24 FEBRUARY 1923

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NEWS OF THE WEEK.

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I N discussing the British attitude towards the French invasion of Germany, Parliament was performing one of its principal functions. Here was a question at once intricate and...

This was precisely where that debate differed from Monday's on

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the Liberal amendment. Here we were very soon out of the sphere of economic realities. There was a transition stage of Lord Robert Cecil's now some- what tempered idealism, and...

votes. We deal with the issue and the debate in

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our leading columns.

The form of the debate was the proposing and the

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final rejection of two amendments to the Address, the first from the Labour Party on Friday, February 16th, and last Saturday, and the second from the combined Liberals on...

Mr. Stanley Baldwin was far from making this mistake. After

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by no means negligible attacks on the Govern. ment's attitude from different angles, by Mr. Lees-Smith, Mr. Mosley, and Mr. Snowden, he wound up the debate with a very effective...

The characteristic note of the speeches for the Labour amendment,

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and of Mr. Baldwin's reply to them, was their firm grasp of the necessity of European prosperity for the bare life of this country. It cannot be doubted but that the...

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We much regret to record the death of M. Delcasse,

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which occurred on Thursday. Historians will find no more prominent figure in the politics of France in the early years of this century. His foresight was equalled only by his...

We regret that Dr. Alois Rain, the Czecho-Slovak Minister of

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Finance, who was shot in the street six weeks ago, has died of his wounds. We deal with his work in our review columns on page 880. Czecho- Slovakia is the first of the European...

Last week-end four Scottish Labour Members (Messrs. Wheatley, Maxton, Kirkwood

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and the Rev. Campbell Stephen) visited the Ruhr. They have now issued a " report " Of what they did and whom they saw. They were 'extremely surprised at the standard of living...

But they, or rather whoever drew up their report— was

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it Mr. Maxton, we wonder ?—show a real grasp of the dominant importance of the economic element from the British point of view when they say that the crux is the indivisibility...

Now the French aim at achieving this essential unity by

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military occupation. It is extremely unlikely that they will succeed ; but if they do, they will attain the same economic and political preponderance in Europe that Germany had...

On Thursday, when we go to press, the Government are

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introducing the Second Reading of their Bill which is intended to clear up the mess that has been made by the sloppy wording of the 1920 Rent Restrictions Act. As we understand...

The results of the first pitched battle of the new

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Parliament have been by no means unsatisfactory to the Government. Ample majorities were secured on the important divisions, both Mr. Bonar Law and Mr. Baldwin did well in...

On Wednesday the chief business in the Commons was the

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discussion of a motion of Mr. Maxton, a Labour Member, which if adopted would remove the restriction of the grant of old-age pensions to those whose income does not exceed...

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Lord Rawlinson has announced a scheme for the Indianization of

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army units, which in immediate practice means that eight units of the Indian Army are to be officered entirely by Indians. The scheme is a pre- liminary trial, and if successful...

Sir Alfred Yarrow's great gift of £100,000 to the Royal

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Society for the advancement of scientific research repre- sents far more than the actual value of the donation. The opinion of a man of commercial and practical interests will...

We can imagine well the awe and reverence with which

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these privileged among men must have gazed upon the closed inner doors, knowing that beyond them the august dead still slept undisturbed. The objects of art alone exceed in...

The Duke of Bedford's point in his remarks on his

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present taxation was a good one. He pays to the Govern- ment 12s. 8d. in the pound. Now this may be right or wrong, but in either case it should be known. But such is our system...

We wish to draw the special attention of our readers

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to two items in this issue. In our leading columns we print an account of conversations between a member of our staff and representatives of the Board of Lunacy Control. We wish...

The Reparations Commission has released from the " first charge

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" of reparations certain items of the Austrian Budget, which we trust means that it is co- operating with the League of Nations' Committee of Control in the great work of saving...

The American Congress has accepted the British debt settlement, and,

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as we write, all that is needed to make the Bill law is the President's signature. A very inter- esting situation has arisen on the question of the limitation of immigration...

One of the supreme moments in the history of man's

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achievement must surely have been when Lord Carnarvon and Mr. Carter entered the Inner Chamber of Tutank- hamen's tomb. There could have been no greater reward for years of...

Bank Rate, 8 per cent., enaitgen trout 3i per cent.

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July 13, 1922 ; 5 per cent. War Loan was on Thursday, 101; Thursday week, 1001; a year ago, u6k.,

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TOPICS OF THE DAY.

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THE RUHR AND THE NEED FOR PLAIN SPEAKING. NN E are confident that the intentions of the Govern- ment in face of the perils of the European crisis are sound. They realize the...

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THE NEED TO WITHDRAW FROM MESOPOTAMIA AND PALESTINE.

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A LTHOUGH we feel happy indeed in the possession of the present Government when we compare their directness, simplicity and absence of prevarication with the tortuousness and...

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WHY NOT A TAX ON BETTING ?

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I T has been stated that the Treasury has been inquiring into the possibilities of revenue from the taxation of betting, and we have to thank the Morning Post for a considerable...

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A CONVERSATION WITH MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF CONTROL.

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A T the request of Sir Frederick Willis (Chairman of the Board of Control), on Thursday, February 15th, we sent the member of the staff who had written our original leading...

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OUR GREATEST ARCHITECT.

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C ENTENARY celebrations of the births and deaths of the illustrious produce in some of us a contra- dictions reaction disposing us to critical questioning rather than to...

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THE PAGE MEMORIAL FUND.

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T HE following is the list of donations received by the English-Speaking Union and the Spectator for the Page Memorial Fund :— FOURTH LIST OF DONATIONS.* Sir Frederick...

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A pleasing tribute to the memory of Christopher Wren is

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to be paid by the Architectural League of New York. When the Royal Institute of British Architects does homage to Wren on Monday next, February 26th, the two hundredth...

The India Rubber Review of Akron, Ohio, the world's greatest

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rubber manufacturing centre, regards the British policy as " utterly unsound and uneconomic," and warns the British Government that Brazil, which as lately as 1910 produced...

An American correspondent informs me that the exhibition of work

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sent over to America by the Royal Institute of British Architects, and shown at the Vander- bilt Gallery of the Fine Arts Building, New York, has created " quite a sensation,"...

Those who have visited countries with a light rainfall, such

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as Central Australia and Arizona, will know what the recent rains mean to the Orange Free State. The Times Bloemfontein correspondent states that " the Orange Free State has...

THE

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ENGLISH-SPEAKING WORLD. BY EVELYN WRENCH. H OW far great world-states such as the United States and the British Commonwealth can become self-contained and independent of the...

The recent increase in the price of rubber as a

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result of what is known as the Stevenson plan to limit the rubber output in Malaya has, of course, excited the attention of American importers. America owns 90 per cent. of the...

The promoters of the British Empire Exhibition should put their

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house in order quickly. Mr. John X. Merriman, in the South African House of Assembly last week, described the Union's grant of £50,000 as " senseless extravagance upon a tomfool...

A steady decline in drinking is taking place in Canada

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as a result of the restrictive laws in the Dominion, according to the Times Ottawa correspondent. Mr. Bureau, the Minister of Excise, informed the House of Commons that in 1914...

But it is not only the American Press which is

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con- centrating on the rubber question.. Mr. Henry Ford, the largest single consumer of rubber tyres, and Mr. Firestone, the great tyre manufacturer, are joining forces to...

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

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THE POLICY OF FRANCE. [To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR,—I have read with great satisfaction your recent articles upon France and the Ruhr Valley. The political and...

General Bramwell Booth, who has just returned from a three

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months' tour in India, has referred to the improve- ment in the Indian situation. The General gave an interesting interview to the Paris correspondent of the Times. He spoke of...

CORRESPONDENCE.

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THE DEATH OF WILFRID EWART. [To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] Six,—There are a thousand " ifs," " if onlys." If only that Spaniard in the train had not said "Go to the Hotel...

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[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] Stn,—In your comments on

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the action of France in Germany, you say that the French Government are the " dupes of terror " and that they fear the Germans so much that they dread the economic recovery of...

[To the Editor of the Spectator.] Sta,—In the discussion evoked

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by the Ruhr Valley occupation there is strikingly manifest a singular absence of that pene- trating analysis and temperate judgment which usually characterizes discussion in the...

THE BLOCKING OF LUNACY ACTIONS.

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[To the Editor. of the SPECTATOR.] Sin,—In the interests of the community, will you permit me a few observations upon the use made of the Public Autho- rities Protection Act as...

[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR,—If it be true

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that the injury done to the Allies by Ger- many can neither be adequately punished nor made good, the fact should be stated quite plainly. We shall then know what we have to...

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" BEHIND THE SHUT DOOR."

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[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR,—It occurs to me that criticism of the sincerity and value of the suggestion made in my previous letter, and comment on the detailed...

THE DIVISION OF THE DIOCESE OF WINCHESTER. [To the Editor

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of the SPECTATOR.] SIR,—Many people, even outside the Diocese of Winchester, will be glad that more time has been given for the consideration of this difficult subject. Will...

HOLLOWAY DISCHARGED PRISONERS' AID SOCIETY. [To the Editor of the

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SPECTATOR.] SIR,—Attention has been specially drawn of late years to the subject of penal reform. Unfortunately, however, few people are concerned with the problem of the...

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INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS AND THE HOSPITALS. [To the Editor of the

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SPECTATOR.] Sin,—The meeting of Head-Mistresses and Head-Masters of Independent Schools, held at Westminster School. on Octo- ber 7th, 1922, with Lord Burnham in the chair, has...

THE WORKING MEN'S COLLEGE.

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[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] Sia, — I have recently succeeded Sir Charles Lucas as principal of the Working Men's College, which was founded in 1854 by my grandfather, F....

NORMAN DAVEY.

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[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] Sin,—May I be allowed a few lines to ask the possible help of your readers in a subject which interests me ? In the December number of the...

1.11.E. TRADE VALUE OF GOOD. DESIGN.

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[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] Sm,—The letter of Mr. Martin Hardie in your issue of January 27th raises a question of very great interest to all who are concerned in the...

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J.HE RENT RESTRICTION ACTS. [To the Editor of the SeEers:roe..]

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SIR,—There is an element of humour in the brief abstracts of a Parliamentary Committee ! You appoint it, carefully selecting its personnel, and in due time after, presumably,...

OLD LONDON PRINTS AND DRAWINGS.

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[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] Sra,—The first portion of the well-known Gardner collection of prints, paintings and drawings of old London is again to be offered for sale by...

" A STUDY IN DIPLOMACY."

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[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] Snt,—In your very considerate review of my Old Diplomacy and New last week, the writer closed with the suggestion that I should " cut out " my...

discovered by two Danish chemists, Coster and Hcvesy. Will you

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allow me to correct that statement ? Mr. Coster is a Dutchman. He is a Doctor of Science (Mathematics and Physics) of Leyden University and a Doctor of Engineering of Delft...

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THE THEATRE.

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THE CO-OPTIMISTS AT THE PRINCE OF WALES' THEATRE. THE Co-optimists' Sixth Programme has some really admirable songs and satires in it. But I suppose that it is in answer to a...

THE POET TO HIS MISTRESS.

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(IN THE ANCIENT FASHION.) MY love, when I am near to thee, Like lightning pass the years, Time in Iambics seems to be, It is a short long time to me. But, love, when I am far...

POETRY.

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SAYS THE MUSE TO ME, SAYS SHE. You are a little tiny man Infinitely- tinier than A money-spider, carefully Noting down upon your cuff What you see and what you think—...

SPORT.

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A ROLAND WITHOUT AN OLIVER. THERE was a time when the fall of princes was held to be the only proper matter of tragedy. To-day they leave their kingdoms by train, looking for...

The Editor cannot accept responsibility for any article, poems, or

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letters submitted to him, but when stamped and addressee( envelopes are sent he will do his best to return contributions in case of rejection. Poems should be addressed to the...

NOTICE.—When. " Correspondence" or Articles are signed 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...

(The usual "Recreations of London" witl be found on page

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339.)

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BOOKS.

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THE WEEK'S BOOKS. THE two most notable books of this week are Colonel Fuller's book on The Reformation of War (Hutchinson) and Messrs. Benn Bros.' beautiful volume illustrating...

GEORGE FOURTH EARL OF ABERDEEN.* Ax interesting development has taken

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place in political literature during the past ten years. More and more lives of statesmen, ancient and modem, are being written by women, and often by women connected by blood,...

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The Economic and Social History of the World War, which

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is published under the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and of which Dr. Rain's book is one of the volumes, is history on a new plan. It shows what a world at war is...

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CRABB ROBINSON.*

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IT seems an easy way to fame, to know most of the celebrities of the day and to keep a diary. It is probably the most difficult. Celebrities, as acquaintances, are in danger of...

PSYCHOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGY.*

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Tim bibliography of the New Psychology has increased so enormously and rapidly of late that writers on this subject are continually repeating themselves and each other; but...

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LAUGHTER FROM A CLOUD.* Laughter from a Cloud is such

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a very charming book partly because in it we have been allowed to see Sir Walter Raleigh at his worst. The little plays in it are almost bad, almost commonplace, some of the...

FENIMORE COOPER'S LETTERS.*

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SHORTLY before his death James Fenimore Cooper told his daughter that he wished his family not to authorize the publication of any biography. Acting on this request, his eldest...

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POETS AND POETRY.

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NOCTURNE OF REMEMBERED SPRING.* THESE poems of Mr. Conrad Aiken's were all written (and published in America) before either Punch the Immortal Liar or The Jig of Forslin (which...

FICTION.

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BEHIND THE LINE.* Mn. COGSWELL'S novel comes to us wafted upon a pull from Capt. Stephen Gwynn, followed by another from Mr. Wells. Mr. Wells finds the book " one of the best...

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HIDDEN LIVES.1

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Tins is the story of Helen Clevion, a woman doctor, and her career in an industrial town in the North. The book is written with extreme care and with a considerable know- ledge...

1 DESTINED WAY. By Meredith Watson. (John Lane. 7s. 6d.

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net.)—This story, though coloured by race prejudice and overweighted by the tremendous quotation from Oedipus on the title-page, is an interesting study in temperament. Steyn...

TRACKING TRAINER. By George Chater. (Jarrolds. 7s. 6d. net.)—An intriguing

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detective story without any detectives, containing a crime, but no criminal.

HEALTH SERVICE IN INDUSTRY. By W. Irving Clark, M.D. (Macmillan.

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$2.00.) Modern factory operators are beginning to realize that no machine is really more powerful than the man who operates it. consequently, the human problem in industry has...

AN ODD MAN'S MARRYING. By Oxford Somerset. (Bale and Danielsson.

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7s. 6d. net.)—" Was I the kind of man," says Mr. Postlethwaite, the hero of this book, " out of whom could be made what could properly be called a partner ? . . . I had long...

OUR SOLAR SYSTEM AND THE STELLAR UNIVERSE. By that Rev.

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C. Whyte, LL.D., F.R.A.S., F.R.S.E. (Griffin and Co. 10s. 6d. net.) In these ten popular lectures Mr. Whyte gives a very com- prehensive and readable survey of the latest...

THE WAY OF DECEPTION. By Pan. (Odhams. 7s. 6d. net.)—This

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is an account of the tribulations of a youth who pretended to be the nephew of a millionaire. It seems a pity that an author who could do much better work should be content with...

THE HOUNDS OF BANBA.* A GREAL deal of the interest

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of these short stories is derived from their being glimpses behind the scenes, behind the care- fully decorated drop-curtain which was the official version of affairs in Ireland...

Both for the student of science and for the general

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reader willing to direct some concentration on to a subject abounding in fascinating possibilities, these three essays will prove stimulating reading. They are non-mathematical,...

SCIENCE AND PSYCHOLOGY.

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THE MEANING OF RELATIVITY. By A. Einstein (Methuen. 5s. net.) This excellent translation of Professor Einstein's Princeton lectures will only be appreciated to the fullest...

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In a well-written pamphlet Mr. Howard discusses the problem of

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Socialism and private enterprise. He points to the need of a right ethical standard among working people, and incidentally explodes many of the fallacies of Socialism.

POLITICS, ECONOMICS, HISTORY. AND LAW.

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QUIS JUDICABIT ? (Oxford : Blackwell. 6d. net.) This is a Report, drawn up for the Churchmen's Union by the Dean of Carlisle's Committee, on the proposed reform of the...

EUROPEAN BIOGRAPHY : THE PERIOD OF THE RENAISSANCE AND REFORMATION.

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Books I. and II. By G. Home, M.A. (Horace Marshall and Son. 2s. each.) Miss Home has done more than compress the intellectual outline of a whole century into her tabloid...

ESSAYS.

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PAPERS FROM LILLIPUT. By J. B. Priestley. (Cam- bridge: Bowes and Bowes. 13s.) It is not quite clear why Mr. Priestley has christened his book of essays Papers from Litliput,...

THE STORY OF GEORGE FOX. By Rufus M. Jones. (Macmillan.

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5s. net.) The learned American historian of Quakerism has written an admirable little account of the founder of the Society of Friends. Fox's own journal is of course the best...

BIOGRAPHY,

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The late Sir John Kirk, who died last April at the age of seventy-four, was for many years the secretary of the Ragged School Union and Shaftesbury Society. In that capacity he...

THE EMPRESS EUGgNIE IN EXILE. By Agnes Carey. (Nash. 12s.

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6d. net.) In 1886 Miss Carey spent ten months at Farnborough in the household of the Empress Eugenie. She sent at the time long letters to her friends detailing the conditions...

Mr. Goldberg has written interestingly about writers and a culture

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which are all too little known in the English - speaking world. He combines a wide and intelligent knowledge with tremendous enthusiasm for his subject, which, however, is not...

ECONOMICA. (T. Fisher Unwin. 2s. Bd. net.)

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This excellent periodical, issued terminally by the London School of Economies, contains original papers of interest and importance. Professor Howley, in an elaborate study of "...

LABOUR AND DEMOCRACY. By William L. Huggins. (The Macmillan Co.

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6s. net.) In this volume Judge Huggins discusses the relation between government and industry in America, and sue g ts some of the legal principles upon which remedial le ation...

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THE _CONTINUITY OF LITERATURE. By Edmund

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Gosse. (Humphrey Milford. 2s. net.) .. In his presidential address to the English Association, Mr. Gosse discourses with his frequent felicity of phrase on the value of...

FINANCIAL NOTES.

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Evidence of the activity of the investor continues to be afforded not only in the strength of existing securities, but in the ready response given to fresh issues of capital. At...

FINANCE-PUBLIC & PRIVATE.

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[By OUR CITY EDITOR.] WHY STOCKS ARE FIRM. . [To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR,—To comprehend the firmness of the Stock Markets in view of such matters as the Ruhr crisis...

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HANDICRAFTS.

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Tim Home Arts and Industries Association has opened a permanent depot at the Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gore, where the products of its many affiliated industries are on...

MATERIAL REVIEW.

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MESSRS. LAMPORT AND HOLT, LTD., are to be congratulated on having secured a singularly striking series of baggage labels for their Henderson Line of steamers, in which a bold...