The reply of the Prime Minister to a question in the House of Commons on Tuesday regarding a possible modification of the unconditional surrender demanded of Germany was...

T HE effect of the tremendous happenings on the eastern front has the effect of putting events in Greece in something like their right proportion. It is clear, even before the...

A debate in the House of Lords on civil aviation last Tuesday gave Lord Swinton an opportunity of reviewing the grounds of agreement and disagreement at the Chicago Conference,...

The report on Housing Policy issued by the Housing Sub-Com- mittee of the Conservative Party on Tuesday, if it did nothing else, would have performed a valuable service in...

General approval was given in the House of Commons to the Wages Councils Bill, whose second reading was moved by Mr. Bevin on Tuesday. Here is wise provision to prevent...

A letter in Tuesday's Times from Lord Harmsworth and Sir Lawrence Chubb, on the danger to the future of England's unique common land as a result of the operation of the...

The mission of Mr. Richard Law to Washington to concert measures for somehow increasing the supply of shipping to relieve the needs of liberated Europe is very necessary, and it...

T HERE are certain matters of first importance to the nation, theoretically known before the war, which have been demon- strated beyond all doubt during the last five years. One...

I T is a pity that suspicion—involving an indomitable resolve to discover hidden motives behind simple facts—figures so largely among certain schools of journalists in this...

By STRATEGICUS S 0 majestic is the sweep of the Russian offensive that it is not easy to bear in mind that the full scope of the design has not been revealed even yet. Up to...

By VERNON BARTLETT, M.P. I T is well known that one of the reasons for the existence of cats is to be kicked by husbands who have quarrelled with their wives. The human being,...

By F. R. HURLSTONE-JONES* It is sometimes forgotten that the future supply of teachers depends not only on the wishes of the would-be entrants, but also on the opinions of the...

By CAPTAIN GERALD HANLEY S OME have pierced ear-lobes that hang halfway down their necks. These are generally slim and handsome, of the Nandi tribes of Kenya. There are some...

most other people in this country, are becoming increasingly restive concerning the controls to which they have submitted during the past five years. They are naturally anxious...

by CAROLE.) NICOLSON I N The Times the other day there appdared a letter from a foreign visitor containing a pertinent criticism of British diplomacy. The letter intimated in...

" Waterloo Road." At the Leicester Square. " Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo." At the Empire. " A Message from Canter- bury." At the Academy. IN theme and setting Sidney Gilliatt's...

THE most important of the month's recordings is Elgar's Symphony No. 2 in E flat, played by the B.B.C. Symphony Orchestra under Sir Adrian Boult (H.M.V., D 86910-5). I have...

THEY say The days are now getting longer and lighter, But it doesn't look like it ; I can hardly see to write, And it is getting darker Every moment. The sky is yellow, So the...

THE THEATRE MISS DAPHNE DU MAURIER'S is a better play than we are used to see- ing at Wyndham's, and it is a pleasure to be once more in a country house setting and not in a...

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR SIR,—King Peter's refusal to sign the Tito-Subasich Agreement (and its Moscow amendment), without certain changes, has once more brought to the fore the...

SIR, —In his article about " The Temper of Europe," " Viator " expresses great concern about young people in occupied countries because the resistance to the Germans has made...

Stn,—There must be many like myself with first-hand knowledge of the educational position today who can foresee an almost complete collapse of the structure which we have known...

S1R,— Perhaps he thinks in terms of Byron: "When a maa hath no freedom to fight for at home, Let him combat for that of his neighbours, Let him think of the glories of Greece...

Sta,—The Government scheme for family allowances which is shortly to be embodied in legislation has been widely and rightly welcomed. But there-are certain weaknesses in the...

Sta,—The Spectator has accustomed us to such a fair and balanced pre- sentation of the Polish case that your comments in the last issues have come as a painful surprise. I would...

SIR, —As Mrs. Maude Royden Shaw is of opinion that " the interpreta- tion by the Zionist of the words 'national home' into ' Jewish Common- wealth' has no ground whatever, in...

Sta,—Perhaps " Janus " had his tongue in one of his four cheeks when he wrote of the office of the Archbishop of Canterbury as being the highest in the Christian Church. But...

SIR,—I sincerely appreciate your publication, in your issue dated January 12th, of my letter, which you head: " B.B.C. News and Comment." May I correct what is doubtless a...

SIR,—In your " News of the Week " you make reference under the heading " A Local Government Scandal" to the Ministry of Health Inspector's report which was recently presented to...

IT should be no little comfort to those gardeners, and they are legion, who see their beds overrun with weeds to be told—and by scientific persons on scientific grounds—that...

SIR,—In his charming review of my book Friday Mornings, Sir Ernest Barker questions my statement that Aristotle held that no woman can make a good House of Commons man. It is...

Matthew Smith. (Penguin Modern Painters. 2s. 6d.) I AM not convinced that Matthew Smith is a good draughtsman, despite Sickert's opinion to the contrary, quoted by Philip Hendy...

" Forward, by the Right " Full Speed Ahead ! Essays in Tory Reform. By Viscount Hinching- brooke, M.P. (Simpkin Marshall. 5s.) . IN this collection of speeches, addresses and...

The Naval Heritage. By David Mathew. (Collins. 12s. 6d.) Bisitop MATHEW has brought to this book the scholarship, the pictorial imagination, the unexpected phrasing, the...

THIS is a long book which many will find unreadable. Yet those who persist will be forced to admit respect. Chafed as they may be by the silver sentences so thickly encrusted...

Dasha. By E. M. Almedingen. (John Lane. 8s. 6d.) The Journey Home. By Robert Henriques. (Heinemann. 8s. 6d.) The Water Music. By Glyn Jones. (Routledge. 8s. 6d.) Dasha is an...

The winner of Crossword No. 304 is: H. J. MILES, Road, Newton, Swansea. 9, St. Peter's

IA Book Token for one guinea will be awarded to the sender of the first correct solution of this week's crossword to be opened alter noon on Tuesday week, yanuary 3oth....

Home's novels are unknown to the present reviewer, it is clear that this is an omission to be rectified as soon as possible. For Autumn Fields reveals the born writer. Of...

Augustus John. By John Rothenstein. (Phaidon Press. 20s.) NINETY—FIVE plates, four of them in colour, give a fair, entertaining view of Mr. John's merits and limits—his...

By CUSTOS FROM the steady rise which took place in banking deposits last year it was a tolerably safe assumption that bank profits would show a further moderate increase. For...