A Fixed Easter
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Lord Desborough has chosen an appropriate moment to revert in the House of Lords to the question of a fixed Easter, and it is useful to have a reaffirmation of the Arch- bishop of Canterbury's strong support of the project and a statement that the present Government holds the same views on the subject as its predecessors. Unfortunately there is no answer to the objection that till the Church of Rome comes into line action nmst be deferred, for the idea of having Easter celebrated at different dates by different sections of the Christian Church is untenable. It can only be hoped that the Pope may be influenced by the Archbishop of Canterbury's appeal and do what is possible to accelerate a decision, which, however, he has so far maintained muss: be taken by an ecumenical con- ference. It would, of course, be easy for the Government to make the Easter Bank Holiday fixed instead of move- able, but for reasons of public convenience the holiday obviously cannot be separated in date from Good Friday. The date for Easter Day agreed on at Geneva, and em- bodied by the British Government in the 1929 Act (which can be brought into effect at any moment by Order in Council) is the Sunday after the second Saturday in April.
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