1 JUNE 1918, Page 3

Of course a time of war is an abnormal time,

and as the Adminis- tration are responsible for the direct conduct of the war, they must directly manage the affairs of the country to an extent that is wholly unnecessary in peace. But we have a strong hope that the right lesson will have been learned, and that after the war there will be no hankering after superfluous or wanton State intervention. Mr. G. H. Roberts is one of the few Labour leaders who are de- tached from all preconceptions and form their judgments on the merits of the etiae.