4 FEBRUARY 1944

Page 1

NEWS OF THE WEEK

The Spectator

T HE past week has been disastrous for the Germans both on the eastern front and at home. The last two R.A.F. raids on the capital appear to have been more catastrophic in their...

The Pacific Offensive

The Spectator

In the great sea, air and land battle which is now going on in the Marshall Islands, the Americans are drawing their net more widely across the Pacific, and are now advancing...

Hitler in Depression

The Spectator

In the earlier period of Germany's war against Russia, when she was still winning victories, Hitler's propaganda told of Soviet armies annihilated, Soviet industries crushed,...

Page 2

The Savagery of Japan

The Spectator

The sensibility of the civilised world is not so blunted by records of enemy cruelty as to fail to react with inexpressible horror to the accounts of Japanese barbarity in the...

Italy's Future

The Spectator

Not much has appeared in the British Press about the conference of Italian democratic parties held at Bari during last week-end ; and in spite of a good many dogmatic...

The Allies and Spain

The Spectator

It is reassuring to know that the British and -American Govern. ments have adopted firm language towards the Spanish Government, and that words have been backed by deeds in...

Parliament and Electorate

The Spectator

The Government's plan to set up a conference on electoral reform and redistribution of seats, presided over by the Speaker of the House of Commons, relieves the Home Secretary...

Page 3

INDEPENDENCE AND UNITY

The Spectator

T HERE is always an element of the startling in Russia's methods of political evolution. The sweeping measure of decentralisation announced on Wednesday does not indeed come as...

Page 4

A SPECTATOR'S NOTEBOOK

The Spectator

EOPLE who like arguing can argue 'their heads off about Mr. Churchill's interventions in the Brighton by-election. Perscnally, I find his argument convincing. Lord Samuel seems...

Page 5

THE APPROACHING TYPHOON

The Spectator

By STRATEGICUS HE battle of Rome has not followed the expected rhythm ; and we can neither deduce the plan from what has actually occurred nor too confidently conclude that...

Page 6

CRISIS IN FRANCE

The Spectator

By DAVID THOMSON By DAVID THOMSON R ECENT developments inside France have created a situation which is more explosive end more significant for the future of her people than any...

Page 7

MARRIAGE GUIDANCE

The Spectator

By EDWARD F. GRIFFITH T HE whole future stability of our national life centres round the family. If that is insecure all our hopes and plans for effective national development...

Page 8

DISARMING GERMANY

The Spectator

By V. S. SWAMINATHAN I T is a matter of history that measures prescribed for disarming Germany after the First World War, and keeping her disarmed, failed dismally. That must...

Page 9

MARGINAL COMMENT

The Spectator

By HAROLD NICOLSON A ROUND me as I write are grouped the flowers of spring. In a bowl from Mekinez, packed tight with fibre, the stiff flowers of the netted iris glimmer among...

Page 10

THE THEATRE

The Spectator

••• The Druid's Rest." At the St. Martin's.—Sadler's Wells Ballet. At the New. MR. EMLYN WILLIAMS'S new comedy at the St. Martin's has a Nv eish setting, and a mainly Welsh...

THE CINEMA

The Spectator

"Johnny Vagabond." At the London Pavilion. WHY and how do films get made? Perhaps we too seldom consider the forbidding mechanics of the business—financial and technical....

THE KEY TO THEIR HEARTS

The Spectator

By habitual measurements do not idly Aseasure Those who are shaken by the storms of war; He for whom Death 's become a daily neighbour Sees many things he never saw before. We...

THE INDEX IS NOW READY • To VOLUME 171 of "THE

The Spectator

SPECTATOR" One shilling and sixpence for each copy should be enclosed with instructions and addressed to:— INDEX DEPT.. "THE SPECTATOR," LTD.. 99GOWER STREET, LONDON, 1V.C.1,...

Page 11

RUSSIA, POLAND AND AMERICA

The Spectator

Sia,—Mr. A. J. P. Taylor, in a letter published in your issue of January 28th, is of the opinion that Poles "can have the friendship of Russia the moment they renounce their...

THE B.B.C.

The Spectator

Sta,—I would like to add my voice to that of Miss Macaulay in your issue of January 28th when she declares that the most serious lack in the B.B.C. today would appear to be...

Page 12

THE TRUTH ABOUT JANUS

The Spectator

Sin,—Why, what a sullen fellow is this "Janus" before eleven in the morning! First he stops the announcer saying "Good morning to those of you who have not tuned in before," or...

REFUGEES IN BRITAIN

The Spectator

Sto,—In last week's "Marginal Comment" Mr. Harold Nicolson makes out an impressive case for the indiscriminate retention of our refugee population. I do not propose to criticise...

THE REAL AUSTRIA

The Spectator

SIR,—Miss Lucie Street's answer to my article on the Real. Austria is not quite accurate. I never asked anyone to believe "that. no one of Austrian birth save Hitler himself...

READING THE BIBLE •

The Spectator

Snt,—" Janus" in the issue of January t4th last suggests that far more people receive knowledge from the Bible by learning extracts rather than by regular reading. At my own...

SELF-DETERMINATION FOR GERMANY

The Spectator

Snt,—In your issue of January 7th, Mr. Loeb is likely to mislead your readers. The Nazis never got a majority at any general election IS Germany. That is a plain and...

Page 13

The Police Service

The Spectator

British Police and the Democratic Ideal. By Charles Reith (Oxford University Press. I25. 6d.) ANY book about the police service must have an especial appeal to th; serving...

R.A.F. Origins

The Spectator

The Birth of the Royal Air Force. By Air Commodore J. A. Chamier, C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O. (Pitman. is.) THE Royal Air Force, during these winter months, is preparing for...

Page 14

Half-Dreamed Calamity

The Spectator

Splendours and Miseries. By Sacheverell Sitwell. (Faber and Faber. 1:88.) OF the discoveries in which this century has proved all too fecund, none I fancy, not even flight, has...

Parochial Criticism

The Spectator

Man and Literature. By Norman Nicholson. (S.C.M. Press. ros. 6d.) THE proposition advanced by Mr. Nicholson in this little thesis with the big title is this : that twentieth...

Page 16

Fiction

The Spectator

Elders and Betters. By!. Compton-Burnett. (Gollancz. 98. 6d.) Robber Bridegroom. By Eudora Welty. (The Bodley Head. los. 6d.) " Oh, must we be quite so honest with durselves, my...

Shorter Notices

The Spectator

Carteret and Newcastle : A Contrast ha Contemporaries. By Basil Williams. (Cambridge University Press. 15s.) PROFESSOR Basil Williams' " double biography" of Carteret and...

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COUNTRY LIFE

The Spectator

A NATURE Reserves Investigation Committee was appointed in 1942 to advise the official planners of rural reconstruction after the war. An immense sum of local information has...