The August Magazines
THE Nineteenth Century has an instructiv.e article by Mr, John Morgan on TYrieside and -Sorith Wales : a 'COmparigoit." He is unfair to the Tynesiders when he says that they are less " politically conicidrii " and less -eager for education than the South Wales people. Apart from this, however, he brings , out some useful contrasts and suggestions: -One, which is sound but not new, is that both areas should be tidied up " and their derelict works cleared away for the new industries that must be started. Colonel H. • M. Watteville surveys " The Italo-Abyssinian War " as an example of good organisa- tion and skilful planning. The cost of these vast opera- tions is not stated: Lord :Queenborciukh, who recently resigned the treasurership of the League of Nations Union, discusses " The Future of the League " in a very pessimistic spirit ;- he fears the influence of a militarist Moscow at Geneva. The Rev. A. G. B. West explains " The Fairhridge Model " for emigrating,boys to the Dominions and there- training them to be farmers—an excellent scheme that should be 'greatly developed.
In the Contemporary Review Mr. Wickhani Steed, -under the title of " Lost Bearings," maintains once again that we must not trust Herr Hitler and that Russia, as an " anti-war " country would be a good ally. Mr. Sisley Huddleston discusses " France's Foreign Policy," which, he says, depends upon Italian support : if we want to work with Franee, we must work with Italy." Sir Raymond Beailey declares that " Christianity in Germany To-day " has been invigorated by recent events and that the Nazi rulers are now inclined to favour the Protestants, if not the Roman Catholics. Dr. Stern-ilubarth describes " Germany's EConomic Situation " favourably, but does not supply figures. .mr. Price, who has recently visited Japari's New Outposta."the man- dated Pacific islands—says that the natives are well cared for and that there are no fortifications; since none are needed to make the islands valuable naval and air bases.
The Fortnightly gives first place . to Admiral Sir Herbert Richmond, who maintains that" Security depends upon Sea-Power 7 and not upon alliances which may fail us in a crisis as they have often done in the past. And sea-power must be provided by a common effort of the countries in the Empire. Mr. Belloc discusses "The Despot and the Arts," and concludes that an intelligent despot may " rescue societies of other political types from artistic chaos." Mr. Arthur Waugh writes well and wisely on " Publishers and Sinners," and, as an old publisher, admits that the public prefer:to borrow rather than to buy a book. Mr. Kenneth Henderson describes " The Libel Racket " and the Bill which he has drafted for the amendment of our very defective libel law. It is good to find Mr. V. S. Pritchett, who asks " Is English a Dead. Language ? " commending Defoe, the father of English jour- nalism and fiction, as a first-rate model for our young writers.
The Quarterly Review prints a timely article on " The Perversion of Mountaineering," by Mr. C. F. Meade, who describes some of the hair-raising and foolhardy Alpine feats attempted by Italian and German climbers in a mad spirit of national rivalry. Since he wrote of last year's tragedy on the Eiger, four more young lives have been sacri- ficed on that terrible precipice above Grindelwald. Mr. A. K. McCosh, well known in Scottish mining. circles, has an important paper on " The British Coal Industry." Mr. McCoSh thinks that the new Coal Mines Bill should be post- poned so as to give the selling 'schemes time to develop. Mr. Lancelot Lawton writes hopefully " Coal into Oil." Professor G. M. Harper's long article on " George Herbert's Poems " gives pleasant variety to a good number.
To the National Review Lord Lloyd, contributes a centenary, eulogy on Joseph Chamberlain,- with -scant caustic remarks on the statesmen of today who, he thinks, are neglecting Empire defence, trade and shjipirg. :Sir Reginald Johnston describes the situation:in " 'Japan, Mongolia and China " ; in his view China" has to 'choose between Japanese tutelage and Communist chaos.
Blackwood's, always-_ full of variety, surpasses itself in an issue that begins with the trouhles in .Nanking a few years ago and ends on the borders of Tibet, with intervening stories of Australian pearl fishing, the Queensland bush, a South African lighthouse and a fishery cruiser in Northern seas.
Chambers's Journal contains, under the heading of " The Cruiser in the Swamps," by Mr. Malcolm Smith, a German naval officer's account of the destruction of the cruiser ' Konigsberg ' in the Rufigi river in East Africa in 1915.
The English 'Historical Review has a long and notable article by Mr. R. R. Darlington on " Ecclesiastical Reform in the late Old English Period." It confirms the view that the Anglo-Saxon Church before the Norman Conquest was by no means so feeble and corrupt as Norman chroniclers have led-later"ages -to believe; • 7- -
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