13 MAY 1916

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NEWS OF THE WEEK.

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T HE most interesting, and what events may prove to have been the most important, incident of the past week was the receipt of the German reply to the last American Note on sub-...

We cannot refrain incidentally from expressing our admiration of the

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diction with which Mr. Wilson has expressed himself. How different it is from the woolly or muddy language in which our Foreign Office despatches are too frequently written I...

First of all, Germany, having been fairly " caught out

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" lying about the ' Sussex '—for fragments of a German torpedo were discovered on board—now admits that she may have been mis- taken, but reserves further communication on this...

Germany then goes on to say that, though she cannot

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dispense with submarine warfare, which is directed against British illegality, she will make " a further concession." Submarine commanders shall, in fact, act in accordance with...

After considering this extraordinary reply, President Wilson decided not to

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break off relations at once, but to assume that the German concession was made without its impossible condition. Tactical courtesy and patience have never been carried further....

The German reply turned out to be a lengthy spinning

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of words, here making a concession and there making the concession depend upon an impossible condition, and for the rest doing homage to peace and humanity in a manner that...

It is exceedingly difficult to record the nature of the

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week's events in Ireland, so meagre is the information obtainable. The only certain news is that the Courts-Martial are proceeding with their work, painful but absolutely...

*** The Editor cannot undertake to return Manuscript in any

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case.

TO OUR READERS.—One of the chief ways in which our

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readers can help us to meet the Paper Famine is by informing the Newsagents, Booksellers, or Railway Bookstalls from which they are accustomed to purchase their paper that they...

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Mr. Redmond disclaimed all influence in the government of Ireland.

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He had had none either before the Coalition was formed or since. As for applying conscription to Ireland, it would be, in his opinion, not only a wrong and unwise thing, but an...

Since the beginning of the revolt it would appear that

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some eighty of the inciters to murderous riot—they do not deserve the name of rebels, often one of honour—have , been sentenced. Six of the seven signatories to the proclamation...

lathe House of Commons on Wednesday, after &flood of questions

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about Ireland, and a statement by Mr. Asquith that the Commission to inquire into the revolt would be under the chairmanship of Lord Hardinge, late Viceroy of India, the other...

In the House of lords on Wednesday a debate on.

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the Irish, policy of the Government was raised by Lord Loreburn, who was supported by Lord Midleton and others. Since, however, the debate is to be continued, and since this...

Of course officers ought not to share the excitement of

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mind thus produced, but, after all, the world knows that officers are human beings and are apt to catch the passions and illusions of their men. If, as is alleged, Mr....

That the officer was arrested by the military authorities no

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doubt shows prima fade that he disobeyed military orders, and will have to take the consequences of his acts if they are proved to have been illegal. We must not forgot,...

On Thursday week in the House of Commons the new

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Military Service Bill received its second reading. Mr, Asquith was absent during most of the debate and Mr. Lloyd George was in charge. The rejection of the Bill was moved.by...

Mr. Lloyd George's very powerful appeal would probably have turned

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many votes if there had been many wavcrers. But the truth was that the acceptance of the Bill was P. foregone conclusion. The principle of compulsion had been conceded in the...

The case of Mr. Sheehy Skeffington, a Dublin journalist, who,

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ft is alleged, was shot without trial of any kind on April 26th— the second day of the rioting—occupied the attention of the House of Commons on Wednesday evening. As the matter...

No doubt , the wise nuan in the coolness of his

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study will say that no one, even .though apparently caught red-handed, should be summarily executed. Ths wise man is of course absolutely right in the abstract, and every true...

In the House of Commons on Tuesday the Service Bill

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was in Committee, and Sir John Lonsdale moved to make it apply to Ireland. His appeal. was made .pointedly and personally to Mr. Redmond. Mr. Asquith objected that the...

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We do not want, any more than does Mr. Hughes,

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to be " gulled " by " parrot talk about Free Trade." We merely want to remind him that, do what he will, neither he nor anybody else can get beyond the plain fact that there are...

On Saturday last Mr. Lloyd George addressed a meeting of

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his constituents at Conway. In another month he would have accom- plished a year's work at the Ministry of Munitions, and it would then be his duty to render an account of his...

Because we have forgotten our old quarrels with Mr. Lloyd

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George, and because we realize his splendid devotion to the cause and his willingness to spend himself body and soul in the service of his country, we are not going to pay him...

In a letter to the Mayors of Lowestoft and Yarmouth,

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published In the papers of Wednesday, Mr. Balfour makes the very interesting announcement that Sir John Jellicoe, without impairing his essential naval superiority over Germany,...

After declaring that, in his opinion, the need for compulsion

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arose last September, Mr. Lloyd George turned to the suggestion that he had ceased to be a Liberal because he had adopted compulsion. In that case there must be a good many...

The news from the Western Front is exceedingly meagre, save

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done from the Verdun sector. There throughout the week the Germans have been monotonously hammering at the gates of the unconquered and unconquerable forces of France. Attack...

The last message sent by General Townshend to General Lake

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before the surrender of Kut was read by Lord Kitchener in the House of Lords on Thursday week. It was as follows " We are pleased to know that we have done our duty, and...

There are people, continued Mr. Lloyd George, who say :

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" What is he up to now ? ' I am going to tell you what I am up to—I am up to winning this war." Mr. Lloyd George ended his speech on that high note of courage to which ho has...

We must find room to note the very grave statements

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made by the Washington correspondent of the Times in Thursday's issue. It appears that President Carranza demands that the American troops should be at once withdrawn from...

We deeply regret that we cannot find space to deal

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at length with the very eloquent and moving speech as to Labour's stake in the war made by Mr. Hughes, the Prime Minister of Australia, at the patriotic Labour demonstration at...

Bank Rate, 5 per cent., changed from G p.c. Aug.

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8th, 1311.

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TOPICS OF THE DAY.

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COLONEL WINSTON CHURCHILL. T HE return of Colonel Churchill to the House of Commons, which we are told is to be permanent, has set going a number of rumours as to the future of...

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REBELLION AND CLEMENCY.

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T HE argument that it is unwise to make martyrs is very familiar, very attractive, and frequently sound. The argument is being applied without reserve to the situation in...

LORD CURZON AND THE CABINET.

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N OTHING could have been better than Lord Curzon's speech to the Primrose League. Not only did he say the right thing about the position of the Cabinet in the right way, but he...

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TAXATION AND CONSUMPTION. [COMMUNICATED.] W E have no desire to attack

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the Government, or to criticize unnecessarily any of their performances or omissions ; but it is impossible not to feel and speak strongly with regard to their failure to take...

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FRIGHTFULNESS AS CHRIVIANITY.

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I T is always a pleasure to have said for you something which you do not like to say for yourself. We cannot com- plain that occasions of this sort of gratification have not...

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" W E shall not know ourselves." This is the phrase

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in which! simple people always predict great changes, and it is horribly realistic. The familiar is dear. Nevertheless the young often seek exhilaration in new surroundings. But...

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CORRESPONDENCE.

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STATE CONTROL OF THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC. —IL [TO THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR. " ] Sra,—Assuming the principle of State purchase to bo accepted—and Mr. Lloyd George's recent speech...

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SHAKESPEARE ON INVASION.

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ITO TILE EDITOR 07 THE SPECTATOR...) Sat,—Shakespeare, the patriot, is familiar to all your readers. But none of them, I think, has yet reminded you how he foresees the...

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

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"SORTES SHAKESPEARIANAE." [TO THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR:1 enclose some emits Shakespearianae which perhaps the Spectator Ara.srurs. " Some airy devil hovers in the sky And...

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THE REAL FAILURE OF THE GOVERNMENT.

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[To THE EDITOR OP THE " SPROTATOR."( Sra,—I am very much impressed by a letter in your issue of April 15th written by an Australian officer with the initials " A. I. F.," and...

HARVARD MEN IN THE EUROPEAN WAR.

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[TO TEE EDITOR OF THE " SITCTATOR."] Sin,—I received the copy of the Harvard Bulletin to which the enclosed cutting from the Observer refers too late for use in last Saturday's...

" LAPSUS CALAMI."

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[TO Tall EDITOR OP TER " SPECTATOR. " ] SIB,—I was perplexed beyond measure by the expression " drunken Posthumus " in your article " The Universal Advocate " (Spectator, April...

" WRIST IN FLANDERS " : A REJOINDER.

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[TO THE EDITOR OF TUB " SPECTATOR. "] Srn,—Some few weeks back my husband in Canada sent me the printed lines which I enclose. The clergyman of whose choir he is a member had...

ECONOMY AND DOMESTIC SERVANTS.

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[To THE EDITOR OF TER "SPECTATOR. " ] Sin, —I suppose it will be agreed that there is no class on which it is more difficult to impress the necessity of economy than domestic...

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AN INTELLECTUAL ALLIANCE.

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[To THE EDITOR OP THE " SPECTATOR."] Sue,—With reference to the article on " An Intellectual Alliance " in your issue of April 29th, I beg leave to send you this little tract,...

A BIRD ' S DEVOTION.

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[TO THE EDITOR OP THE " srxerrroa.1 Srn,—There have been a pair of Chinese geese on the lake here for several years. Last Friday they did not come to be fed with the ducks as...

CHILDREN ' S COUNTRY HOLIDAYS FUND.

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[TO THE EDITOR OP THE " SPECTATOR."] Sui,—The heavy toll of life taken by the war has taught us with greater force than ever to guard the future by caring for the children of...

CIVIL SERVICE AND REBELLION.

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[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR. "] 110,—I desire to express entire agreement with the letter of " C. B." ander the above heading. I am old enough to remember the " Rising "...

AN INTELLIGENT HORSE.

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[To THE EDITOR ON THE " SPECTATOR., Snt,—The village baker, while delivering bread on Tuesday evening, March 28th, was caught in the blinding blizzard, and could neither...

A GENEROUS OFFER FROM AMERICA. [To THE EDITOR OP THE

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"SPECTATOR."] gin,—I have read lately in letters of officers and privates serving at the front that newspapers are highly prized by them. From personal experience in reading the...

STARLINGS AT THE FRONT.

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[To THE EDITOR OF THE " spicreina.n Snr,—The following extract is from the letter of an artillery officer " somewhere in France " .- "April 24th. Did I tell you that the...

THE BEHAVIOUR OF AMERICAN AND GERMAN SOLDIERS. [TO THE EDITOR

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OF THE " sezerszoa."] send you letter of L. W. Keplinger, which perhaps you can sae as showing the difference in the conduct of the soldiers of the armies in the war between the...

WRYNECKS.

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[To THE EDITOR OP THE " SPECTATOR. " ] Sri,—I have this morning watched a performance on the part of a wry- neck, which, as it is not recorded by Morris, or any other bird book...

PRESS DEPRECIATION OF OUR EFFORTS.

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[To THE EDITOR OP THE " SPECTATOR. " ] Pint,—It may interest your readers to see the following extract from a letter recently received from a gentleman who has active business...

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BOOKS.

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AMERICAN DIPLOMACY.* A VERY abundant war literature shows not only the deep interest evoked in America by the great struggle now in progress, but also amply testifies to the...

AN APPEAL.

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ITO THE EDITOR or THE " SPECTATOR:1 SIR,—I am venturing to ask the help of the readers of the Spectator on behalf of St. Mary's Convalescent Home, Birchington-on-Sea. This Home...

POETRY.

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SOLDIERS AT PEACE. GRIEVE not for these, whose still unfading spring Is graven deep in England's memory : Grieve not for these, who have no perishing Hang high their swords in...

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

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

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THE LIFE OF DISRAELI.*

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Tax fourth volume of the Life of Disraeli gives us an opportunity of judging him during a long period as one of the principal men in opposition, when ho was not actually the...

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FATHER PAYNE.* " PertsenterioN was not the only evidence of

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godliness." This is a typical saying from the mouth of Father Payne. The " Father " is an imaginary person about whom either Mr. A. C. Benson, or some one who can imitate his...

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A NEW ANTHOLOGY.* Tux first thought of the reader upon

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opening Mr. Robert Bridges's new anthology is one of disappointment. All authors' names have to be sought in the index. It is as bad as Hymns Ancient and Modern, and its perusal...

FICTION.

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THE DARK FOREST.* THE title of Mr. Walpole's remarkable book seems capable of conveying a double meaning. There were concrete dark forests in which the scene of his drama...

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NEW EDITIONS. —From America comes a reprint of Richard Biddle's Memoir

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of Sebastian Cabot (Lippincott Co.), which has an unfailing interest, although much of it is detailed criticism of the errors of previous writers on the subject of Cabot and his...

How to Live Long. By J. Walter Carr, M.D. (Methuen

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and Co. ls. net.)—An excellent little book giving practical advice as to the rules of general health day by day. Mr. Carr maintains that " man is still largely the master of his...

READABLE NovELs.—The Little Lady of the Big House. By Jack

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London. (Mills and Boon. 6s.)—The story of a Californian ranch. The efficient and wealthy owners and inhabitants appear to suffer from vices usually ascribed to the idle...

We have received that useful volume, The English Catalogue of

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Books for 1913 (The Publishers' Circular, Ltd.). The statistics show that the total number of new books or editions published in 1915 was 10,665, as compared with 12,379 in...

SOME BOOKS OF THE WEEK.

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'Notice La this edema does not necessarily preelads subsepsent revicadi Wed Point in Our Next War. By M. Van Z. Woodhull. (G. P. Putnam's Sons. 5s. net.)—As a young man the...