19 JANUARY 1945

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" Unconditional "

The Spectator

The reply of the Prime Minister to a question in the House of Commons on Tuesday regarding a possible modification of the unconditional surrender demanded of Germany was...

NEWS OF THE WEEK

The Spectator

T HE effect of the tremendous happenings on the eastern front has the effect of putting events in Greece in something like their right proportion. It is clear, even before the...

Civil Aviation

The Spectator

A debate in the House of Lords on civil aviation last Tuesday gave Lord Swinton an opportunity of reviewing the grounds of agreement and disagreement at the Chicago Conference,...

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Conservatives and Housing

The Spectator

The report on Housing Policy issued by the Housing Sub-Com- mittee of the Conservative Party on Tuesday, if it did nothing else, would have performed a valuable service in...

Fair Wages in all Trades

The Spectator

General approval was given in the House of Commons to the Wages Councils Bill, whose second reading was moved by Mr. Bevin on Tuesday. Here is wise provision to prevent...

A Case for Vigilance

The Spectator

A letter in Tuesday's Times from Lord Harmsworth and Sir Lawrence Chubb, on the danger to the future of England's unique common land as a result of the operation of the...

The Shortage of Ships

The Spectator

The mission of Mr. Richard Law to Washington to concert measures for somehow increasing the supply of shipping to relieve the needs of liberated Europe is very necessary, and it...

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SCIENCE AND PROSPERITY

The Spectator

T HERE are certain matters of first importance to the nation, theoretically known before the war, which have been demon- strated beyond all doubt during the last five years. One...

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A SPECTATOR 'S NOTEBOOK

The Spectator

I T is a pity that suspicion—involving an indomitable resolve to discover hidden motives behind simple facts—figures so largely among certain schools of journalists in this...

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THE RUSSIAN BREAK-THROUGH

The Spectator

By STRATEGICUS S 0 majestic is the sweep of the Russian offensive that it is not easy to bear in mind that the full scope of the design has not been revealed even yet. Up to...

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SOLDIERS AND POLITICIANS

The Spectator

By VERNON BARTLETT, M.P. I T is well known that one of the reasons for the existence of cats is to be kicked by husbands who have quarrelled with their wives. The human being,...

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THE TEACHER'S REWARD

The Spectator

By F. R. HURLSTONE-JONES* It is sometimes forgotten that the future supply of teachers depends not only on the wishes of the would-be entrants, but also on the opinions of the...

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BANTU IN BURMA

The Spectator

By CAPTAIN GERALD HANLEY S OME have pierced ear-lobes that hang halfway down their necks. These are generally slim and handsome, of the Nandi tribes of Kenya. There are some...

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CONTROLS AND THE FARMER By H. D. WALSTON F ARMERS, like

The Spectator

most other people in this country, are becoming increasingly restive concerning the controls to which they have submitted during the past five years. They are naturally anxious...

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MARGINAL COMMENT

The Spectator

by CAROLE.) NICOLSON I N The Times the other day there appdared a letter from a foreign visitor containing a pertinent criticism of British diplomacy. The letter intimated in...

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THE CINEMA

The Spectator

" Waterloo Road." At the Leicester Square. " Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo." At the Empire. " A Message from Canter- bury." At the Academy. IN theme and setting Sidney Gilliatt's...

GRAMOPHONE NOTES

The Spectator

THE most important of the month's recordings is Elgar's Symphony No. 2 in E flat, played by the B.B.C. Symphony Orchestra under Sir Adrian Boult (H.M.V., D 86910-5). I have...

LONDON SNOW

The Spectator

THEY say The days are now getting longer and lighter, But it doesn't look like it ; I can hardly see to write, And it is getting darker Every moment. The sky is yellow, So the...

" The Years Between." At Wyndham's.

The Spectator

THE THEATRE MISS DAPHNE DU MAURIER'S is a better play than we are used to see- ing at Wyndham's, and it is a pleasure to be once more in a country house setting and not in a...

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THE YUGOSLAV PROBLEM

The Spectator

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR SIR,—King Peter's refusal to sign the Tito-Subasich Agreement (and its Moscow amendment), without certain changes, has once more brought to the fore the...

THE TEMPER OF EUROPE

The Spectator

SIR, —In his article about " The Temper of Europe," " Viator " expresses great concern about young people in occupied countries because the resistance to the Germans has made...

A PERIL TO EDUCATION

The Spectator

Stn,—There must be many like myself with first-hand knowledge of the educational position today who can foresee an almost complete collapse of the structure which we have known...

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WHAT THE SOLDIER THINKS

The Spectator

S1R,— Perhaps he thinks in terms of Byron: "When a maa hath no freedom to fight for at home, Let him combat for that of his neighbours, Let him think of the glories of Greece...

FAMILY ALLOWANCES

The Spectator

Sta,—The Government scheme for family allowances which is shortly to be embodied in legislation has been widely and rightly welcomed. But there-are certain weaknesses in the...

LONDON AND LUBLIN

The Spectator

Sta,—The Spectator has accustomed us to such a fair and balanced pre- sentation of the Polish case that your comments in the last issues have come as a painful surprise. I would...

THE PALESTINE MANDATE

The Spectator

SIR, —As Mrs. Maude Royden Shaw is of opinion that " the interpreta- tion by the Zionist of the words 'national home' into ' Jewish Common- wealth' has no ground whatever, in...

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THE ARCHBISHOP'S OFFICE

The Spectator

Sta,—Perhaps " Janus " had his tongue in one of his four cheeks when he wrote of the office of the Archbishop of Canterbury as being the highest in the Christian Church. But...

B.B.C. AND COMMENT

The Spectator

SIR,—I sincerely appreciate your publication, in your issue dated January 12th, of my letter, which you head: " B.B.C. News and Comment." May I correct what is doubtless a...

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

The Spectator

SIR,—In your " News of the Week " you make reference under the heading " A Local Government Scandal" to the Ministry of Health Inspector's report which was recently presented to...

COUNTRY LIFE

The Spectator

IT should be no little comfort to those gardeners, and they are legion, who see their beds overrun with weeds to be told—and by scientific persons on scientific grounds—that...

TOTLE OR TOPHANES ?

The Spectator

SIR,—In his charming review of my book Friday Mornings, Sir Ernest Barker questions my statement that Aristotle held that no woman can make a good House of Commons man. It is...

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Contemporary English Artists

The Spectator

Matthew Smith. (Penguin Modern Painters. 2s. 6d.) I AM not convinced that Matthew Smith is a good draughtsman, despite Sickert's opinion to the contrary, quoted by Philip Hendy...

BOOKS OF THE DAY

The Spectator

" Forward, by the Right " Full Speed Ahead ! Essays in Tory Reform. By Viscount Hinching- brooke, M.P. (Simpkin Marshall. 5s.) . IN this collection of speeches, addresses and...

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Our Navy and Its Background

The Spectator

The Naval Heritage. By David Mathew. (Collins. 12s. 6d.) Bisitop MATHEW has brought to this book the scholarship, the pictorial imagination, the unexpected phrasing, the...

The Examined Life

The Spectator

THIS is a long book which many will find unreadable. Yet those who persist will be forced to admit respect. Chafed as they may be by the silver sentences so thickly encrusted...

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Fiction

The Spectator

Dasha. By E. M. Almedingen. (John Lane. 8s. 6d.) The Journey Home. By Robert Henriques. (Heinemann. 8s. 6d.) The Water Music. By Glyn Jones. (Routledge. 8s. 6d.) Dasha is an...

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SOLUTION TO CROSSWORD No. 304 2nd SOLUTION ON FEBRUARY

The Spectator

The winner of Crossword No. 304 is: H. J. MILES, Road, Newton, Swansea. 9, St. Peter's

" THE SPECTATOR " CROSSWORD No. 306

The Spectator

IA Book Token for one guinea will be awarded to the sender of the first correct solution of this week's crossword to be opened alter noon on Tuesday week, yanuary 3oth....

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Autumn Fields. By Michael Home. (Methuen. 12s. 6d.) ALTHOUGH Mr.

The Spectator

Home's novels are unknown to the present reviewer, it is clear that this is an omission to be rectified as soon as possible. For Autumn Fields reveals the born writer. Of...

Shorter Notices

The Spectator

Augustus John. By John Rothenstein. (Phaidon Press. 20s.) NINETY—FIVE plates, four of them in colour, give a fair, entertaining view of Mr. John's merits and limits—his...

FINANCE AND INVESTMENT

The Spectator

By CUSTOS FROM the steady rise which took place in banking deposits last year it was a tolerably safe assumption that bank profits would show a further moderate increase. For...