that something might be done by common effort to free trade and promote commerce. He is fully conscious of the difficul- ties presented by the American political system. Lord Halifax deals with "The Political Future of India," Admiral Hutt presents the American view of the naval controversy about big cruisers, and Mr. S. K. Padover gives the ethnologist's answer to the question "Who are the Germans ? "—the answer being that they are a mixed race, very largely Slay.
In the Political Quarterly Mr. D. N. Pritt, K.C. writes with full knowledge and authority on Freedom of Discussion and the Law of Libel." He is unquestionably right in declaring that "critical writing has become a dangerous trade " ; to that extent public opinion is less easily given expression. contrary to Professor Barker's view as cited above. Every journalist knows that "even to be the successful defendant in a libel action of any size or Importance is pretty disastrous." Pritt 'does not arliiicate the disuse of the jury-in libel actions : he thinks that if a plaintiff had to prove actual damage, far fewer actions would be brought. Mr. T. Reid's cautious account of "The Ceylon Experiment" in self- government is of special interest in view of the difficulties that have arisen. Sir Charles Trevelyan expounds the policy of the Socialist League ; if the Labour Party does not instantly propose to socialize industry as well as the banks if and when it returns to power, -it his little chance, Sir Charles thinks, of winning the General Election. In the Notional- Review .Mr. Kenneth Maeassey,• writing on " European Realities,". calls for a " firm_understanding.between Great Britain, France and Italy under, no circumstances to tolerate German aggression." 'Mr. J..0. -.11'; Bland, in a survey' of " Par Eastern Politics,". maintains that war between Russia and `Japan is improbable; both countries have too. much to do
and too much to lose 'bywar. .. -
A Russian -engineer gives in the Quarterly tk.most unfavour- able account of ' i Industrial Development n Soviet Russia," and indeed of agricultural progress as well. Of wider interest are the Dean of Winchester's charming article on "Some Philosophies in English Poetry," and Mr. C: F.- Meade's "The Tragedy of Nanga Parbat," where -Mr. MumMeyy,was lost in 1895, and where the late Herr Merkl's party failed last year to reach the summit. Mrs. G. H. Bell' cmpliasizes .1 he importance of the Press, the wireless and the cinema in a thoughtful and hopeful article on " Forces in India's Future " ; English influence, if rightly exerted, will, she holds, continue to be potent. ' A very entertaining number of Blackarood's contains, among oiher things, a full account of The Golden Stool of Ashanti ' by Sir Charles Harper and a record of four years in the French Foreign Legion by Mr. Brian Stuart, who slieaks highly of flit force and evidently regrets that he was invalided- out for bad eyesight. - In the current .English Historical Review .Professor Harold liulme throws more light on the old crux of the Petition of Right Of May, 1028. Every schoolboy knows of that 'famous .proteit of the Commons against arbitrary rule, but few .scholars understand exactly what the House did and how it arrived at its decision to proeeed by way of resolution and not by a Bill. It would seem that the credit for the decision lay mainly with Coke, supported by Wentworth, and not with Sir John Eliot.
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We regret that in a review of Samuel Gridley Howe by Laura Richards which appeared in our issue of April 26th, neither the name of the publisher (Messrs. Appleton) nor. the 'Price (10s: dd.) waS -stated.- • - • '
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