12 FEBRUARY 1916

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The Spectator

NEWS OF THE WEEK O N all the fronts during the past week the lull has been more marked than ever, though no doubt it is the lull before the storm. The only item of real...

The fact is that the position of the Germans in

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the Balkans is becoming very precarious, and, what is worse for them, the - force of circumstances will apparently oblige them to throw - good money after bad. This last...

There has been a great deal of talk during the

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week of German threats to Roumania, and of how the Germans will deal her a smashing blow, overrun her, and destroy her unless she immediately demobilizes her Army. We very much...

What the Times and other papers somewhat grandiloquently call an

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" air raid on Kent " took place on Wednesday afternoon. In reality it was no raid, but simply a visit of two hostile sea- planes, which flew very high over Ramsgate and...

The most recent communique from Petrograd shows that in '

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Galicia, where of late there has been very heavy fighting, the Russians have again driven the enemy across the Dniester, - and - established theiuselves on the west bank of the...

During the week we have beard much about German over-

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tures to Belgium to conclude a separate peace. Thursday's Times, in a telegram from Rome, states that the- Ossereatore, the organ of the Vatican, denies that the . Pope has con-...

We have- dealt with panic patriotism elsewhere. Here we may

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say that we are perfectly certain that the mass of English- men, instead of howling about the negligence of the Government in the matter of Zeppelins, making selfish appeals for...

Even if the Belgians had reason to think that German

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scraps of paper were worth their face value, we feel sure they would have indignantly refused the offer. Considering, however, what happened in August, 1914, what possibility...

* 4 ' The Editor cannot undertake to return .Afanuseript in any

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case.

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Here we must unfortunately return to the Daily Mail again

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and say a word about the wild and wavering campaign which it seems to be conducting in regard to something vaguely called reprisals. A good deal of this howling for reprisals is...

Though the change is momentous, it is in our belief

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well justified as a war measure. Sir William Robertson has by far the best head for dealing with strategic problems in this country, or perhaps we should say in any country in...

It is with great regret that we read the statement

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made in Thursday's papers that General Smith-Dorrien has been obliged owing to ill-health to resign ids command in East Africa. But though we regret that so able and so gallant...

On Monday a most important Order in Council, involving .

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momentous changes in the functions of the Secretary of State for War, was published in the London Gazette. The date of the Order is January 27th. The operative part states that...

We desire to congratulate our contemporary the Daily Chronicle upon

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the pluck and public spirit with which it has been protesting day by day against - what - it very properly terms " the strange privilege of beer." For example; in a leading...

From this duty of regarding a prisoner of war as

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sacred and inviolate there can be no exception, unless, as wo have said, in the case of some conspiracy by prisoners or some insurrec- tionary movement among them. The notion of...

The notion of reprisals against prisoners is a perfectly different

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thing, and is really part- of that futile and diabolic policy which we as a nation have condemned, and rightly condemned, in the slaughter of hostages. :In no possible...

without, as far as wo can sec, any correction or

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protest in the editorial columns shows to what a mental condition those who control the Daily Mail have reduced themselves by these " Thyestean banquets of clap-trap." We are...

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Deep sympathy with the Dominion of Canada. has been aroused

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in this country by the news of the virtual destruction by fire of the Parliament Buildings at Ottawa. The fire, which occurred on Thursday week, began in the Reading Room and...

The GOrinans admit the loss of Zeppelin ' L19,' which

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sank :in the 1■Torth Sea on Wednesday week while reconnoitring. The Master - of- the. steam: trawler. ' Ring - Stephen ' has told a .remarkable• story. - _of his_...

- We wish we had space to deal further with

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the Daily Chronicle's very valirable statistical article of -Wednesday, from-which we have just _quoted. The proof which it adduces of the way in -which heer-has flourished on...

A White Paper issued on Monday night contains setee,tiens from

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the papers taken at Falmouth from Captain von Papeie the late German Military Attaché at' WashingtOn. A letter dated March 12th, 1914, from the German Ministry of War remarks...

The master and mate of the Ring Stephen' thought, accord-

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, ing to their owl statements, that the Zeppelin, which towered trawler,: Would remain afloat' for a considerable' 'time, and - that therefore rescue would- come in good time...

Another letter conveys congratulations from one Siedenburg (December 21st, 1915}.to

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Captain von Papen on his:work, and adds : " For the extraordinarily idiotic Yankee antagonisms you will console yourself with the good German proverb, "The greater your enemy:-...

Oil .Wednesday ,week„ aceoriing to messages from Con-,

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,stantinoi)k, Prince - Yussuflaz edDin, the Turkish Heir ` Apparent,' 'Iva& fOtruNicad with hid trtbried cut: 'The Young Turk official announcementwas that ho had committed...

Dealing 5 .qtli'lhe,favtltrreetcharaeter - of the breWing industry; the Chronicle of WednesdaY. points . out,

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what is not realizedi by many people; that the first complete year of war 'has been .the most prosperous in the history of the brewing industryinrecent,ye,ars. The period`...

Bank Rae, p6r cent., changed from C p.c. Aug. 8th,

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1011.

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TOPICS OF THE DAY,

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WHY NOT A GENERAL TARIFF ? N our opinion, the time has come when the Government IN should impose a general tariff. There arc two great needs before the Cabinet and the nation....

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THE LOGOTHETE AT LARGE.

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W HEN Mr. Roosevelt called President Wilson a " logothete," by which he apparently meant a phrasemonger rather than a reincarnation of a Byzantine functionary, he could scarcely...

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PANIC PATRIOTISM. • IISRAELI says somewhere in one of his

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novels that 1 there- is no more unpleasant spectacle in the world than that of a Patrician in a panic. Worse than that,. however, is a Plutocrat in a panic. Worst of all is a...

THE NATION'S ODD-MAN..

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A T a meeting of Lieutenants of Counties, Viee7Presidents and members of the Executive of - the Central. Association of Volunteer Training Corps, Iteld.on 'Thursday week at the...

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THE UNSEEN BOND.

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S OME say that American sympathy with the Allies-is stronger than it_was ; others say that it is weaker. For ourselves, we do not, muds mind what people say, for so long as the...

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BLACK LOOKS. •

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B LACK looks are very pbwerful. Most men and most women are afraid to meet them, and almost unconsciously alter their course to avoid them. They produce discomfort around them "...

MARCHING THROUGH FRANCE.

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W E were on our way to the front ; but from the general attitude of the men you might have thought we were on a cheap tour. The management was subjected to much criticism. The...

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CRICCIETH AND "DOWN GLASSES."

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(TO THE EDITOR Of THE " SPROTATOR.'1 Sts,—You may be intereated to.know what Criccieth has been doing since your notices of the " Down classes " policy have appeared in the...

[TO THE EDITOR OF TEE "SPEOTVTOR.71

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,Sts,--Surely the weak point in the position of the conscientious objector is his passivity. He who would reject material weapons for.apiritual must do so actively, as when the...

BETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

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_CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS. [TO THE &Hien OF VILE " SPEGVATOR.'1 Sist,—.-Cliciatian.men. who happen to know Quakers must admire the intensity of their faith. Holding the same...

ECONOMY AND TAXATION.

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.-[TO THE EDITOR OF THE "Ski:MA-TOR:1 SIR, -LAllowmo to say brief word iwsupport of Sir Herbert Maxwell's commie - et on your—perhaps hastilY,svrittett—sertternm accusing...

A QUESTION AND AN ANSWER.

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• [To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR:1 SIR, —In bat week's Spectator Mr. T. E. Harvey writes :- "When the other English Colonies lived in constant feud with their Indian...

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THE LATE MAJOR E. F. CALTHROP, R.F.A.

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(TO THE EDITOR OF THE SPECTATOR...1 Sra,—I venture to send you a short account of Major (temporary Lieutenant-Colonel) Everard Ferguson Calthrop, R.F.A., who fell in action...

SALONIKA.

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(To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR.") - SIR,—Surely there can be no doubt about the pronunciation of Salonica (or Salqniki), the ancient Thessalonica. I have before me as I...

WAR MEMORIALS.

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(TO THE EDITOR OF VIE " SPECTATOR."I Cliftonians are justly proud of the lines of Sir Henry isIewbolt which you quote—" Qui pseud hind, aio. Still. this does not allow one...

MR. PEMBERTON-BILLING.

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ITO THE EDITOR OF THE •' SPECTATOR.") Sni,—Are you not rather hard on Mr. Pemberton-Billing ? Granted that his allegation with regard to Zeppelin raids in East and West...

PATRIOTISM.

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(TO THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR.") SIR,—May I be allowed to thank you for the admirible article en patriotism in your issue of February 5th, and, still further to point the...

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" THE SACRAMENT."

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(To THE EDITOR OF THE " srEcTrron. - 1 SIR,—You very kindly granted me permission to reproduce in the Challenge a very striking article called " The Sacrament." This has now,...

POETRY.

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V. D. F. (Ave atque vale.) You from Givenchy, since no years can harden The beautiful dead, when holy twilight reaches The sleeping cedar and the copper beeches, Return to walk...

[TO TEE EDITOR or THE "SPECTATOR. "] SIR,—In the article in

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last Saturday's Spectator on " War Memorials" you suggest the formation of an Advisory Committee of men of letters to assist in providing satisfactory inscriptions for such...

SOME REAL WAR-BABIES.

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[TO THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR."] Sin,—You kindly published an appeal. four weeks ago. for £200, to provide and maintain a creche for children in Notting Dale whose...

FORGED ITALIAN BANKNOTES.

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(TO TEE EDITOR OF TER "SPECTATOR. " ] SIR,—You will have heard that on the occasion of the recent issue of the Italian War Loan some cleverly forged 500-lire banknotes were...

THE CENTRAL ASSOCIATION OF VOLUNTEER TRAINING CORPS.

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PRESIDENT : LORD DESBOROUGH. How. SECRETARY : PERCY A. HARRIS, Esq. HEAD Omeas : Judges Quadrangle, Royal Courts of Justice (Carey Street entrance). The aims and objects of...

EXPENSES OF HIGH SHERIFFS.

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[TO THE EDITOR or TUE SPECTATOR:'] S111, —Your correspondent on this subject may be interested to know that six months ago tho Shropshire Grand Jury requested the High...

NOTICE.—When " Correspondence" or Articles are signe1 with the writer's

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name or initials, or with a pseudonym, or are marked "Communicated," the Editor must not necessarily be held to be in agreement with the views therein expressed or with the mode...

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B 0 0 K S .

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JAPAN.* TnE West has scarcely even- yet recovered from the profound' astonishment with which it learnt that the Japanese had suddenly, emerged from the chrysalis stage in...

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PARODY.* GEORGE ELIOT in Theophraetus Such uttered a vehement protest

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against the growth of burlesque in literature. Indeed, she looked forward pessimistically to the possible advent of the time when people would only turn to standard masterpieces...

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OUR FIGHTING SERVICES.*

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SIR EVELYN Woon's enthusiasm in writing this record of men who fought for England, from the time of Alfred to the South African War, is likely to be met by enthusiasm in his...

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AN OLD EDINBURGH CITIZEN.*

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Ir is becoming almost. a fashion among writers of reminiscences to disclaim any written aid to their memories. Sir John Mac- donald assures his readers that what they will find...

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THE MAGAZINES.

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• Ma. WICKHAM STEED in a recent number of the Edinburgh • hinted that much light might be shed on the tragedy of Sarajevo and the preparation for the European War if it ever...

" THE GUNPOWDER LOOK."*

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Mn. THOMAS'S Life of the Duke of Marlborough has no pre- teneions to be more than a timely piece of bookmaking, evoked without doubt by the fact that our troops are once...

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FICTION. -

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THE IVORY CHILD.* IT is pleasant to find that the divided allegiance paid of late years by Sir Rider Haggard to the call of romance and the needs of British agriculture has not...

Moby Lane and Thereabouts. By A. Neil Lyons. (John Lane.

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6s.)—" There are persons in the world," says Mr. Lyons, " who possess what I may call an early-morning mind : persons who not only are alert and intelligent at ten o'clock in...

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My Japanese - Year. By T. H. Sanders. (Mills and , Boon.

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10s. 6d. riet.)-If we can judge - by a naïf and occasionally facetious style,' ,the publishers. of this series of "• Yearn " in various countries have not chosen an...

Chained Lightning. By Ralph Graham Taber.s (Macmillan. and _Co. 68.

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fid. net.)-Here is a • tale of two railroad tele- graphists of one of the Western Stated, who left their. work and journeyed down , to Mexico, hunting adventure and dollars;...

SOME BOOKS OF THE , WEEK.

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• [.Voticc in this column does not necessnrily preclude su5septeid review] . Russian Polk-Tales. Translated by Leonard A. Magnus. , (Regan Paul; Trench, and Co. 7s. 6d....

. For Little Pilgrims on Life's Way. By Belle House.

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(Sherratt and Hughes. 3s. 6d, net.)—Though the author of this book does not actually give her work the name of sermons and her chapters are not woven .round texti, her...

READABLE NOVELS.—The Seeds of Paradise. By Mario Hartill, (Hodder and

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Stoughton. 6s.)-Miss Hartill writes intimately of life in South Africa ; and her heroine, Anne„is a- most lovable l'lersoit.---+Cleopafra, a G . ipsy. By Arthur F. Wallis....

• Tales by . Polish Antkors. Translated .by Elsa C. M.`'Benecke.

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(B. H. Blackwell, Oxford. 3s. 6d. net.)--Four stories• by con-. I temporary 'Polish novelists. In all the writing has style and. atmospheres' though the latter is one of...