29 DECEMBER 1917

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Last week we lost by mine or submarine eleven large

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merchant- men over 1,600 tons, one smaller vessel, and one fishing-boat. The losses were numerically less than in the previous week, when thirteen large vessels and three...

NEWS OF THE WEEK.

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T HE Navy will begin the New Year under a new chief. Admiral Sir John Jellicoe, who has been First Sea Lord since November, 1916, hat been replaced by Vice-Admiral Sir Rosalyn...

The British line in France was subjected at the end

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of last week to a series of trench raids at various points, which had little success, but showed that the enemy is now very much on the alert. Last Saturday the Germans made a...

The German Foreign Secretary, Herr von Kuhlmann, and the Austrian

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Foreign Minister, Count Czernin, with Bulgarian and Turkish delegates, met the Russian Anarchist representatives at Brest-Litovsk last Saturday to begin peace negotiations. Herr...

There is no trustworthy news as to the progress of

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the civil war in Southern Russia. But the Ukraine Government have declared against the Anarehiste of Petrograd, and have taken over the Staffs of the Fourth, Eighth, and...

Christmas has come and gone uneventfully on the Western Front,

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where the gunners alone have been active. But the great battle in which our Italian Allies are engaged, in the hills over- looking the Brenta Valley, has continued without...

We hope that under a new chief the Navy may

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be able to use its immense resources in a new and more vigorous manner. Many good reasons may doubtless be given for the defensive policy which the Navy has hitherto pursued....

General Allenby in Palestine resumed his advance on Friday week,

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pushing forward his left and his right flanks. Our troops on the coast, supported by warships, crossed the Nahr-el-Auja near its mouth and advanced four miles by last Saturday....

Enemy airmen made a rajd on the Kentish coast lest

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Saturday evening. The first group wr.s repulsed by gunfire ; one machine was brought down, and its crew of three was captured. A second group, coming three hours later, dropped...

THE PAPER SHORTAGE.—We trust that readers of the " Spectator

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" will give definite orders to their newsagents for a copy of the "Spectator" to be reserved for them each week till countermanded.

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Mr. Lloyd George made a lengthy speech on Thursday week

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regarding man-power and war aims, on the motion for the adjourn- ment of the House till January 14th. He spoke hopefully of the progress made in the shipyards, and said that the...

Australia, on a poll of the people taken on Thursday

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week again rejected Compulsory service by a majority of 1,050,000 to 870,000. The votes of the soldiers and the absent civilians have not all been counted, but are not expected...

An address from the Irish-Americans of Chicago to Mr. Redmond,

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which was printed in last Saturday's Timm, conveys a sharp reminder to the Nationalists that the attitude of their kinsmen across the Atlantic has been completely changed by the...

Mr. Asquith, who followed the Primo Minister in the debate,

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uttered sword of warning as to the multiplication of Departments, which tended to discourage voluntary effort and to increase ex- penditure because the Departments were not...

The French Chamber decided last Saturday, by 396 votes to

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2, to suspend the Parliamentary inuriunity of M. Caillaux so that he might be tried for high treason. M. Caillaux in a long and im- passioned speech denied the charges brought...

Mr. Lloyd George, addressing the Chairmen of the 'County War

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Agricultural Committees on Friday week, appealed to farmers to plough up as much land as pessible during the next three months so as to increase the supply of homegrown food and...

In regard to war aims, the Prime Minister repeated the

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terms laid down in his speech at Glasgow on June 29th last, and declared that they still held good, except that, as Russia had entered Into separate negotiations with the enemy,...

We are glad to see that the Food Controller has

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arranged with the shipowners that every homeward-bound ship shall fill its spare store-rooms and um:recopied cabins with foodstuffs. It is pointed out that, though all liners...

The Italian defeat, continued Mr. Lloyd George, and the Russian

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armistice had imposed new and serionis obligationa upon the Allies. We must make greater sacrifices in the New Year to strengthen our armies in the field, and to increase the...

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Lord Rbondda has authorized the Local Food Control Committees to

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devise and enforce schemes for controlling the distribution and consumption of any article of food. The Committees will be empowered to regulate the sale of tea, butter, bacon,...

Dr. Butler, in conveying this information, adds that "in view

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of recent events, emphasized by the widespread intrigues of the German Government to deceive and mislead the peace-loving people of the world," the Carnegie Endowment has...

Although personally we are so much in favour of new

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experiments in the arts that we dislike the very idea of crushing high-spirited developments even when they are crude, we recognize that such a sentiment as ours cannot be the...

We must congratulate the Government on adopting this policy in

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the fourth winter of the war, for we know by experience how hard it is to get obviously useful ideas translated into practice in this country. Nine months ago we ventured to...

Oxford and Cambridge may well be jealous of Edinburgh, which

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has long had her Lincoln statue. Lincoln educated himself, yet he had none of the faults of the self-educated man. His style was not only one of the best in English literature,...

We have received from the Carnegie Endowment for Inter- national

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Peace a truly significant communication. We are informed that the Trustees of the Endowment, among whom are Mr. Elihu Root and Dr. Nicholas Murray Butler, passed the following...

We observe in American newspapers that the controversy about

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Mr. Barnard's statue of Lincoln continues. We wrote on the subject a few months ago, but return to it now for what seems to us a sufficient reason. Although the right of...

It may very well be that, from this point of

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view, the idealized St. Gaudens statue would be the best for London. But for out part we must confess that, from all we have heard of it, we have a hankering also after the...

The Engineering Employers' Federation and certain Trade Unions, in conference

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last week, agreed to a scheme for the recog- nition of "shop stewards," to be elected in a factory by the Trade Unionists employed there, and to be controlled by the Trade...

Our readers will share our deep regret at the news

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that Lieutenant Joseph Lee, of the King's Royal Rifles, is reported missing. Mr. Lee was one of the many young soldiers who found, in the new and trying experiences of war, that...

Rank rate, 5 per cent., changed from 5.1 per cent.

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April 5th.

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TOPICS OF THE DAY.

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NEW YEAR RESOLVES. "He by his wisdom delivered the city." T HIS is the time of New Year resolutions. Devoutly do 1 we wish that we had the power to dictate a resolution which...

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MR. LLOYD GEORGE AND HIS STEWARDSHIP.

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W E dealt last week with Mr. Lloyd George as an orator, and pointed out his great qualities in that respect. But though we are willing to give him every possible credit as a...

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MAN-POWER AND FOOD.

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I ET any one look at Mr. Lloyd George's prorogation speech and see how he dealt with these problems. In the matter of Man-Power, an essential matter, the account of his...

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DEPARTMENTAL EXTRAVAGANCE.

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W E wrote last week on the general issues raised in the second Report of the Select Committee on National Expenditure. This week we propose to deal with some of the details of...

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SHOP-WINDOWS.

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T HE love of London is a sort of little patriotism n within a patriotism. Her sons—many of them—love her dearly, but not, we think, so dearly as her daughters. The position for...

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THE WARD-ROOM.

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TT is easier to get the Ward-Room in right perspective from this comfortable armchair in a shore billet. It is blowing from the south-west, in fact it is a poisonously dirty...

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[To run EDITOZ Or Tut " Sprorsvoa."] Sin — There is little

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doubt that the line taken in the article bearing the above title in your issue of December 8th is the correct one. It is interesting at this critical time to recall the opinion...

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

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[Letters of the length of one of our leading paragraphs are often snore read, and therefore more efiectire, than those which fill treble the space.] THE VATICAN AND THE WAR....

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CHURCH UNITY ON NEW YEAR SUNDAY. (To ewe Emma or

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Tat " Sescrawa.") Son,—Twelve months ago I was permitted to write in the Spectator on the progress of religious unity. We are now on the eve of the finest expression of that...

THE CHURCH FRANCHISE.

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(To rue Eonma or rns " nrscirros.") Sia,—Surely in a Church claiming to be national the declaration of membership should rest, not with the Church, beet with each individual...

JOHN BRIGHT ON PEACE BY NEGOTIATION.

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(To rug Enrroa or rem " fescravon.") San,—In your issue of the 15th ink. you publish some extracts from the writings of John Bright, from a correspondent "A. W. D." on the...

THE PROBLEM OF INDUSTRIAL UNREST.

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(To ens Emma or wiz " fesseraros."1 Sur,—The article by " Artifex " in the Spectator of October 13th, which seeks to make monotonous employment the cause of in- dustrial...

FOOD QUEUES.

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[To nes Emma or sae " SPECTWOR."3 Sins,—On the 18th inst. Lord Rhondda said: "I leave under con- sideration . . . a proposal for compelling every customer . . to register in...

BUNYAN ON THE FOOD SHORTAGE. (To THE EDITOR OP VET

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EPECTATOR."] Sea,—In your items of December 15th mention is made of Bunyan's Holy War and its noble lessons and Watchwords for these times. The following presage from Tire Life...

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A DANTE CRUX.

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[To rag Berme or nse " Sexcrerox."1 SIR,—At this time, when all eyes turn to Italy, the martial inter. pretation of a crux in the Divina Commedia may interest your readers. For...

[To cm Herm or TIM " Spccrrroa."]

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but,—I do not think that the ordinary "Old Buy" will look upon The Loom of Youth as a completely accurate description of Public School life. The picture drawn of the athletic...

THE TREATMENT OF PRISONERS: A CONTRAST. (To TER EDITOR or

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me " SPECTATOR:1 SIR,—Perhaps people in England are not aware that the Govern- ment have now issued Regulations by which all persons convicted Of offences against the Defence a...

DEAFNESS.

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[To ran Emma or vire " firrereroa."J Soo.—I mould supplement what "R. F." says about the dis- advantages of lip-reading as compared with the facility of the hand alphabet, by...

fTo SHE EDITOR OF THE SPECTATOR:I

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Ds,—In answer to your correspondent "Lancs.," may I point out that one of the objects of this Bureau is to give all possible information to inquirers on mattero relating to the...

THE PUBLIC SCHOOL IN FICTION,

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Ito THZ EDITOR or THE &ROTATOR:1 gag,—In view of the recent correspondence in your columns con- terming The Loom of Youth, the enclosed written by a Charter- house boy may...

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BRIDGE ACROSTICS.

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(To TER EDITOR OP THE " SPECTATOR."1 Sin,—Possibly the enclosed Bridge Acrostics might amuse your Bridge-playing readers, and divert their thoughts for a few minutes from the...

• RED CROSS SALE AT CHRISTIES', 1918.

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(To Tan EDITO3 Or THE " SPECTATOR.") Sis,—Great has been the generosity of the public towards the sick and wounded in this world-wide war, but greater and ever- increasing have...

A SHEEP-DOG'S POWER OF REASONING.

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[To rat Emma or no " &Terme."' Sin—An Irish farmer owned a few years ago a large English black-and-tan sheep-dog who at times displayed a wonderful amount of intelligent...

INTELLIGENCE OF BIRDS.

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(To no Eorroa or Tan " Eirscrares."I SIR—After reading letters in the Spectator regarding the intelli- gence of animals, I thought it might interest your readers to hear of the...

A WORD OF THANKS.

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[To von Emma or rat " Sescraroa."1 Sin, —Would you please insert in your paper my gratitude to the lady or gentleman who sends me a copy of your paper so regu- larly 7 And...

POETRY.

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THE FOURTH CHRISTMAS. Oh, shepherd, shepherd, did you see, Belore day broke, one gleantiny star 1" Flashes of light continually Where the contending armies are, But no star...

" PLAY THE GAME."

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[To TBZ EMT... Or no " SPECTATOR.") S1R,—If your correspondent •' Kismet" desires a Latin phrase to express, not the peculiarly English metaphor but the underlying ideal. he...

NOTICE.—When " Correspondence" or Articles are signed with the writer's

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name or initials, or with a pseudonym, or are marked "Communicated," the Editor moat not necessarily be held lobe in agree- ment with the views therein expressed or with the...

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BOOKS.

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BOOKS ON THE WAR. IN the flood of war books, of which it is impossible for the most voracious reader to keep abreast, three main streams are now discernible, apart from the...

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SIR CLEMENTS MARKHAM.* THE biography of Sir Clements Markham is

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full of romance. His was one of those unusual characters whose extreme versatility is in itself romantic. His imagination and natural energy found their food and outlet in many...

MR. MASEFIELD'S NEW PLAY.* Those who enjoyed Mr. Mosefield's fine

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dramatic poem, Philip of Spain, will, we think, delight equally in Good Friday, his now play in one act, written throughout in rhymed verse. The subject of the play is the story...

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AS TOMMY SEES US.*

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CUE writer of this little book, who has had eighteen months' ex- perience as Chaplain to the Forces, has taken the opportunity to record his impressions, not so much of the men,...

HISTORY AS TAUGHT IN AMERICA.*

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IT has often been said, and as often denied, that American public opinion has been rendered unfriendly to Great Britain by the influence of the historical text-books used in the...

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READABLE NOVELs. — The Song of this Stars. By Alec Holmes. (Allen

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and Unwin. Se.)—An Indian story, the heroine of which has an English father and an Afghan mother. Her • The Spy in Blatt. By J. Storer Glendon. London: W. Blackwood aue Sews....

The Way Forward. By Gilbert Murray. (Allen and Unwin. Is.

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net.)—To Professor Murray's reprinted articles on the war, on thopossibility of making peace with a reformed Germany, and on the domestic outlook after peace is roistered, Lord...

FICTION.

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THE SPY IN BLACK.. EVER since the days of The Lunatic at Large we have looked to Mr. Storer Clouston for high-spirited and hilarious entertainment and have never been...

Then and Now. By C. H. Firth. (Macmillan and Co.

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le,)— This admirable paper, the Creighton Lecture for 1917, supplies just such "a comparison between the war with Napoleon and the present war" as many people who arc not...

SOME BOOKS OF THE WEEK.

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Mika in ate columns dOGS not neeettarUy preclude subsequent mean] Mr. Alf red T. Davies, the energetic Direotor of the British Prieonere of War Book Scheme (Educational), has...

Sea Power and Freedom. By Gerard Menne& (Skoffington. 10s. 6d.

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net.)—Mr. Fiennee's interesting sketch of naval history, and above all of the rise of the British Navy, is addressed not to experts but to the man in the street and the child in...

Wilhelm the Ruthless. Illu.strated by David Wilson. (Drawings, Ltd. 3s.

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6d. net.)—This satire on the "ruthlessness" which had become a pet word in Germany before the war, and 1188 81880 been applied In practice, is cast in the form of a drama, and...

The Wheat Problem, By Sir William Crookes. (Longmaus and Co.

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3s. 6d. net.)—Sir William Crookes has maimed his remarkable address to the British Association in 1898 for this third edition, which will assuredly attract more attention than...

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The Court of Common Council of the City of London

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sends a copy of a Report adopted by the Court on the canal problem. The Court recommends the transfer of all our inland waterways to a central body like the Port of London...

Japan at the Cross Roads. By A. AL Pooley. (Allen

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and Unw:n. 10s. 6d. net.)—Mr. Pooley's elaborate study of the present condition of Japan is distinctly critical and controversial in tone. Ho thinks that we have never heard the...

Some Neglected Aspects of the War. By Spenser Wilkinson. (Oxford

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University Press. is. net.)—Profossor Wilkinson in this suggestive lecture declares that, since Sir William Robertson was appointed Chief of the Imperial General Staff, "the...

Messrs. George Philip and Son send a well-executed map of

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Modern Palestine and Syria (Is. 6d. net), on a scale of about ten miles to an inch, with an inset of the Sinai Peninsula. The map extends far enough north to show Alexandretta...

Alison's often-quoted statement that the average height of Frenchmen diminished

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by an inch or more as a result of the Napoleonic Wars is shown by Mr. II. H. O'Farrell in War and the Stature of Population, a paper reprinted from the Eugenics Review for...