22 MARCH 1924

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NEWS OF THE WEEK.

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1 1 11E most notable event of the week has been the Government ' s decision, not to proceed with the development of the Singapore Naval Base. The Prime Minister, speaking on...

Although the miners ' dispute has not been settled and the

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time is running out, there are grounds for hope. The mineowners are evidently anxious not to repeat the mistakes of the dock employers, and they have gone an appreciable way...

The Government are faced with most serious labour troubles. Apart

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from the miners ' dispute there are the shipyard and the London tramway and omnibus troubles. The prospect in the shipyards is that there will be a national lock-out next...

Mr. Amery, in the course of the debate, warned the

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Government that if the Conservative Party returned to office, they would resume the policy approved by the Imperial Conference. He scouted the suggestion that the development...

EDITORIAL AND PUBLISHING OFFICES : 13 York Street, Covent Garden,

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London, W.C. 2.

The question of Singapore is admittedly one of great nicety

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in the political balance. For ourselves we still incline to the view, which we have expressed on former occasions, that the necessary expenditure cannot be justified. There is...

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As we all want the same thing, we must condemn

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the methods recommended by the Pacifists, not their spirit. Obviously the right course is to defend ourselves soberly and reasonably, while leaving no stone unturned to bring...

The situation in India is both difficult and dark. Dark

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in the sense that it is almost impossible for us in this country to judge of its real character. Last week there was some hope that the Assembly would not reject the Budget. But...

On Thursday, March 13th, the Government suffered their first defeat.

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No principle was involved, but in any case Mr. MacDonald, after all that he has said, would not have been expected to resign. The Government have steadily been getting into...

The delegates' conference will apparently not come to a decision

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until March 26th. At one moment it seemed likely that the Government might transform the whole situation by introducing legislation for a minimum wage. Such legislation,...

Not that we want to underrate the importance of private

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members' time. Indeed, we want to see private members much more generously treated, for they always stand in the way of an unwholesome stereotyping of business. But these days...

On Monday in the House of Commons the Socialist, or

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Pacifist, amendment to which we have already referred was .brought forward to reduce the Army by 150,000 men. This would leave only 11,000 men for the defence of the country....

The principal subject of debate on this day's considera- tion

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of the Army Estimates was the case of the ex-ranker officers. It will be remembered that last week the War Office issued a White Paper which proved how rash Mr. Ramsay MacDonald...

Last week we expressed our fear that President Cosgrave had

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made a dangerous concession to the mutineers in Ireland. The papers of Thursday morning confirmed this fear. General Mulcahy, the Free State Minister of Defence, has resigned in...

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The financial event of the week has been the recovery

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of the franc. A week ago the franc was at 121 to the £ ; at the time of writing it is at about 84. The immediate means by which this remarkable recovery has been effected is...

The result of tile Abbey by-election was a victory for

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Mr. Otho Nicholson over Mr. Churchill by the narrow majority of 33. The figures were :— Mr. Otho Nicholson (Conservative) .. 8,186 Mr. Churchill (Independent) .. .. 8,153 Mr....

Sir Lionel Earle and his Committee are to be heartily

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congratulated on the success of the bird sanctuaries in the public parks. By the planting of shrubs which attract various birds for shelter, nesting and food, and also—and...

Next day Mr. Austen Chamberlain completely denied M. Klotz's account

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of the interview and remarked : " Either M. Klotz is betrayed by his memory or, as is perhaps more probable, he never understood what was said." The next move was for M. Klotz...

Bank Rate, 4 per cent., changed from 8 per cent.

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July 5, 1923 ; 5 per cent. War Loan was on Thursday, 101* ; Thursday week, 100* ; a year ago, 1011.

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TOPICS OF THE DAY.

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PANIC, SUSPICION AND DESPAIR. N the article which follows this we print a frank and -I- very able exposition of the policy of M. Poincare- an exposition written by one who is...

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THE OTHER SIDE.

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M. POINCARE'S POLICY RESTATED. BY JULES SAUERWEIN. (M. Jules Sauerwein is the Foreign Editor of the " Malin," and is not only one of the. best' known and ablest of French...

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COMPREHENSIVE NATIONAL INSURANCE.

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BY SIR J. A. R. MARRIOTT, M.P. O " P 'ION is, if I mistake not, rapidly concentrating upon the idea of a comprehensive scheme of National Insurance as the most effective...

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THE

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ENGLISH-SPEAKING WORLD. BY EVELYN WRENCH. B Y 61 votes to 7 the American Senate ratified last week the Liquor Treaty with Great Britain. Henceforward any British vessels...

THE BUSINESS OF MARRIAGE.

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" nusiNEss is business"—so say the French. It is rather smart_to quote English •phrases. Business is marriage, or marriage • is business here in France. Sentiment,:...

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The current issue of the Round Table has a very

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instruc- tive article from its Indian correspondent, in which he advocates an inquiry into the Indian Constitution. He believes that a conference would wean the Swarajists from...

One of the chief points made by the European com-

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munity in Kenya in defence of their attitude towards the Indian problem in that colony is that the Kenya Indians are only partly civilized from the Western standpoint. Mrs....

ARCH ITECTURAL NOTES.

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By LORD GERALD WELLESLEY. SOMETHING must be done to arouse the dormant architecturid perception of the nation. Mr. John's magnificent portrait of Madame Suggia excites almost...

There were less than half as many lynchings in the

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United States in 1923 as in 1922, and the famous negro institute of Tuskegee reports that 46 lynchings were prevented last year " by officers of the law "—an encouraging fact....

It is not often that one looks in the columns

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of the New York American, Mr. Heart's widely-circulating journal, for praise of Great Britain, yet last month a leading article, entitled " Only One Nation Paying Debt to Us,"...

My references in the Spectator a week or two since

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to the fact that France is more and more looking Sahara- wards is borne out by an interesting article in Lc Quotidien, in which M. Destree recommends his countrymen to study...

On the occasion of the opening of Egypt's first Parlia-

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ment by King Fuad on Saturday last, Mr. Ramsay MacDonald addressed a telegram to Zaghlul Pasha which put into words the feelings of all who desire that the friendliest relations...

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THE THEATRE.

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" THE ADDING MACHINE," BY ELMER • L. RICE (THE STAGE SOCIETY). The Adding Machine is an extremely interesting, though in the end a disappointing, play. It is the story of a...

The building is merely a block of offices, and being

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of brick instead of Portland stone it has probably cost less than most office blocks of a similar type. Its triumphant success is in no way due to magnificence of material or...

ght SpErtatar.

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LIFE MEMBERSHIP. tj The rates for payment of Life Membership are as follows :— For persons under 45 years of age .. ..over 45 and under 55 years of age 55 65 SS PP • •...

Note the tower-like masses which break the symmetry of the

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facades without disturbing the balance of the whole ; note the originality of the carving on the keystones ; note the charm- ing ironwork. Be careful not to miss the colour...

I therefore repeat that something must be done to get

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people to talk about and notice the changing aspect of the streets through which they pass. And to advance, however feebly, so great a cause, notes by the writer will appear...

There are two ways of approaching a building. It may

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be seen far off terminating a long vista or dominating its surroundings. As one goes towards it one gradually absorbs it with either increasing admiration or increasing dislike....

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ART.

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MR. WILSON STEER AND OTHERS. Mn. STEER has been established as one of the " leading English artists " for many years. It is a surprise to be reminded that he is also a great...

A CIVIC SENSE IN ENGLAND ?

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jTo the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] Sin,—Your interesting article on "A Civic Sense in England ?" which appeared in your issue of the 23rd ult, raises a very pertinent...

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

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UNIVERSAL " ALL-IN " INSURANCE. [To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIn,—Your readers will doubtless greatly appreciate the publi- cation of the _Alternative Schemes for...

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[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR, I fear your

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jubilation over the letter from " Two Aldermen of the Borough of Harrogate " is somewhat mis- placed. I have the misfortune to reside in Harrogate, a town which by nature would...

ASYLUM REFORM.

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[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] Snt,—In Dr. Russell's letter on this subject in your issue of March 8th he does not do justice to the Board of Control in quoting their...

[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR,—Mrs. Williams-Ellis's " reasonable

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test of a town's success," as defined in the last paragraph of her article,would be cheerfully accepted by any resident in what she somewhat sarcastically calls " town-proud...

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[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR,—As a former patient

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in a private mental hospital I have read your article on this subject and Dr. Risien Russell's letter with greater interest, perhaps, than the majority of your readers. Since...

THE ENGLISHMAN'S PRAYER-BOOK.

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[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR, —Lord Hugh Cecil, in your columns on the 8th inst., affirms that to " try to revert to an unchanged (Communion) service uniform all over...

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DEAN INGE . ON THE POPULATION QUESTION.

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[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR,—In spite of your oft-repeated assertion that you welcome views contrary to your own, I perceive that on one question —the reduction...

[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] Sm,—Allow me to join

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with your many correspondents in expressing my gratitude to the Bishop of Norwich for his articles on this subject. There is, however, a special objection for the alteration of...

[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] Sm,=–In reference to birth

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control, advocated by Dean Inge and other eminent men, " Father of Four " raises a pertinent question in your issue of February 28rd, when he calls attention to the stigma...

A BYRON " CLOSE-UP."

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[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR,—I have read with great interest the sympathetic review of Mr. Harold Nicolson's book on Byron in your last issue. The Spectator's...

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HIS MAJESTY'S MAILS.

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[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR,—It is disappointing to find that the Spectator has no comment to make on the stoppage of mails by dockers referred to in Sir Godfrey...

POETRY.

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A CHORISTER IN AVALON. WHEN in the glass I see the heavy clay Of which I am compact, I also see A tall companion at my shoulder sway— The golden ghost a god designed for...

CHILDREN'S MISAPPREHENSIONS.

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[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR,—The father of a five-year-old boy had recently obtained' an appointment, and his friends were congratulating him. The child joined in,...

EMPLOYERS AND REDUCED PRODUCTION.

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[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR,—In " Financial Notes " in a recent issue Mr. Kiddy, when commenting on the " Bovril " statement, makes the following observation " . ....

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THIS DELUGE OF EGOCENTRICS.

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Two forms of literature have grown shabby, the intimate essay and the introspective poem. So many people have looked in their hearts and written, then looked and looked,...

BOOKS.

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THIS WEEK'S ROOKS. THERE are a few attractive books this week. The Letters of Charles Greville and Henry Reeve are edited byMr.A.H.Johnson and published by Fisher Unwin. The...

BOOKS OF THE MOMENT.

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TWO HUMAN DOCUMENTS. THE Fox Diary has a double importance. It gives a very minute picture of a certain kind of mind, onewhich at first sight seems merely selfish, weak,...

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LOGIC ON SCIENCE.

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Logic : Part III. The Logical Foundations of Science. By W. E. Johnson, F.B.A. (Cambridge University Press. 12s. Gcl. net.) SCIENTISTS at Cambridge are in no wise respecters...

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RELIGION AND THE PHARISEES.

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Living Issues in Religious Thought. By IL G. Wood. (G. Allen and Unwin. 6s.) Ideas of God in Israel : Their Content and Development. Christian Movement. 7s. 6d.) The Holy...

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FICTION.

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LUMMOX. Lummox. By Fannie Hurst. (Cape. 7s. 6d.) THE most invidious role it ever falls to a reviewer to assume is that of faint-praiser. But what else is he to do ? A book is...

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OTHER NOVELS.—Till a' the Seas Gang Dry. By John Inns.

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(Dent. 7s. 6d. net.)—A novel of the Scottish school, a good example of a good type. There is the usual stern theology vivid phrasing, and continual humour. The characters are...

HISTORY OF ART : Vol. III., Renaissance Art. By Elie

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Faure. Translated by Walter Pach. (John Lane. 25s. net.) The enormous field which M. Faure has sought to cover in the petty compass of four volumes has driven him to compression...

SHORTER NOTICES.

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THE HISTORY OF IRELAND. By Stephen Gwynn. (Macmillan and Co. 12s. 6d. net.) No one with a knowledge of Mr. Gwynn's previous books would think of denying his competence as an...

THE PAGAN IN THE PARSONAGE.

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A Cure of Souls. By May Sinclair. (Hutchinson. 7s. 6d. net.) Miss SiNcLAnes new novel is a most immoral work : it sets before us a life of slothful and selfish hedonism in such...

THE ENGLISH SECRET, and Other Essays: By Basil de Selincourt.

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(Oxford University Press. 10s. 6d.) These articles will probably be familiar to many readers who may have encountered them on the front page of the Times Literary Supplement. In...

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FINANCE-PUBLIC & PRIVATE.

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MY OUR CITY EDITOR.] THE RALLY IN THE FRANC. [To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR,-I find it difficult to recall an occasion when there has been a more dramatic recovery in...

FINANCIAL NOTES.

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The composition of the National Debt Enquiry Com- mittee finds favour in the City. Banking is well repre- sented by Lord Colwyn, Sir Charles Addis and Mr. Henry Bell, and while...