THE CONTEMPORARY.
The moral of the General Election is drawn, according to their respective party standpoints, by Sir Evelyn Cecil, Mr. Pringle and Mr. Arthur Ponsonby. Mr. Pringle exultingly
declares of the new Parliament that "whoever is in
office, the Liberal Party will be in power." But there is more truth in Mr. Ponsonby's remark that, though "the middle party may seem to have the whip hand, the exercise of that function is not likely to bring that party very, much credit or support from the electorate in the long run." Sir Alfred Hopkinson, viewing the result as it were from the cross-benches, points out that our electoral system has broken down, and that there ought to have been a Refer-
endum instead of an election. An important and timely article by Sir Josiah Stamp on "The Capital Levy" deserves careful reading. He explains why, in his view, at least a third and possibly a half of the levy of 28,000,000,000 would be lost to trade, thus creating unemployment, and why the effects of panic might greatly increase this most undesirable deflation. Professor Sarolea states candidly What Europe is Thinking of America "—in his opinion, that is, for others would put the case differently. Herr Hermann Lutz describes "The Situation in Bavaria." Bavaria, he says, wants to be the nucleus of a revived Germany she resents the central- izing control of Berlin and will soon regain part at least of her old liberties ; but "the Separatist movement in Bavaria has few adherents." Mr. Edward Bernstein asks, What of Religion in Russia ? "and declares from personal experience that" the wind of a new spiritual life is blowing over the land "; it must be remembered, however, that he writes as a Socialist and tries to make light of the atheistic demonstrations ordered by the Bolsheviks. Dr. Scott Lidgett pays a tribute to the late Dr. Clifford, and Mr. F. W. Hirst to the late Lord Loreburn. Mr. W. A. Propert brings out the interest and value of "The Courtauld Gift to the National Gallery," and Mr. Philip Carr has a charming paper on old Provence.
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