THE APRIL MAGAZINES.
THE Nineteenth Century gives first place in a highly interesting number to a candid article by Captain Walter Elliot on " 1922: Problems and .Politicians." " At this moment, to write a political article," he says, " is like trying to ride a bicycle across a plain constantly convulsed by earthquakes." He ridicules the notion that the new electorate will go back to the old political controversies and makes fun of " the Grey Whigs," who forget that the world is weary, not of these Governments, but of all Governments," and that the economic problem is fundamental and all-embracing. He asserts that millions of ouf people—and especially the primary producers—aro worse fed than the Viennese. He surveys the field of politics and declares that until the Labour Party has abandoned the Marxian fallacy—as the American Democrats dropped Bimetallism and the British Conservatives grew tired of Protection—we shall not return to genuine party politics. It is a clever, paradoxical ; but stimulating article. Mr. Cyril Falls and Mrs. Alfred Lyttelton write from different standpoints on " The Future of our Race." Mr. Harold Hodge discusses the Geddes Report as the work of " A Committee of Non-Experts." Mr. Geoffrey Drage, writing from the same text, maintains that the expendi- ture on " public assistance "—now nearly £400,000,000—is disastrously excessive, whereas the proposed reduction of the Navy would be very false economy. Professor Meredith Atkinson, in an article on " Soviet Russia and the Famine," describes his impressions of a recent visit to the Volga. He declares that the Nausea Mission is a most inefficient organiza- tion," which " actually impedes " the work of the Friends' and of the " Save the Children " Fund. The famine area, he says, was not ravaged by the White armies. " The requisitions "- by the Bolsheviks—" were the main cause of the famine and the drought was the final blow." He thinks that the Bolsheviks will retain power " for a very long time " because they have the Red army and its rations and because they are rapidly abandon- ing Communism in practice. Dr. Robert Donald has an instructive article on " Wireless Progress and Empire Chain," denouncing the Post Office scheme as costly and inefficient. Lord Raglan writes well on " Arab Life and Character," with special reference to Transjordania. A dervish said to him :- " I am not opposed to Zionism. It is laid down in our holy books that the last judgment will be preceded by a massacre a the Jews by the Moslems. It appears to me that God, in His wisdom, is collecting the Jews in a convenient place."
Captain Colin Coote, in an article on " The United States of Europe," shows how tariffs have been everywhere increased, thus hindering the restoration of trade. Lord Teignmouth gives an interesting account of the measures taken to repress smuggling after 1815. Mr. A. B. Walkley prints the entertaining address which he delivered last week on Jane Austen, and Mr. Michael Sadleir contributes a helpful " Guide to Anthony Trollope," which will send more readers to that delightful and still unduly neglected novelist.
In the Fortnightly Mr. J. B. Firth as a detached observer discusses the question of the day, " Is Mr. Lloyd George Indispensable ? " He begins unfortunately with a guess— now seen to be wrong—that the Prime Minister, while at Criecieth, would resign. Mr. Firth thinks that the Unionists cannot afford to let Mr. Lloyd George go ; they must have " a new Disraeli," and Mr. Lloyd George fits the part batter than either the Lord Chancellor or Mr. Churchill. The Prinie Minister, to Mr. Firth, is " the very working model of a perfectly equipped opportunist " :—
" That is why the British Democracy has taken to him so heartily. He suits its varying moods. He is often the image of itself, a bundle of contrarieties, unfixed, swaying easily to and fro under the influence of the varying winds that blow."
Mr. Harold Spendei writes on " The Confusion of the Parties," with reference to the Prime Minister's threat to resign. Ho is all for the Coalition, and warns tho Coalition Liberals that they have most to fear from a split, followed by a General Election. Sir Valentine Chirol rejoices over what ho regards as " The Ending of the Egyptian Deadlock." Ho blame's Lord Curzon for the delay, and puts his trust in Lord Allenby and the more intelligent Egyptians. Egypt, ho reminds them, has not been independent since the sixth century before Christ —a fact which does not encourage a profound belief in the political capacity of the Egyptians. Mr. R. C. Long gives an informing and on the whole an encouraging account of " Wirth the Optimist." Mr. Stanley Rice laments over " The Passing of the Indian Civil Service," and rightly blames the late Secretary of State for producing a general feeling of discourage- ment among its members. Mr. Rice admits that " the Civil Service is working and has worked for its own abolition," but he maintains that India cannot as yet afford to dispense with her wise and honest British administrators, and that the Government at home should check the too hasty process of Indianization favoured by Mr. Montagu. Sir Francis Piggott has an instructive article on " China after the Peace," discussing possible means of reconciling the autonomous provinces with the Peking Government. Mr. Kenneth Ledward treats of " The Question of the Caliphate," which has, as he shows, been fantastically misrepresented in the interests of the Turks and their backers. Signor Croce's article on Stendhal and Mrs. Aria's reminiscences of Sir Henry Irving may be noted. Mr. John Drinkwater contributes an interesting study of the American poet, Mr. Edwin Arlington Robinson.
In the Contemporary Sir Rennell Rodd discusses somewhat hopefully " The Present Situation in Egypt." He laments the long delays that have occurred in the negotiations, and puts his faith in Lord Allenby as against the Foreign Office. As to the past, he remarks that " the Egyptian shows little aptitude for business ; State service remains his only field of employ- ment," and points out that the gradual increase in the number of British officials seemed to shut out the educated Egyptian from this field. Mr. Aneurin Williams, one of the Liberals who have not become Turcophiles, writes on " Armenia : British Pledges and the Near East." The danger is, he says, that_" the Armenian nation, having no Government represented at the Conference table to defend its interests, should be sacrificed again as in 1878:: This, unhappily, is what has happened at Paris ; only the Asiatic Greeks have been sacrificed as well as the Armenians to please our French friends. Mr. H. E. A. Cotton writes as a warm admirer of Mr. Montagu on " The Problem of Indian Discontent," which the late Minister did so much to stir up. Mr. Ramsay Macdonald writes on, " Zionism and Palestine," describing what he has seen of the Jewish colonies and suggesting that the Arab landowners fear the coming of Jews, who will raise the standard of the cultivator and protest against the harsh exactions from which the peasantry have suffered. Major Morrison-Bell sketches a new plan for " Reform of the House of Lords " ; he would elect the members by " P.R." for ten years, the electors to be all men and women of thirty years of age or more. Professor Pigou discusses " The Private Use of Money "—at present, it is to be feared, a somewhat academie question, except for the very few who have any surplus after paying taxes and household bills. Mr. H. W. Ilona describes " America's New Immigration Policy," and. Dr. R. G. Moulton makes an eloquent plea for " English Litera- ture : its Place in Education." Mr. Malcolm Letts's scholarly article on " Some Aspects of Town Life in the Past" deserves mention as an antidote to fanciful theories about the " good old times." He says with truth that " from the point of view of decency and cleanliness the majority of the cities of the six- teenth and seventeenth centuries deserved no better fate than to be burnt to the ground."
The National Review has a scathing article by " Centurion on the Prime Minister as " The Man who Didn't Win the War," but who " allowed the British people and the British armies to win it." Lady Bathurst describes as a "fetish" the belief that Mr. Lloyd George is the one indispensable Prime Minister, and suggests that his only monument—not absolutely harmful— will be " the rows of very hideous houses which have been erected in all the most beautiful villages in England." Com- • mander Alfred Stead develops " A Plea for International Barter" to evade the difficulties of the currency problem. The Rev. Alexander Macrae is courageous enough to write, with much good sense, " In Praise of the English Sunday "—an article with which vast numbers of sane people will heartily agree. Mr. F. A. W. Gisborne discusses " Australia's Vital Problem "—the need of immigrants, and especially of farmers. He underrates the danger of modifying the " White Australia " policy by admitting coloured people, even in the North, but ho is on safe ground in lamenting the fact that, out of 5,426,008 persons living in a country slightly larger than the United States, 2,386,117 inhabit six capital cities. All our surplus population could find room and to spare in Australia if proper arrangements were made to that end. Mr. W. A. Atkinson has a fascinating article on " The Scenes of Ivanhoe," based upon local know- ledge as well as upon a close study of the great romance. He shows that Scott " had definite ideas of the topography," though some critics have doubted this. Tickhill, he thinks, was the model for Torquilstone : Templenewsam, ho agrees with other authorities, was the site of the Templars' Preceptory in the story.
Blackwood's has some good travel-papers, notably Mrs. Cecil Clementi's " On the Rupununi Trail " in British Guiana, Mr. H. C. Luke's account of scenery in Cyprus, and Colonel Le Breton's story of a patrol in the very wild country onthe Assam- Chinese frontier. But the most brilliant item in a good number is " My Friend the Swan," in which Mr. C. E. Montague displays his very exceptional knowledge of Shakespeare's text, and also satirizes unmercifully those who use Shakespearean tags in place of arguments without considering the characters whose words are quoted or the circumstances under which the words are uttered—in the plays. He imagines an ex-Service man as making a livelihood by trading in apt Shakespeareana. A " cloudy distiller " rejected the suggestion of " Too much water halt thou, poor Ophelia "
" Next day—such is my rugged vicissitudinous life—I hit Partletts, the motoring overcoat people, right between wind and water—nothing but just ' There's a dish of leather coats for you,' out of the big drink in old Shallow's orchard."
For the anti-vivisectionists he suggested the reference to the Queen in Cymbeline and her poison :— " Which first, perchance, she'll prove on cats and dogs, Then afterward up higher."
The irony is perfect, and the " Higher Critics " are not spared.
In the London Mercury Mr. E. V. Lucas describes a bull- fight under the suggestive title, "Whenever I See a Bull-Fight." Mr. Arthur McDowall writes admiringly of Mr. Sturge Moore's poetry, and Mr. John Freeman discusses what he pretends to regard as " the myth " of R. L. Stevenson. Mr. Glutton Brock's paper, " On Some Perversities of Criticism," is honest and candid, and deserves attentive reading. He instances various wrong suggestions which prevent one from forming an unbiased judgment of a work of art—the suggestion of anxiety, the Puritanic suggestion, the comparative suggestion, the tendency or movement suggestion. He remarks that " there is a whole criticism of intimidation addressed to aesthetic cowards and admired by them with a slavish fear." The young, of course, are often browbeaten and misled by these superior people. The " movement " suggestion is particularly harmful.
" There is a common notion now that a movement exists which has made all, former art obsolete except perhaps some Mexican sculpture, a few (lost) paintings of the Tang dynasty and a Persian pot or two. This movement is thought of as if it were a mechanical invention, like the safety bicycle which made tho old high bicycle obsolete. . . . In poetry it seems to be freed from the past altogether, expressing itself in vers I re*. Formal verse, we are told, is dead ; and it is possible now to write poetry only in yens fibres. No evidence is given to support this assertion, except the vere fibres, which are not convincing."
Mr. De La Mare contributes a short story, " Seaton's Aunt."
Previous page
