THE 181AGAZTN. ES.

Le the Nineteenth Century Mr. Charles Mallet, under the heading "No Peace without Victory," shows that such a conclusion of the war i irreconcilable alike with the aims of the Allies and the claims of the enemy. His is a sound and necessary plea ably supported.---The Bishop of Carlisle discusses " Some Perils of Peace," and in the course of his paper draws a much-needed' distinction between tho Pacificist and the true peacemaker.—Dr. Holland Rime brings his ripe historical knowledge to bear on the question of "France and the Rhine Frontier." His conclusion is as follows :-- " In 1814 the compromise which left to France the old limits—that is, inclusive of the Landau and Sitarbrtick districts—provided a just equipoise. The treaty of 1815 deprived her of those frontier districts, thus impoverishing her sources of coal supply to a serious degree. Let France recover not only Alsace-Lorraine, but also the SaarbrUck coalfield with a hilly. frontier northwards which will safe- guard its working. The acquisition of that coalfield is essential to her industrial stability ; for without it she would have to buy from Germany the coal needed for the working of the immensely rich iron deposits of Lorraine. The annexation of the coal-producing basin of the Saar would add enormously to her mineral wealth, and it could be accomp- lished without adding appreciably to her military responsibilities. But those responsibilities would be enormously increased it, in deference to a very questionable sentiment, she should (in case of an absolutely crushing victory) decide to acquire the frontier of the Middle and Lowue Rhino. Such an acquisition seems to the preset writer to be income patible with her national solidarity, her military security, and, above ail, with that peaceful development which the free nations of the West. alike desire."

Dr. Holland Rose notes in a postscript that in the terms laid down by the Allies, while the recovery of Alsace-Lorraine is stipulated, there is no mention of the Rhine frontier scheme.—Me. L. B. Namier insists on the importance of Danzig as the natural harbour for a reconstructed Poland under the aegis of Russia ; and Dr. Arthur Shadwell in " The Liquor Traffic in War " considers that the Liquor Board has been so successful in restricting the evil that he doubts if success can be carried much further.—We may also note Lord Dur.raven's stimulating and suggestive plea for the reorganization and development of tee fisheries of the United Kingdom, Canada, and Newfoundland, not only as an instrument of Imperial expansion, but as a means of contributing to the solution of problems confronting us— how to deal with scarcity of food and with a colossal Debt ; Mr. D. S. MacColes paper on "The National Gallery Bill and Sir Hugh Lane's Bequest," in which he strongly traverses the views expressed by Mr. Yeats in our columns and in the Observer; and Sir Frank Benson's charming paper on his experiences while working " in a War Zone Cantina" in France--a splendid tribute to tho heroism, the endurance, and the good comradeship of sous flirt Le Pau.

The Contemporary has an informing paper on "Switzerland and the War," by " 0. de L." Ho discusses at length the " Affair of the Colonels "—the officers in charge of the two sections of the Intelligence Department, whose indiscretions reacted unfavourably on the prestige of the General Staff, and have tended to consolidate Swiss public opinion and concentrate its aim on the maintenance of neutrality to the end of the war. As regards the Press, he inclines to the view that the extreme German propaganda has failed in its object ; that the absence of a counter-propaganda has told in favour of the Allies in the long run ; that the leading German-Swiss journal, the ?ti era Zilreher Zeitur.g. wields a greater influence, by virtue of its cold and undeviating ins, partiality, than any other neutral journal published in any country ; and that, speaking generally, German-Swiss opinion, as reps:clouted in the Press, has been more judiciously expressed than that of the French. Swiss element. —Mr. Charles Dawbarn gives a most sympathetic and attractive picture of General Lyautey, the new French War Minister and ex-Resident-General in Morocco. The colonizing principle on which he acted in Algiers and Morocco was that of his former oilier, General Gallient, and of Bugeaud and other great pioneers—sues et aratro : "when you root out a nest of pirates, remember that you have to plant a market on the morrow." With him conciliation has gone hand-in-hand with energy. Ho has always insisted on the social and civil rile of the officer. " Amongst subject races he must uplift the banner of civilization, ho must advance the native in the arts of pace." General Lyautey is, in short, a disciplinarian and a man of lofty ideals, and while his manners are those of the old schools; courteous and distinguished, his methods are those of the new. —Mr. J. M. Robertson, M.P., has an able article, from the Free Trade standpoint, on "The Theoiy of Trade War," which—whether in the form of an absolute boycott, of preferential trading among the Allies as against neutrals, or of a high tariff on all German goods, leaving Allied and neutral trade on its old footing—lie condemns as contrary to enlightened self-interest and tending tc intensity depression all round, when it does not play into Germany's hands.--- Lord Osilasford (who as Mr. J. A. Posse hold office in the Coalition Government as President of the Board of Education) has a short bus interesting paper on what has been done and what ought to be done to provide us with a really satisfactory "National Systeni of Edueation." Ile lays speoiat stress on the need of compUlsory attendance to secure it general system of continuity Li education, Agalii, thciiIrd plate on the Local Authority ox the Board of Education the responsibility for the equipment and maintenance of institutions of all grades—not only those relating to the elementary sphere." Ho strongly supports the registration and inspection of an public and private secondary schools. Indcnominational schools the head-teacher abould be appointed by the Local Authority he much the same way its obtains in Scotland in regard to Roman Catholic schools. In order to attract those -fitted to teach into the teaching profession, he would abolish religious teats for Head-Masters, revive the pupil-teacher system, grant better housing accommodation, higher salaries, and assured pensions, and provide better chances of promotion and greater certainty for careers. He points out that though much has been clone, an immense field for further fruitful activity is open in remedying the physical condition of our schoolchildren by stopping child labour and educating parents in hygiene. Finally, he urges the reduction of classes to a maximum of forty, greater liberality in the provision of exhibitions and scholarships, and a closer and more intelligent co-operation of manufacturers and employers with those responsible for the school curriculum.

In the No tional Review Mr. L. Cope C-ornford advocates the reorganize. tion of our Mercantile Marino. It must be " recognized for what it is, the Imperial Transport Service, rind treated accordingly." Ho therefore outlines a scheme of training, pay, Ike., in which the co-ordination of the Navy and the Mercantile Marine, already recognized by the Admiralty, ahouhi be developed and systematized so as to raise the whole condition of the Merchant -Service to its proper relation in the national life. Miss Frances Pitt appeals to farmers' wives caul daughters to set an example in regard to women's work on the land, instead of rushing into clerical or munitions work, and suggests that girls as well as boys should be released from school when they can show that they hare work on tho land awaiting them.—Dr. Ellis Powell, the editor of the Financial News, pleads for a judicial investigation into the mystery of "The Hidden Hurd," and, amongst other manifestations of this sinister influence, points to " the hustling of Mr. Hughes out of the country" by the machinations of the Arch-Traitor whose existence the writer postulates. " No matter bow influential' his position, the pitiless probe must reach him." The argument is fortified by quotations from Dante, Milton, aril other poets. Here is indeed a fine chance for a Snark Hunt. We venture to say, however, even at the risk of being called Pre-Huns, or even the Hidden Hand itself, that the Sunk will prove a 13oolum, and that he who finds it will softly and suddenly vanish away, iOur readers will remember the immortal stanzas in The Hunting of the Snark which describe the discovery of the Boojum They .sought it with thimbles, they sought it with cart: They pursued it with forks and hope ; They threatened its life with a railway-share ; They charmed it with smiles and soap.

They shuddered to think that the chine tuieht fail, And the Beaver, excited at last,: Went bounding along on the tip of its tail, For the daylight was nearly past.

There is Thingumbob shouting!' the Bellman said. ' He is shouting like mad, only hark ! He is waving his hands, he is nagging his head, He has certainly found a Snark 1' They gazed in delight, while the Butcher exclaimed: ' He was always a desperate wag 1 ' They beheld him—their Baker—their hero unnamed— On the top of a neighbouring crag, Foca and sublime, for one moment of time.

In the next, that wild figure they saw

(As if stung by a spasm) plunge into a chasm,

While they waited and listened in awe.

It's a Snark ' was the sound that first came to their ears,

And seemed almost too good to be trim. Then followed a torrent of laughter and cheers Then the ominous words It's a 1300--2

Then, silence. Some fancied they heard in the air A weary and wandering sigh That sounded like —jum 1' but the othera declare It was only a breeze that went by.

They hunted till darkness came on, but they found Not a button, or feather, or math, By which they could tell that they stood on the ground Where the. Baker had met with the Snark.

In the midst of the word he was trying to say In the midst of Ids laughter anli glee,

He had softly and suddenly vanished awayFor the Snark was a Boojum, you see."

--Mr. Robert Bird recurs to the scheme of the Mid-Scotland thip Canal, act forth four years ago in the National &clew, discusses its commercial and strategic value, said condemns the dilatory in- (tifferenee of the Development Commissioners in dealing with the application of the Canal Association and the appeals of other public **dies in sympathy with its stims.—The editorial notes this Mouth .are =hely concerned with the. " peace plot " in America. iOn:o of the articles is headed " Intelligent Anticipation," a phrase which clarinet be applied without considerable reservations to the editor's interpretation of the attitude of the America that counts.— The number contains another of the " Conneraatiens of Christopher" by

the late Captain the Hon. Robert Palmer, in which ".Ideals and Compro- mise" are discussed with freshness, good sense, and whimsical humour from naming points of view.

In the Fortnightly Profeseor Van der Essen gives a piteous account of the plunder of Belgium, which has been of the most systematio and cold-blooded description—first money, then crops and merchendised then machinery, and finally men. The pillage has been done by n special Department in Germany under Dr. Rathenare whose aims and results have surpassed the wildest dreams of all the previous brigandel of the world. The usual method of lying was resorted to, and the' unemployed were made an excuse for deportation ; but unemployment was artificially produced by closing mines and works because slaves were wanted in Germany. As with all-slave-drivers, appeals to humanity weed of no effect. The aim was to make Belgium pay for her own conquests; —" Politious," discussing the problems of peace, says the Allies must make up their minds whether they are going to take their indemnities in kind or in cash. They cannot have both. He also lays stress on the view that the real aim of the Central Powers is the " Middle Europe ambition, to which they will cling to the last --Mr. Charles Woods traces the course of Gorman intrigues in the Near East from the time when the Emperor changed Bismarck's Pomeranian Grenadier policy to active intrigue in Tintey.------Mr. C. E. Lawrence writes of " The Abolition of Death," meaning the abolition of what Bacon called " blaekes.", Cemeteries should be beautiful gardens, not places of horror, with hideous tombstones in ghastly rows. And "why wear black for the guests of God" The writer might have quoted Michelangelo, who, writing of a nativity, disapproved of " ail that joy and gladness which ought to be reserved for the decease of one who has lived evell."-- Mr. Davenport Whelpley main' airs that President Wilson is our real friend, and that all his manoeuvring is done so that he may help the cause of the Allies. In justification of this view he points to the answer given by us to the President stating our peace terms, and seems to think that withcut such an opening we mind have boon silent.

The wanderings of " Odysseus " described in the new Blackwood take him, and us with him, to the French Army, both in the fighting line and further back. At Saabs he gathered dreadful memories of the eight days' German occupation, when tho Mayor with a boy •and an old man were shot as hostages, and women and children driven before the German troupe as a screen. The General announced his intention of making a second Louvain, and carried out a good part of his threat. The Cathedral was only saved by a priest taking a German offimr to the top of the tower and demonstrating that it had not been used by the French Array.—Mr. Robert Holmes, the well-known Police Court missionary, finishes the romantic story of Walter Creenway. We deal with it at length clanviirre.--The stcry of the campaign which ended in the destruction of the forces of the Senussi is excellently told in an unsigned article. The operations took place in the desert west of the Nile near the sea coast, where there is a heavy rainfall at times which in spring makes the whole desert gay with flowers. Good management and daring secured a complete success, which ended with a charge of armoured cars. The Duke of Westminster, in command, on coining up with the enemy, without hesitation formed lino abreast and charged the guns. The whole enemy force was dispersed and every gun taken with no casualties on our side. A still more dramatic stroke was the release of the British commander and prisoners in tho enemies' hands, which was carried out by the same armoured cars after an adventurous dash into an unknown region.