24 OCTOBER 1908, Page 25

THE QUARTERLIES.

Trim most important question of current politics is discussed in the Edinburgh in "The New Era in Turkey." The article was, of course, written before the latest development took place, but the author had heard of it as a possibility. "The advisability," he writes, "is seriously urged of confirming Austria's hold on the provinces by converting their occupation into formal annexa- tion." Still, it seems to him improbable, and inconsistent with recent Austrian action. He believes, however, that Austrian statesmen dislike at heart the "Young Turk" movement. For the rest, the article gives an excellent account of the situation. It summarises the earlier history of Ottoman rule, describes the abortive movement of 18'76, and discusses the prospects of the present. The tone is hopeful, if not optimistic. The Ottoman Empire has the same race problem to solve that perplexes Austria ; the same in kind, but more complex, because its constituent nations are more diverse and less advanced in civilisation. —" The Industrial Position of Women" deals with a social question of the greatest importance. The two decades between 1881 and 1901 saw an increase of nearly a fourth in the number of women workers (from 2,711,000 to 3,490,000). When these figures are analysed they become more significant. Domestic service practically remains the same ; agriculture and mines show a diminution ; the increase is therefore confined to other occupations, and accordingly proves to be enormous, from 1,100,000 to 1,800,000. Has not this something to do with unemployment ? This has been notoriously the fact in the case of clerks, shop-assistants, and waiters. The article is well worth study, though it certainly leaves on the reader a feeling of something like despair.—The first article attacks the Free-trade v. Tariff Reform problem, with a special reference to the hop industry. The Protectionist case is here at its strongest. No industry connected with the land shows anything like the same ratio of labour to acreage. It may be briefly stated thus : the labour on fruit-land is treble that on corn, and that on hops quadruple that on fruit. But it is idle to bolster it up with duties. Protection would increase the overproduction which already exists.—Of other topics we may mention the article on the Ordnance Survey of Great Britain, a subject which is supple- mented by an account of similar activities in various parts of the Empire. Some at least of the Colonies are learning from mistakes made at home in the past. Two million pounds were spent in 1842 when the Tithe Commutation Act came into force on plans which to a large extent had to be done over again.—The other articles are "Goethe's Novels," "New England Nature Studies," "The Paston Letters," "Two French Memoirs," "Early London," and "Beauty and Expression."

The most important article in the Quarterly, "Our Endangered Sea-Supremacy," we have discussed in another column.—Not un- connected with this is "The German Peril: a Rejoinder to Prince Billow." It is a strange incident that the chief Minister of a foreign Power should think fit to command an interview with the representative of an English journal for the purpose of answering the criticisms of the Quarterly. The result is scarcely a success for the Minister, and can hardly please the gentleman who became his mouthpiece. Prince Billow's language is coarse in the extreme. Of this, however, he is possibly unconscious, if we may judge from the fact that he sees nothing exceptional in a caricature so gross that we are unwilling to describe it, and that he can find nothing but sincere friendship for England in a writer (Treitschke) who declared her to be "thoroughly impervious to noble thoughts" and responsible for "a condition of privileged piracy" in the sea law of nations.—Major Darwin contributes an admirable paper on "Municipal Trade." The argument is moderate in expression, but quite decided in its conclusions. Some obvious exceptions must be made. No one will object to the water-supply or to the cemetery being undertaken by the municipality. Generally, however, the system tends to encourage extravagance and to foster corruption. The municipal employee is bribed by an exceptionally high wage to keep in office tho authorities who pay it.—" Some Impressions of South Africa" is a most interesting article ; but it is impossible to criticise it adequately from a British standpoint.—On the other hand, it is possible to say a great deal about the appreciation of English journalism which is suggested by the Life of Delano. One admirable saying of the great editor we must quote. To some one who twitted him with inconsistency he replied : "I am responsible for the Times of to-day, not for the Times of yesterday or of to-morrow." What a pleasure it is to open a newspaper without knowing what it is going to say !—We hope that the paper on "Agricultural Co-operation," by "Home Counties," will do some good, and wish that we could be more sanguine. It is only too truo that there are too many inter- mediaries between the producer and the consumer. There are articles for which the retail purchaser has to pay at least four times as much as goes to the producer.