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When the Lord Chief Justice contributed an article to the Daily Telegraph in June the Prime Minister was questioned in the House of Commons on the desirability of such excursions into journalism by His Majesty's Judges. Lord Hewart's last article, in last Friday's Daily Mail, appeared just after the House had risen so it can evoke no questions there—at any rate till October. But though no definite restrictions arc likely to be or can well be, imposed, there is as much to be said for a rule Of silence on the part of Judges as of Cabinet Mihisteis and civil servants. The Bench can be dignified withOut being pompous, and that is a most valuable asset. Do such passages as this in an article by the head of the judiciary in a popular daily really enhance the Bench's dignity Suppose that the frightfully respectable firm of Boosly, Bassein; Bossom and Bosom were concerned to show that two habitual criminals were at a certain spot at a certain hour. if they could produce a " movie " and " talkie," identify the men, and prove that one was saying to the other " If it comes to unpleasantness, Algernon, remember that we were not hero at all today, but on the contrary were giving out leaflets at Alexandra Park on the ' Temptations of .Tobacco,' " how greatly simplified would be the task of a mixed and merciful jury.
take leave to doubt it.
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