POINTS FROM LETTERS
MARIE CORELLI.
In the review of Memoirs of Marie Corelli in your issue of October 11th it is stated, doubtless on the authority of these memoirs, that she was the daughter of Charles Mackay, I.L.D. This is incorrect. It was established on the death of Miss Corelli that she was the daughter of parents of very lowly estate in the parish of St. Marylebone.... She was in her early years adopted by Dr. Mackay.—F. W. LANGSTON.
IRRELIGION.
May I make a brief protest to Mr. J. D. Bemal's " Challenge to Religious Orthodoxy"? It is too provocative to be helpful. Has Mr. Bernal never heard of Canon Barnett and General Booth ? The visible mechanization of to-day naturally draws popular attention from the unseen factors of spirituality. In the next ten or fifteen years there will either be a civil revolution or a religious revival having an ethical emphasis. There are signs of some import that it will be the latter rather than the former. " A few of the less subversive teachings of Jesus." Is there any compassion in the realm of science like unto that of Jesus Christ ?—EDWARD WEAVER, Cliftonville.
A PROTEST FROM PORTUGAL.
In the interesting article on a visit to Soviet Russia con- tained in your issue of the 11th inst., I should like to point out one sentence which is apt to create a wrong impression. . . . " Road surface—the worst I have ever known—worse even than those indescribable tracks in Portugal." I, as a Portuguese, beg to protest. The sentence might have been true, in fact it was true five years ago, as the majority of roads in this country were then in a very bad condition. However, the Government has since made strenuous efforts to remedy this, and now I venture to state that any motorist will find that most of our roads compare very favourably with those, at any rate, in Central and Southern Europe.—C. W. DE MESQUITA, Oporto, Portugal.
OH, rim RETAILER !
In the article on the cost of living, in last week's issue, the author says, in substance, that retailers cannot he expected to reduce their prices, and thus move with the wholesale price reductions, until they have cleared off that portion of their stock which was purchased at the greater price. Thus, he says, the full benefit of the fall in the cost of living can never reach the consumer. May I suggest that this is too one-sided ever to become an article of belief in political economy ? When there is a rise in wholesale prices, or in the costs of production, do retailers first sell off their stock before falling in line ? No ! and they would laugh if we suggested such a thing to them. Only last week I was compelled to buy a theoretical work of music, which was published, before the War, at half a crown. I was sent a pre-War copy; and over the price was gummed a label hearing the figure five shillings. A clear 100 per cent, profit in addition to the full profit allowed for in the original pricing of the book. And this just because, if the work had been printed to-day, it would have cost double to put on the market ! Oh, the retailer !—M. REEVE, Hounslow.
[Will Mr. Thomas Donnellan of Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, kindly give us his full address in order that we may forward correspondence addressed to him at this office ?j
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