12 APRIL 1924, Page 21

THE APRIL MAGAZINES.

NINETEENTH CENTURY.

The most important article on foreign affairs is by Dr. Benes on " The Foreign Policy of Czechoslovakia." Dr. Benes was,- of course, formerly Prime Minister and is now Minister of Foreign Affairs. He is at great pains to prove that all the treaties into which Czechoslovakia has entered, and particularly the treaty with France, are strictly in the spirit of the original peace settlement. It is a distinct point that the French treaty is to be registered with the League of Nations, but we must look for the results not so much to the letter of the new treaties as to the encouragement which may be given to France in a militaristic policy. We fear that this encouragement has already been considerable. Sir William Robertson contributes a masterly article on The London Traffic Scandal." He shows conclusively that open competi- tion -in streets' where- the space is limited can no longer be

tolerated. It is not as though unrestricted competition ensured cheaper fares and better services. It does not. As to the controlling authority, Sir William sums up in favour of putting the whole responsibility upon the Ministry of Transport. Among the other articles we must mention Sir George &ton's " Singapore " ; Mr. Hilton Young's article on " The Trade Facilities ' Act " in connexion with unemployment—he demands an extension of the Act ; and Lord Teignmouth;s article on " Byron's Suliote Bodyguard." Chance disclosed to Lord Teignmouth a missing page of Suliote history in the form of some letters from Charles Napier, the future conqueror of Scinde. Napier was instructed suddenly to prepare the fortress of Asso for the little Suliote nation when it was exiled from its Albanian home. He expected to have much trouble, but in the event had none. These fierce fighters had the docility of well-trained men.