THE

A WEEKLY REVIEW OF POLITICS, LITERATURE, AND ART

CONTENTS. PAGE PAGE NOTES OF THE WEEK ...... 21 SONG. By Edmond St. Cyr ...... 30 WHAT WILL THE LABOUR PARTY Do? By G. R. S. Taylor 23 SPIRITUAL SPOOF. By E. Belfort Bax ... ., ...... 31 IN SUPPORT OF GRAYSON ...... 24 BOOKS AND PERSONS. By Jacob Tonson ...... 32 WANTED-AN S.R.C. By “ Rank and File..‘...... 25 BOOK OF THE WEEK: The Poetry of Kipling. By Edgar IMITATION OF THE PERSIAN. By Beatrice Tina ...... 26 Jepson ...... 33 MUST SOCIALISTS BE CRANKS? By H. Hamilton Fyfe ... 26 Reviews.: The Constitutional History of England ...... 35 THE NEWS OF THE WEEK ...... 27 Interplay ... 36 THE COST OF AN ELECTION. By Hilaire Belloc, M.P. ... 28 Anthony Cuthbert ... 1:: :I: ...... ::I 1:: ... 36 SOCIALISM.--II. by Rev. Percy Dearmer, M.A...... 29 Music A Classical Concert. By Herbert Hughes ...... 37 THE RETURN OF THE GOODPEOPLE. By Cecil Chesterton 29 CORRESPONDENCE ...... ,.' ... 37

NOTICE TO CORRESPONDENTS. -All Business Com- “ Spectator ” is amply confirmed by an article which munications must be addressed to Publisher, " New Age,” 139, appears in the current number of that journal. The Fleet Street, E.C.; communications for theEditor to 1 & 2, “ Spectator ” cannot find enough praise to lavish on Took’s Court, Furnival Street, E.C. the sturdy working man turned Cabinet minister. Par- ticularly is it delighted with his assertion that too much Our sincere apologies are due for the unavoid- drink is responsible for most of the existing privation able delay in sending out prospectuses of the amongst the working classes. We admit the futility proposed NEW AGE Company. They should be of trying to damn a man out of his own mouth, but in our reader’s hands this week. we really cannot help recalling a certain famous speech made by the John Burns of 23 years ago : “ They lie in their teeth when, they say that the unemployed are drunkards and improvident.” It cannot be denied that NOTES OF THE WEEK. the man who uttered these words was far more intimate THE unemployed question stands precisely where it with the hard facts of unemployment than is the did last week-except that distress is increasing. The minister whom the “ Spectator ” delights to honour. array of pretentious ‘and fraudulent figures extracted As an explanation of the phenomena of poverty, drink from the Government by the statesmanlike. restraint of once held the field, but the old theory has now been the Labour Party and described by courtesy as “ The superseded by later discoveries, notably by that of Mr. Government’s proposals for dealing with, unemploy- Bernard Shaw that poverty is due to a lack of money. ment,” have been discussed, damned. and done with. To trot out the national drink bill in a debate on They have been accepted by a sympathetic House of unemployment to-day argues either crass ignorance or Commons as adequate to meet the national emergency, a desire to annoy somebody. The latter was un- and that is an end of them. The person chiefly con- doubtedly the motive of Mr. Burns’ gratuitous insult cerned the man on the kerb, will probably never hear and he got what he wanted. of their- existence. The much-looked-for debate was * * * only remarkable for Mr. Keir Hardie’s tremendous in- In the November number of the “ Socialist Review,” dictment of the Government. Nothing, however, but the editor, Mr. Ramsay Macdonald, refers to “ certain the echoes of one of the finest speeches Mr. Hardie writers in THE NEW AGE ” who “ appear to be con- ever delivered reached the outside world ; and even vinced that Socialism is already the prevailing opinion those have already died away, leaving us to ponder of the country. ” How Mr. Macdonald can support ‘upon the vanity of constitutional methods of agitation. this delightful perversion of our views, we cannot * * + imagine. It is not we who believe in the “ Socialism ” In his reply to Mr. Keir Hardie the President of the of the Liberals ; on the contrary, we find it hard to Local Government Board took another long step along believe that Socialism is even the prevailing opinion the road that leads to political extinction. He is sacri- of the Labour Party. However, we need not take Mr. ficing what might have been a big career for the sake Macdonald very seriously since a little further on he of indulging an almost insane personal animosity veers completely round and complains that certain against the leaders of the Labour Party. A stronger people “ should take it for granted that the world is man would treat his enemies with studied courtesy, against Socialism. ” This robs us of the opportunity but Mr. Burns, it seems, is unable to convince himself of replying for ourselves, and we can only ask Mr.

of his own superiority except by a monotonous public Macdonald to say what it is he really means. l exhibition of the scorn he cherishes for all other repre- * sentatives of Labour. NO weapon is too antiquated, Mr. Macdonald’s ridiculous misrepresentations ren- no argument too absurd for ‘him to use so long as it der it necessary for us to define our position once more. serves the purpose of his defiant optimism. His whole We are not, as he suggests, advocating an impossi- speech on Monday week was devoted not showing that bilist policy akin to that of the orthodox Prussian the Labour Party had been guilty of exaggeration. Marxists. We are not advocating even a new policy, Even had he succeeded, his remarks would have been but merely a return to the old policy of independence. wholly irrelevant, since everybody admitted the ex- We do not object to the Labour Party voting with the treme seriousness of the situation. His final appeal Government when occasion serves, but we do object to to members to leave the vexed and tangled problem to its behaving as if it were merely a rather refractory him and trust him to worry through the winter, was a wing of the Liberal Party. We object to prominent patent attempt to conceal the acknowledged fact that members of the Labour Party appearing on platforms he no longer possesses the confidence of the House. with members of the Government in support of Govern- As a piece of bluff it was more pathetic than irritating. ment Bills. We object to arrangements with the * * Liberals in double-barrelled constituencies. We object Our statement last week that Mr. Burns had been a to such incidents as the half-hearted opposition, offered failure from all points of view except that of the by the Labour Party to the closure on Monday week, November , 1908 22 THE NEW AGE

We object above all to the way in which the Labour the country behind it, he wrote, “ So it would, but only Party have acquiesced in the -Liberal view that the in the sense of a pursuing army.” question of unemployment must be shelved until the * Licensing Bill is passed. In short, we object and the Down in Leeds some months ago Mr. Herbert Glad- whole Socialist movement objects to the poor-spirited stone took credit with his constituents for having trans- behaviour of the Labour Party inside the House of ferred ten Suffragettes from, the second to the first Commons and to its surrender of its proud position division of Holloway Gaol. In the House of Com- as the independent mouthpiece of the working classes. mons last week in reply to Mr. Keir Hardie he had * + * the brazen effrontery to declare he had no power to For it would be idle to pretend that the Labour do this in the case of the three leaders of the move- Party any longer represents the spirit of its constitu- ment now shamefully imprisoned on instructions from ents. The whole movement, the Trade Union as well the stupidest Government of modern times. We are as the Socialist section, is crying out for a more cour- as indifferent as Mr. Gladstone appears to be about ageous! policy. The leaders instead of leading are his reputation as a man of honour ; but we are not hanging back, and are wasting both our time and our indifferent about the fate of political prisoners who patience trying to rehabilitate their reputations by de- are wrongfully charged with civil offences. If the fending themselves valiantly against accusations that whole propaganda of the Suffragettes is not as political have never been made whilst avoiding the real issue. as the Chartist, or the Corn Law, or the Franchise Scarcely one of the Labour members could count to-day agitations, then we fail to understand the meaning of upon the unanimous support of his own election com- politics. In any case, Mr. Gladstone has added to his mittee. They are completely out of touch with the general incompetency the vice of insincerity. We rank and file. Mr. Macdonald does not represent the believed him at Leeds ; it is impossible to believe him working men of Leicester, nor Mr. Snowden the work- at Westminster ing men of Blackburn, nor Mr. Curran the working + * * men of Jarrow. They represent nothing but their own The women are to be congratulated on their latest personal dignity and they all know it. If proof were sensational protest. The tearing up of sixty pounds needed, it could be found in the resolutions which have of the odious grille in the House of Commons is not, been pouring in to headquarters from all parts of the it is true, the capture of the Bastille ; but the feat is country during the past fortnight. Outside the inner proportionately symbolic. Like most people, we hate circle there is but one opinion, that the Labour Party scenes of any kind ; but there are worse things than should use every means in its power to force the scenes. The continued neglect of the three classes of Government to deal with unemployment effectively this unfortunates, women, the poor, and children, is for Session, even though it has to swallow some of its the mind’s eye at least a spectacle of infinitely greater pride in the process. indecency and indecorum on the part of a great + * nation than the unwomanly devices of the Suffragettes, What do the Labour Party propose to do next? Ibsen once said. the world would be saved by women Do they consider that in obtaining a single day’s and workmen. If he had added children, he would discussion of Mr. Asquith’s proposals they have done have completed the trinity. The emancipation of all all that reasonable folk can demand? And are they three is the work of our century : a work greater than now going to devote their attention to the Licensing any century has ever accomplished in the history of the Bill until Christmas and leave the unemployed to the world. * Y * tender mercies of Mr. Burns throughout the coming That able organ of the advanced Unionists, the winter? We must have answers to these questions. “ Morning Post, ” is tired of Mr. Balfour’s half-hearted It is no good; Mr. Macdonald belling us that “ Mr. advocacy of Tariff Reform and demands a new leader, Grayson does not care a button about the unemployed,” “ of resolute conviction and unflinching action.” It or that “ those who degrade the consideration of the is all very well to make the demand, but where is the unemployed as Mr. Grayson did last week in the House man to be found? There has probably never been a of Commons must be regarded as the greatest enemies party in the House of Commons so undistinguished in which the unemployed have,” because all that is patent its personnel as the Opposition is to-day. Excepting nonsense. “ Justice,” the “ Labour Leader,” THE their unsatisfactory leader, they have not a single NEW AGE, and Mr. Grayson himself have received debater of sufficient calibre to meet a Liberal Under thousands of letters and resolutions expressing whole- Secretary on equal terms. If Mr. Balfour were re- hearted approval of “ those who degrade, etc. ” Are turned to power to-morrow, it would be impossible for all the authors of these resolutions and letters to be him to form a Government that could hold its own regarded as enemies of the unemployed? To say the in the House for a week unless some quite new talent least, Mr. Macdonald as the only disinterested friend were unearthed. The pitiful spectacle of a historic of the unemployed is not a convincing figure. party in such a plight moves us to offer a helpful + * * suggestion. Why not ask Mr. Winston Churchill to The most unpopular clause in the Licensing Bill, return to his first love? He would probably come if the one that relates to Sunday closing, was passed in the terms were good enough. committee last week by a record majority. So favour- * * * able was the feeling on both sides of the House that No sovereign has more thoroughly earned the grati- the Government actually decided on the spur of the tude of the European Press than the Emperor of Ger- moment to extend the application of this Sabbatarian many. In his comparatively short reign he has pro- provision to London. In the future public houses in vided more sensations than all the other crowned heads London are only to be open for three hours instead of in the world put together. His latest effort is pe- seven and those who require refreshment during pro- culiarly disinterested, for he had certainly nothing to hibited hours will have to tell a bigger lie than of gain from the publication of the story of his plan old. Thus is the nation made more moral by Act of to save England from the Boers. It is easy to under- Parliament. A more flagrant instance of the utter stand why he drafted the plan in the first place, but failure of the House of Commons to interpret the will it is much harder to explain why he should have courted of the people it would be hard to find. Clubs and the ridicule of Englishmen and the anger of his own restaurants of the class frequented, by members of subjects by revealing his exploit to the world. We Parliament will, of course, be privileged and only the are driven to conclude that he is really sincere in his working man will suffer from this miscarriage of professions of friendly feelings towards this country. popular government. We are always being warned There seems no other way of accounting for this, the of the possible tyranny of the majority, but at least greatest and the most naive of all Kaiser Wilhelm’s that can never be as bad as the present tyranny of indiscretions. The authenticity of the interview has the chapel (minority. Mr. Hilaire Belloc told the truth now been officially admitted, but the internal evidence about this sort of legislation in an article which we was quite enough to satisfy us as to its real authorship. printed a few months ago. Referring to the assertion We would have accepted it on the word of the “ Daily that if the Government abolished barmaids it would have Mail. ” NOVEMBER 5, 1908 THE NEW AGE 23

We recognise the difficulties of the position. We What will the Labour Party do? did not expect thirty men to outvote a House of six hundred who, were sent there to oppose all reforms A FORTNIGHT ago some of us said quite plainly that worthy of the name. But, by the gods of war, we did defiant revolt suited us better than the method of expect our men to make a fight of it, and not be ponderous political machinery, which has been tried so slaughtered like sheep. Individually, many of them long. But, in our hearts, we could scarcely blame the behaved bravely ; as a collective Party, they were out- Labour Party for determining to finish the particular manoeuvred and massacred. The people who sent turn of the wheel by which it hoped to wring from this them to Parliament have a right to demand an ex- Liberal Government a little assistance for the unem- planation of this utter fiasco. ployed. Mr. Grayson honestly believed his method We sincerely believe that most of the members of the Labour Party are as dissatisfied as the rank and was the quicker way to gain the end ; the Labour file outside. They must know that they have shaken Party was as sincerely convinced of the advantages of their reputation by this collapse in the House last its system. It is unwise to call each other traitors ; week : for utter collapse it was, and nothing short the only question that matters is, Which is right? of it. It was the Labour Party’s supreme opportunity The Labour Party has staked everything on the for stating its case against the combined forces of long-awaited Unemployment Debate : after a lengthy Liberalism and Toryism. None of us expected that course of diplomacy and many questions, it has come it would convince the House of Commons ; but we did imagine that the words and the actions of the at last. The Party faced the Government in the House Labour men would stand out so clearly that the country of Commons ; it told the ministers what it wanted. would at last know the difference between real politics And the ministers offered various concessions which, and sham politics : between real reform and sham when addled up, came to the colossal sum of-nothing. reform. What does the Labour Party intend to do? What happened in this debate? The Labour Party We say, without qualification, that the sum of in answer to a resolution thanking the Government £300,000 granted to meet the present appalling situ- for its proposals for the relief of unemployment, moved ation is nothing short of an insult to the unemployed a motion of censure which accused the Cabinet of gross neglect of its duties in not producing .a satis- It means that His men and women of this country. factory scheme. Mr. Keir Hardie led the attack in Majesty’s Government intends to leave the unemployed a speech of magnificent power : it was not only the workman to tramp the streets, or to go to the work- finest speech Mr. Hardie has made ; it was one of house, or to starve outside it. To criticise once more the great speeches in the whole history of the House Mr. Asquith’s proposals for the relief of the present of Commons. The Press in general has deliberately crisis, would be to waste paper and ink in analysing an concealed from the public the dramatic scene which took place. (I write as an eye-witness.) For half- airy nothing. What is the good of relaxing the re- an-hour the House sat spell-bound while Keir Hardie strictions which hamper relief under the Unemployed lashed the ministers with the whips of logic and Workman’s Act, unless money is forthcoming to grant brought down on them, an avalanche of passion. Every the relief? One might as well pass a law sanctioning word rang with irreconcilable revolt. the theft of food from an empty larder. The most There was only one logical ending to this lead ; it perfect Unemployed Act in the world would be a should have culminated in an official statement by the ridiculous farce if it provided no funds to put it in chairman of the Party that, he was authorised to fling operation. When we describe the grant of £300,000 the ministers concessions back in their faces ; he we do not accuse the Government of should have declared that he and the men behind him as inadequate, were going out into the country to tell the workers insincerity ; we accuse it of blank stupidity. As for that His Majesty’s Government had neither a heart the rest of its proposals, they can only be put down of pity, nor a brain of ordinary intelligence. When as an audacious attempt at deception which could only beaten in the division lobby, there was nothing left have been successful if the House of Commons had for the Party but a declaration of war. been the lowest class in an infants’ school. The en- What happened ? The Party’s whips did not even deavour to pose the deliverers of Christmas cards tell against the Government when the final vote was as a solution of the unemployed problem would find taken. When Mr. Alden’s resolution of confidence a suitable place in a comic opera, and nowhere else. was called, only half the members of the Labour Party But we are not concerned for the moment in proving voted against it. When Mr. Asquith allowed a private the hollowness of the Cabinet’s case ; we are content member to, move the closure, the Party should have to leave that to the philosopher who amused himself risen in indignation against the gross breach of faith with the elaboration of the obvious. Our business is implied in the suspension of the eleven o’clock rule. with the other side of the argument. We want to Mr. Barnes stoutly threatened to go’ on speaking all know what the Labour Party intends to do. It has night ; but why was he not supported? In short, had its answer. It amounts to nothing at all. this test debate in the history of the Party ended in So far, the Party, for all it has officially said to hopeless confusion. If Mr. O’Grady had not sprung the contrary, has taken it lying down. It has trooped to his feet and offered to tell in a division against the into the Opposition lobby in support of its amendment ; Government, then it would have got its vote of con- been defeated ; come out again ; and taken its seat fidence without a division at all. as if that were the end of the affair. The Govern- On the evidence of the division list, we are entitled ment has refused to do the only thing which matters to say that the Labour Party is in a condition of utter in the opinion of serious men ; and if the Labour Party disorganisation. Half of it is pulling one way, and intends to spend the rest of the Session in assisting half another. The total result is that it has lost the the Government to pass Licensing Bills and other confidence of the Labour and Socialist movement. It trivial things, then we tell the Party quite flatly that is clear that there are men in the Party who are ready its doings will not come within the scope of the for the most determined advance. We appeal to them politics of men who mean real business. It will be to take their courage in their hands and to go forward, curtly dismissed from the minds of those who once leaving the half-hearted behind them. We are not regarded it as the best weapon of reform. Mr. Gray- asking them to throw over the Labour Party alliance ; son may have acted wisely or unwisely ; at least his we only ask them to make that Party a living thing, action roused the people to the pitch of enthusiasm. instead of the paralysed body it has been during the The columns of this paper are at the disposal of the last few months. The situation is a critical one. We Labour Party to print all the signs of enthusiasm sent the Labour Party. to Parliament to make war on which its own action has aroused. We do not expect Toryism and Liberalism, not to make terms with them. our ordinary space to be encroached on, G. R. S. TAYLOR, 24 THE NEW AGE NOVEMBER 5, 1908

than to champion the cause of the people. The Executive In Support of Grayson. of the S.D.P. calls also upon all Socialists to demonstrate throughout the country in favour of useful work for the WE continue to receive shoals of letters and resolutions unemployed upon co-operative principles under national supporting the protest made by Mr. Victor Grayson in control. the House of Commons. The secretary of the Labour Independent Labour Party.-That this meeting of the Party still labours under the delusion that Mr. Gray- --.- branch of the I.L.P. heartily thanks Comrade son’s action was taken regardless of the feeling of Victor Grayson for his protest against the attitude the movement. Time will show, however, that Mr. of the Government and the House of Commons as a whole Grayson alone among the Parliamentary representa- on the Unemployed Question, and considers the action of tives of Socialism and Labour has expressed the spirit the Labour Party on that occasion very discreditable to our movement. animating the majority of the members of the move- ment. We warn the Labour members that a “ land- That this meeting of the --- I.L.P. congratulates Victor slide ” has begun. Grayson, M.P., for his brave stand in the House of Commons on behalf of the unemployed, and strongly condemns the We print this week a minute selection of congratu- Socialist members of the Labour Party in failing to render latory resolutions received by Mr. Grayson from any support to Comrade Grayson on this occasion. various branches and bodies of the Labour and Socialist ---I. L. P., nearly 500 strong, send unani- movement. mous hearty congratulations. The cause is worth a sacrifice. Amalgamated Society of Engineers.-That the members That this meeting of the --- of the I. L. P. of this branch approve of the efforts made by Victor Gray- heartily approves of the action of Mr. Victor Grayson, son to make the Unemployed Question the first business M.P., in the House of Commons on behalf of the unem- of the House of Commons. ployed, and further regrets that the Labour Party had Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners.-At a not taken similar action previously. meeting of the above branch I was instructed to inform you At a meeting of the --- branch of the I. L. P. of our appreciation of your action in the House of Com- held last night, a resolution was passed conveying to Com- mons, and to tender you a vote of thanks. This was the rade Grayson the best thanks of the branch for the gallant unanimous wish of the members. fight which he made on behalf of the unemployed in the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants. -This branch House of Commons, and hoping he will receive the thanks appreciates the efforts of Mr. V. Grayson, M.P., in en- of all the Socialists ; and, further, emphatically condemn- deavouring to force the attention of Parliament to the ing certain members of the Labour Party for their cowardly present problem of unemployment, and disapproves of the and mean attacks upon Comrade Grayson. policy of the Labour Party in not supporting his action, --- Branch of the I.L.P.-That we emphatically en- believing that this method is‘ the only one that will compel dorse the attitude taken by Comrade V. Grayson in the the Government to deal in any effective manner with this House of Commons on the unemployed question, and view serious problem. with concern the attitude of the Labour Party thereto. National Union of Gasworkers and General Labourers. The following resolution was moved, seconded, and -That this branch approves the action of Victor Grayson, passed unanimously at a large meeting:-That we, the M.P., and thanks him for his courageous action against a --- Branch of the I.L.P., congratulate Comrade Government of capitalists who care nothing for the hun- Victor Grayson, M.P., on his manly action in calling dreds of thousands who are suffering from unemployment, attention to the desperate condition of the unemployed, and and condemns the attitude of the Labour Party in not sup- condemn the inaction of the Labour Party in refusing to porting him. support him in the protest which he made against the in- Friendly Society of Operative Masons.-That this meet- difference of Parliament to this matter of life and death ing of Operative Stone Masons expresses their hearty con- to so many unfortunate but deserving people. Further, we gratulations to Mr. Victor Grayson, M.P., for his bold call upon the N.A.C. of the I.L.P. to convene at once a stand in the House of Commons for the unemployed, and special conference to consider our position on this urgent assure him of their hearty support and sympathy. question. Postmen’s Federation.-That this branch tenders its best Resolution passed :- That the members of this club desire thanks to Mr. Victor Grayson for his efforts in the House to convey to Comrade Grayson their approval of his action of Commons on behalf of the unemployed. in the House of Commons on Thursday and Friday, Civil Servants’ Socialist Society.-The members of this October the 15th and 16th, in a gallant attempt to stop the branch heartily appreciate your brave attempt to obtain an procedure of the House to deal with the most pressing hearing on behalf of the unemployed in the House of question of the day, viz., unemployment; and further Commons. desires to express its disapproval of the action of the Labour Party in not following his example, and requests --- Fabian Society. -I am instructed by the committee explanation from the latter party. to write to you thanking you for taking a decided stand on Resolution passed :-That this meeting of --- citi- the question of unemployment. It is a timely protest zens, held under the auspices of the ---- Branch against the Government’s callous indifference to the claims of the I.L.P., emphatically approves of the action of Mr. of Labour in calmly discussing the reduction of facilities Victor Grayson, M.P., in his stand on behalf of the unem- for drinking while the people outside are starving and ployed, and congratulates him for his courage thereon. demanding bread. They ask for bread, and they are given It also views with anxiety the apathetic attitude of the a stone. It is a dangerous thing to gives stones to desper- Labour Party in relation thereto, and calls upon them to ate men, outlawed by the refusal of Society to allow them assert their independence. At a large demonstration, held to exercise the natural rights. --- Hall in the evening, over 2,000 people --- Clarion Club. - At a full conclave of the members being present, the same resolution was carried unanimously. of this club this evening it was decided with enthusiasm that That this branch of the I.L.P. fully endorses the action a message of congratulation be sent to you regarding your taken by Mr. Victor Grayson in the House of Commons action. in the House of Commons, coupled with regret that on behalf of the unemployed, and regrets he was not sup- the Labour Party did not see fit to support you. ported by the Labour Members. Unemployed Committee.-That this meeting of the un- employed heartily endorse the action of Mr. Victor Gray- son in the House of Commons re the unemployed ; and con- SOUTH LONDON I.L.P. COUNCIL. demns the action of the Labour Party in not supporting him. We think that the time has come when the Labour SURREYMASONIC HALL, CamberwellNew Road,S.E. Party should obstruct all business in the House until the needs of unemployment are remedied. LECTURE BY The Executive Council of the Social Democratic Party warmly thanks comrade Victor Grayson, M.P., for his G. K. CHESTERTON manly protest against the contemptuous attitude of the Liberal Government and the House of Commons as a whole On “Why I Am NOT a Socialist,” towards the hundreds of thousands of unemployed workers On Wednesday, 18th November, 1908. deprived of the means of earning a livelihood for them- CHAIR TO BE TAKEN AT 8 P.M. BY selves and their families by the action of the capitalist class, and strongly condemns the cowardice of the great majority of the Labour Party in Parliament, who, bound by their HILAIRE BELLOC, M.P. TICKETS : Reserved. 2s. ; Unreserved, 1s. and 6d.; to be obtained from NEW arrangements with the capitalist Liberals, are much more AGE PRESS, 149 & 150, Fleet Street, E.C. ; and Hon. Sec. I.L.P. COUNCIL, Morris anxious to keep their seats at the next General Election Hall, 11a, North Street, Clapham, S.W. NOVEMBER 5, 1908 THE NEW AGE 25

existing S.D.P. and I.L.P. branches in order to merge Wanted-An S.R.C. them into a new party. Men who have worked No apology is made for a suggestion that will burden zealously with faithful service through many years Socialist organisations with yet other letters of the under one banner would not willingly leave it ; in the alphabet or for yet another proposal that shall federate transfer a large number of members, dissatisfied with the existing Socialist bodies into a union for certain any change, would simply leave their branches and definite purposes. The Labour Party is dead-so far become unattached Socialists, with all the therein im- as Socialists are concerned. May it rest in the peace in plied loss of earnest work in the cause, which it lived, in that peace which was its death-blow. Moreover, it is certain that many of the existing Many of the rank and file, like myself veterans in the branches and councils, and those probably with the Socialist movement, welcomed the advent of the Labour most active officials, will simply refuse to be broken up. Party in the hope that it would rapidly develop into a Now, though I am ready to admit we have, as com- Socialist Party ; we stood by the Labour Party though pared with other societies, a most able and active we realised well enough that it would never seek to group of men organising our Socialist combats we have fulfil our truest aspirations. But we wanted a bridge, no plethora of men with that special kind of genius. and, with Keir Hardie within, it seemed the readiest There is not sufficient of them to run a new party if path to Socialism. many of the best remained outside. Unnecessary is it for our present object to recapitulate Besides these practical considerations there are excel- the causes of the Labour Party’s failure to force the lent reasons for maintaining the diverse Socialist pace towards Socialism ; it is written in the annals of groups. Uniformity can be bought at too great a cost the movement of the last three years. As Bacon says : in a dynamic movement, which in this country Socialism The Matter of Seditions is of two kinds : Much Poverty now is. Though the differences may be trivial, they and Much Discontentment. The Labour Party has dis- may be just sufficient to induce one type of mind to played such an utter poverty of resource in its Parlia- find shelter in one group rather than in some other. mentary manners as to provoke the wholesale discon- The historical student may delight in the S.D.P., the tentment among its Socialist adherents. bourgeois in the Fabian, and the practical politician in No doubt their work in Committee and elsewhere has the I.L.P., whilst if in none of these, salvation may yet been useful in putting some measure of common sense be found in the Clarion Scouts or in one of the variety into Liberal Bills. But we do not return Socialists to of leagues-the Guild of St. Matthew, the Church Parliament that they may give their pains to a Liberal Socialist League, the Medical Socialist League, and so or Tory Government. Mainly, we want them in the on-that spring up on all sides. He must be a rare House because here is the most effective platform for spirit indeed that cannot work together with one of these our propaganda. associations. A rigid Socialist Party would destroy We have to make Socialists ; that is our’ main busi- much of this individuality, and although persons of my ness. Now, one of our difficulties is undoubtedly the frame of mind desire such a party, not all have my discord, more apparent than real, among the diverse adaptable good temper. Socialist organisations in this country. Instead of a If we are not to have a Socialist Party, a Socialist single Socialist Party, we have a number of parties Representation Committee seems, however, to meet all working for Socialism : the I.L.P., the S.D.P., the the requirements of the moment. This committee Clarion Scouts, the Fabian Society, and the numerous should consist of all the Socialist bodies that do not more or less independent Socialist bodies that are scat- object to Parliamentary and municipal representatives ; tered up and down these isles. the S.D.P., the Fabians, the I.L.P., the Clarion Scouts, To the neophyte this want of union is often a real the various Socialist Leagues, Societies, etc., could all drawback ; some refuse to believe in a Socialism whose join such a committee. Trade Unions that pledge them- leaders cannot agree on certain broad lines of policy ; selves to Socialist principles would be equally wel- others remain unattached because they cannot deter- come. It would indeed model itself on the existing mine which bundle of hay they shall nibble at. But as L.R.C., simply substituting Socialist for Labour. we have said, that discord is more apparent than real. A small levy per member would suffice for the working In the first place, it is largely a question of honour expenses of the committee. For the payment of Parlia- and tradition among our leaders. Among the rank and mentary representatives, some other expedient would be file, whether I.L.P. or S.D.P., there is, except in a few required. The committee, with the help of all the local districts where personal feeling runs high, no ill-feeling branches where representation is desired, should map and scarcely any difference of view. I have lectured to out an electoral campaign for the whole country ; the both S.D.P. and I.L.P. audiences without scarcely funds raised by the different bodies could then be knowing from the questions and discussions which handed over for distribution to the committee. But as party I was addressing. There is one and only one real to exact details of the handling of these funds it is difference ; the I.L.P. belongs to the Labour Party and premature to speak until one knows that the idea of a the S.D.P. does not. Socialist Representation Committee commends itself The I.L.P. is now chafing under this bondage ; its to the majority of my fellow-Socialists. members are as revolutionary Socialists as any in the ONE OF THE RANK AND FILE. land, and adhere to the Labour Party as perhaps a [The suggestion above made is open for discussion short cut to a desired end. If the I.L.P. now severs in our pages.- ED. THE NEW AGE.~ itself from the Labour Party and devotes its strength whole-heartedly to its main business, the propagation SPECIAL OFFER OF MARX’S of Socialism, the chief contention between these parties disappears. What has been said of the I.L.P. is equally GREAT WORK ON CAPITAL. true of the Fabian Society, only more so. The Fabians have always been restless under their allegiance to the CAPITAL: Labour Party ; and all Mr. Pease’s suavity has been A Critical Analysis of Capitalist Production. exerted to appease the more hot-headed. The Twelfth English Edition of "‘ Das Kapital,” by Here, then, it would seem, the moment is ripe for Karl Marx, translated from the German by SAMUEL the formation of a united Socialist Party, welding all MOORE and Dr. EDWARD AVELING, and Edited by F. the heterogeneous Socialist bodies into a homogeneous ENGELS. The best translation of this important work, whole. For political purposes, I believe this would be which has been aptly styled ( the Bible of the Working as desirable as it is possible, but I should be loth to Class,” and which contains the masterly statement of see the existing parties disintegrated, their red-hot en- hose Socialistic doctrines which are having so great an thusiasms freezing into cold formalities. There are effect throughout the world. Demy 8vo, cloth, weighty reasons for not rushing into an attempt to Published at 10/6. Now offered at 4/6 post free. make one Socialist Party in this country. In the first place, the practical difficulties seem WILLIAM GLAISHER, Ltd., Booksellers, almost insuperable. It means the breaking up of the \ 265, HIGH HOLBORN, LONDON. THE NEW AGE NOVEMBER 5, 1908

necessary’ plank in the Socialist platform. It would be Imitation of the Persian. the first. measure passed by a Socialist government. Is it conceivable that a State boot-and-shoe factory I have come to thee, Belchazar. could allow its trade to be taken away by cheap foot- I have left the halls of pleasure ; wear from abroad? How can we for a moment believe For my feet go slow in dancing that a State steelworks would stand by and see its Since thou taughtst thy mystic measure. workers thrown idle by the importation of rails or I come rather, where thou sittest, armour-plates from Germany or the United States? It is a necessary condition of State industries that there Reading in the quiet leisure shall be a secure market for the articles produced. Of thy garden, with its flowers Anyone who replies with the argument that, when all And its smiling roof of azure. countries have adopted Socialism, these dangers will Share with me thy moss-bank, pray thee ; cease to exist, is a worse crank than any. For even That thy soul’s exhaustless treasure then each State would undoubtedly consider its own Round thee like a dew cloud floating, interests first. TO doubt that is to put oneself on a level with the Rev. Mr. Somebody who announced at Drop some drops on me, Narezza. the Church Congress that the world is about to come BEATRICE TINA. to an end because certain prophecies in the Books of Daniel and Revelation appear to have been fulfilled. Human nature has been as we know it for at least Must Socialists Be Cranks ? six thousand years, and it is childish to look for it to change completely within the next few generations. I ASK because I really want to know. I ask because It is this kind of crankiness which has taken hold of the more I read Socialist journals the more the query is that able writer and altogether lovable man, Robert forced upon my mind. I ask because I think it is im- Blatchford, and which makes him declare that Socialists do not aim at winning elections, but at-well, to put portant to get this point, which is troubling thousands it briefly, at changing human nature. That was what of other minds, cleared up. another altogether lovable Great Man aimed at nine- Desiring to give some illustrations of the crankiness teen hundred years ago-with what result? Ideals we of Socialists, I scarcely know where to begin. In- must have, the higher the better. Religious we must stances crowd in upon me. The day is past, I suppose, be, in Robert Blatchford’s sense of the word, or we when it was generally believed that all Socialists were shall never press on bravely through the burden and vegetarians and wore Jaeger boots. But now an even heat of the day. But to set up ideals, in opposition to practical means of improving little by little recalls crankier set of crazes is in vogue. the Irishman who said he would never go into the First, there are the sex cranks. What they want water until he could swim. It is crankiness carried exactly, I can never discover. “ Free relations between to the extreme. men and women ” is too vague. Such relations appear So I end as I began by asking the question : Are to me to be as free as they conceivably could be at the all these fads and fancies I have mentioned necessary present time. It is open to any man to have as many to Socialism,? Must we conclude that anyone who sees wives,, and to any woman to have as many husbands, the folly of them is without the pale? Are Mr. Bernard as they may respectively wish for. So long as they do Shaw, Mr. Blatchford, Mr. Forel, Mr. Keir Hardie and not trouble the law, the law leaves them to do as they Dr. Eder at the centre of the movement, or only on please. Why, if these followers of Mr. Forel are dis- the fringe ? To put it plainly in conclusion : Must satisfied, do they not put their theories into practice? Socialists be cranks ? The reason is, I fancy, that they do not really want to H. HAMILTON FYFE. do anything different from the mass of people, but only to talk about it. There again, they enjoy absolute freedom. What I complain of is their anxiety to THE NEWERA SOCIOLOGICAL SOCIETY. parade their views before those of us who are not in- terested in such discussions. Closely allied with these, are the endowment of The Place of the Doctor in motherhood cranks. I can well believe that in some far-distant future the State may make provision for the Modern Education. adequate upkeep of the population and the proper A lecture upon this subject will be given on TUESDAY, Nov. 17th, nourishment and training of children. But this, of at 8 p.m., at the UNIVERSITY HALL, GORDON SQUARE, W.C. course, assumes that the State shall, first of all, decide (near Gower St.), by (I) how many children it wants, and (2) what men and Dr. F. LAWSON DODD. women are likely to make the most desirable parents. To talk or write as if there were the remotest probability The Chair will be taken by Dr. BERNARD HOLLANDER, M.D. of such action being taken in our time is to ignore plain facts, and the man or woman who ignores plain facts Non-members’ tickets sixpence each, from the Hon. Sec., ARTHUR is a crank. J. W. HARDY, 20-22, York Road, King’s Cross, N. The Fabian Society is generally regarded as an asso- ciation of sensible, practicable people. Yet the Fabian Society proclaims itself by its declaration of faith to be composed of hopeless cranks. It aims, so the Fabian SUBSCRIPTIONRATES Basis announces, at the expropriation of the owners of land and of other means of production without compen- FOR sation. The notion that the slow-moving British mind, with its respect for property and its attachment to THE NEW AGE orderly methods, will look upon such a proposal with to any part of the world. anything but indignation, is positively grotesque. Equally preposterous is the propaganda carried on 3 months ...... 1/9 by Socialists in favour of abandoning India, letting Egypt be governed by the Egyptians and admitting 6 , ,, ...... 3/3 that the natives of all lands ought to be allowed to do as they please with their own, a principle which appears 12 ,, ...... 6/6 to me to strike at the very root of the Socialist idea. The irresponsible orators who preach these doctrines All Subscriptions should be sent, and chequesand postal are really advocating the extremest individualism. orders made payable to THE NEW AGE PRESS, 139, Fleet Nor can the Free Trade cranks have any just con- Street, London, E.C. ception of the theory of Socialism, Protection is a expressions of opinion must now be sent in the form of The News of the Week. amendments to resolutions, which must be received by December 15th, which date is also the latest for receiving THE reactionary City Council of Leeds has reinstated the nominations for the Executive and the Secretaryship. The old fee-system for one of its elementary schools. Conference will certainly be a momentous one in view of Only 16 members of the Labour Party voted against Mr. the strong feelings which have been. aroused by the un- Percy Alden’s motion of confidence in the Government in satisfactory nature of the Party’s position in Parliament the matter of its unemployment proposals. and in the constituencies. Strong action must be taken if Our contemporary, ( What’s On,” writing on the the Party is to be saved: its present policy is losing it the Children’s Bill, says : “The new Bill forbids little boys support of all serious Socialists and trade Unionists. to smoke cigarettes, but not big cigars. Is this more “I solemnly warn you that if the present failure of our ‘ class legislation,’ or does cigar smoking bring its own pun- heads and hands to make a higher life possible continues, ishment ? ,, it (the Life Force) will assuredly evolve some creature (it Miss Lillah McCarthy will give, and appear in, two may not be even a Superman : it may be a Supersnake) who matinees of The Bacchae of Euripides (Gilbert Murray’s will clear us out as ruthlessly and completely as we have translation) on Tuesday, November 10th and Tuesday, cleared the bison out of America, keeping only a few of us November 17th, at 3, at the Royal Court Theatre. The in the Zoo for the amusement of its young. That will cer- production will be under the direction of Mr. William Poel, tainly happen if, by taking to Neo-Darwinism, we all and the net profits are to be given to the Egypt Explora- become what so many Neo-Darwinians are, a mob of tion Fund. futile cowards, seeking the elixir of life by vivisection The town of Preston is developing a conscience: it has because they have not the courage to seek political liberty decided that the mayoral banquet shall not take place this by dynamite.“ G. Bernard Shaw in “The Freethinker,” year, and the money saved is to go for the feeding of poor November 1st. children. A Magistrate, writing to the “ Daily Mail ” from the Messrs. Brunner, Mond and Co., the famous chemical Athenaeum Club, tells the Suffragettes that gentle per- manufacturers, have determined to find room for 250 more suasion has done its best. ‘ I should like to remind you that men by reducing the hours of their present staff, who will, women have done this for forty years, and I believe that they of course, suffer in, that they are paid by the hour. have now carried persuasion as far as it will go without the assistance of something in the form of violent agita- We learn from the “Grocer’s Assistant ” that an Insti- tion. . . . As a magistrate’ I desire to have all laws re- tute of Certified Grocers has been founded, with Sir W. spected, but as an onlooker I should like to know what Anson for its first President. It is pointed out that the course you would recommend to those who are determined foundation of the Pharmaceutical Society was the begin- to win victory for a great cause when they believe them- ning of a new era in the conditions under which chemists selves to have conquered all those whose minds are pre- worked; and it hoped that the same would happen in the sumably open to reason, but are still baulked of their grocery trade. The institute will grant diplomas on the object.” passing of technical examinations. The organisation of trades is a distinct step in the right direction. The ( Literary Digest ” gives a series of quotations from Oriental journals which tend to show that Japan has already The official list of necessitous children, in London who begun to revolt against the madness of militarism. Soroku, are not fed is rising in numbers week by week. It stood a well-know publicist, has said : “An enormous debt, an at 201 on August 4, and last week it reached 1,546. When alarming Budget, new taxes, but no sign of any serious asked what the Education Committee of the L.C.C. pro- efforts to increase the resources of the country. On the posed to do in the matter, the chairman asked for notice of other hand, thousands of workmen are employed in the the question. These figures do not include the thousands barracks; the same number in the naval shipyards. Each of cases of insufficient feeding. day sees the laying down of a new ship-of-war. The con- The Local Government Board has just issued a state- sequence is we have no schools to take in scholars, and ment concerning the local loans sanctioned by the depart- no ports appropriated to trade. Of course, in time of war ment for public works during recent years. In 1905, we are a first-class Power; but in time of peace we are no £10,210,531; 1906, £10,196,379; 1907, £9,360,789; 1908 such thing.” (Up to October), £9,418,485. Between August 1st and October 22nd of 1907, £8,090 of loans, which would give News of the greatest importance comes from Australia. work to the unemployed, were referred to the Board for While the Constitution allows the Commonwealth Parlia- sanction. During the same period of this year, the amount ment to impose tariff duties on imports, it does not allow is £867,129. any laws binding the whole Federation in the matter of the conditions of labour. The Prime Minister has proposed an Writing to the newly-formed National Food Reform amendment of the Constitution whereby it will be possible Association, Mr. George Meredith says : I am unworthy to provide that the protected manufacturer must share his to be among you. For I drink wine and I smoke. How increased profits with his workmen, by the imposition of a preach to sinners when one is guilty of these vices and un- minimum wage at least, and, also, by the enforcement of repentant ? Eating of meat has never been to my taste. a fair and reasonable wage, to be fixed by the State. In But an English cook who can make vegetables of good brief, an Inter-State Commission will be authorised to con- savour will not come to a country cottage, even on liberal trol the industrial conditions under which the workers may wages. So I have in some degree to conform to the national work in any protected industry. habit, excess in which accounts for numerous maladies, to say nothing of captious tempers. Therefore I wish well From an illuminating series of articles on German Labour to your crusade, though unfit to join it.” Exchanges (signed R. H. T.) appearing in the ‘(Morning we make the following extract : " The management The Local Government Board reports that on October Post,” of the Strassburg Exchange is in the hands of the munici- 17th 125,244 persons in London received poor relief (78,686 in the workhouses, and 46,558 out-door cases). pality. But the municipality, with the object of winning the confidence of those for whom it caters, delegates its This is the highest number recorded in October since 1874, ten of whom consist of employers except 1905, when the paupers numbered 26.3. per thou- authority to a committee, sand of the population, as against 26.1 now. and workpeople appointed by the Town Council, and ten of The number persons elected by employers and workpeople as their repre- in the workhouses is greater than it has ever been before, ex- The trade unions support. it, and give a prac- ceeding by 14,000 the number in 1900; and this notwith- sentatives. standing the increase in out-door relief. tical proof of their favour by using the exchange (in several cases) to pay travelling benefits to men on tramp, and by The International Road Congress, which has just closed exhorting their members to apply to it when they fall out its meeting in Paris, was the first of its kind. It discussed of work. The Town Council insists on all public depart- road-making as a department of scientific administration. ments, and all contractors who undertake work for the town, It appears that Great Britain, Australia, and Switzerland engaging men through the Exchange. . . . The Exchange are the only countries where there is no central department forms the centre of a Federation in Elsars-Lotheingen, with whose work it is to supervise the main roads. Whereas the individual offices of which it is in regular telephonic France maintains 23,823 miles of national roads for communication, so that it can publish lists of the places £1,224,558, we spend £2,011,500 on 27,556 miles. They where labour is needed, and where employment is de- cost us (through innumerable local councils) £73 per mile, pressed. . . . The president and secretary are highly- as against the £51 per mile spent by the State in France ; skilled officials, holding positions which in dignity and and everyone knows that we do not get nearly such good public estimation are second to none in the city, and who roads. take a professional pride in their work which is refreshing The Ninth Annual Conference of the Labour Party will to witness.” In 1907 the Exchange found places for 17,474 be held at Portsmouth on January 27th, 28th and 29th. applicants, compared with 2,536 in 1901. The Munich Ex- Resolutions for the agenda and amendments for the Con- change found places for 81.6 per cent. of the applicants, stitution must be sent in by November 1st. So that any who numbered 74,415. 28 THE NEW AGE. NOVEMBER 5, 1908

have told you quite honestly that the obstacle was the The Cost of an Election. restriction of the suffrage, and on the whole their answer was the true one ; or at least the extension of By Hilaire Belloc, M.P. the suffrage was the immediate need of their time. WHAT I want to consider in the following lines will Quite a short time ago the people who observed most seem such a small point to those who have a large closely and thought most clearly would have answered scheme of social reform in view that they may think it that the chief obstacle was the psychology of an olig- unworthy of mention ; it is the cost of a Parliamentary archic people determining upon rich men to be their election in this country, and the way in which that cost leaders, and not perceiving that appetite is the only is met. strong motive these rich men-being what they were- In the first place, let me point out that there still were likely to obey. remains a certain negative value or use for reformers To-day no one could quite say that. It is still largely in the House of Commons. The institution is no longer true, but it is not universally true. England is an taken seriously by the men who desire to affect the oligarchy and the English people will remain oligarchic, lives of their fellows, nor can one point to any policy but the people now crowded into our big towns are or law which has proceeded from the House of Com- feeling an active need of representation : and here and mons and has largely affected the lives of Englishmen there it finds expression, too often it is wholly disap- or Irishmen for good or ill during the present genera- pointed. To-day the obstacle, if not to a majority, at tion, except the Elementary Education Acts and the least to a very large and powerful party in the House Irish Land Acts. The South African War, which put of Commons which shall be composed of people speak- the financial credit of the nation down into the ruck of ing for their constituents, is expense and the way in its rivals, where it remains, and destroyed perhaps for which that expense is met. ever the unchallenged security of a people necessarily The other day, for example, at Newcastle, a vast commercial, was not the act of the House of Commons. number of men who live under the pestilent industrial The House of Commons was summoned in a hurry, conditions of modern England, voted for a gentleman given its orders by the servants of a gang of detestable who openly professed to desire further taxation upon money-changers and tricksters, bleated its obedience- the necessaries of life. I do not say that he was right and we all know what followed. The alliance with or wrong, but I am absolutely certain that the people Japan, an act of very great and lasting consequence, who voted for him desire nothing of the kind. It may had no more to do with the House of Commons than be that a scheme of Colonial preference, coupled with with the lethal chamber for starving cats ; and in (if it can be coupled with) the protection of English general the body which is still technically representa- manufactures, will be of ultimate advantage to the tive is not consulted on any matters of real importance State. But it is dead certain that the people who cast to the people of these islands. Nevertheless, but for that vote do not want to pay more for bread or for its acquiescence few major things could be done. It is butter or for leather or for the implements of their still a wheel, though no longer a force, in the compli- trade or for their clothes. And while no one cated machinery of a great State. On the other side, an almost equally large number could expect a positive change to be produced on the of people voted for what is called “the programme of initiative of the House of Commons, yet no positive the Liberal Party.” How many of them do you sup- change can be effected by any one brain within or with- pose want local option ? How many want to walk six out the body of the Commons unless the Commons miles for a glass of beer on Sunday? How many care choose to let it pass. a dump about the distinctions (if there are any dis- Here are two examples of what I mean. In the tinctions) between the slight dogmatic teachings upon House of Commons of twenty years ago no Home Rule transcendental matters which are given for a few Bill could possibly have passed had it not been known minutes of the day in the elementary schools of this that that Bill would be destroyed by the House of Protestant country? Lords, the reason being that Home Rule was sup- It is plain common sense that the turnover of the posed, rightly or wrongly, to lower the money value of Catholic vote (which is the only appreciable factor in It is symbolic that the mortgages upon Irish land. the transference of power now going on and to be con- Unionist Party was made under the roof of the Roths- tinued in the future from the “Liberal ” half of the childs, and that Rothschild’s brother-in-law was put clique to the “Tory “)--it is plain common sense, I say, up to prevent a continuance of the Home Rule policy that the transference of such a vote has nothing what- in the Liberal Party. Again, no appreciable tax ever to do with the so-called programmes of either on any of the luxuries of the rich would pass in the Hankey or Pankey. The Catholics up and down this House of Commons as it is constituted to-day : that is country are profoundly indifferent to the details of the why you cannot have the smallest effectual step taken Licensing Bill, for the immediate relief of the unemployed. A surtax and have no particular affection for Tariff Reform or for Free Trade. They have already on luxuries, for instance-an obvious immediate pal- voted, and will vote against whatever Administration liative-is not to be thought of ; because the profes- sional politicians are rich men or the servants of rich limits their civic rights : but why does the result of such men. a vote support not this or that which people really care about, but one of two official programmes? The answer Now this being so, it is evident that all our fine talk is that an election costs £1,000, and that men, even -and when I say “our ” I mean the fine talk of the rich men, have largely dropped out of the habit of find- people who desire and intend to destroy the abominable ing the money themselves. Therefore any organised plutocracy in which we live, some by one method, some secret fund can control the choice of candidates ; and by another-will remain mere talk unless we have an two such organised secret funds, each subscribed to by acquiescent House of Commons. For instance, a man very few men, are at present controlling the choice of of energy possessed of administrative power might candidates. And on either side that group of rich decide to impose a graduated Income Tax. The House men can not only decide the choice of candidates, of Commons itself could never, in our modern absence but can decide the nature of the legislation. of a corporate sense and ignorance of corporate action, will such a thing : but it might allow it. And every- Is it not plainly evident that things. will remain as body knows that the House of Commons, as it is now they are until you have put all expenses necessary to made, will not allow it. an election upon the public, and made all secret sub- What is the obstacle to the formation of a House of scription for a political object punishable as a bribe is Commons which will in some rough, negative way re- punishable ? present the overwhelming majority of the nation, at Until you effect that reform your choice is between least in matters actively and immediately affecting the words which nobody grudges you, and violence-which lives of men? is excellent under military conditions, but in a com- The obstacle is, first, the expense of election. mercial oligarchy worthless ; for in such a society you A generation ago most people who thought would can never get men to risk their bodies. NOVEMBER 5, 1908 THE NEW AGE 29

polemic. Still less can it be met by assertions that its Socialism. supporters are enemies of religion-of all arguments By The Rev. Percy Dearmer, M.A. surely the most false and the most unworthy. There are unfortunately many Agnostics among Conserva- Vicar of S. Mary The Virgin, Primrose Hill. tives, Liberals, and Socialists alike. But it is a sur- II. prising feature of the Labour men that, with such just The ideal of Socialism is that the community as a causes of complaint against the religion which before whole should gradually recover possession of land and the Church revival had neglected them so greatly, they capital-of the great natural monopolies, and of the have refused to be led away by the attacks of militant resources accumulated by past generations-and should atheists, and have persisted in attributing their miseries administer them for the public good. It does not not to God, but to Mammon. propose to “ share out ” the money of the rich- The Socialism of to-day may be mistaken, but its ‘re- although many otherwise intelligent people imagine quirements are extremely reasonable. It only asks to that it does. It would transfer not the money but try experiments ; and those who consider it to be im- the power-the power of capital from private to public practicable can wish nothing better than such experi- hands. When, for instance, we nationalise the rail- ments should be tried. ways, as France and Germany have done, as even Only-this fact remains, that so far, the experiments Italy has now done-there will be no “ robbery ” of of State Socialism have proved successful ; and no one the shareholders : they will simply become stockholders, wishes to throw back into private hands those great they will have their money just the same, and their services which are already owned and controlled by the interest just the same- only the country will own and community,. Ill-educated as we are still, ill-trained in control the railways, without the wastefulness of com- the duties of citizenship, and careless as we have been petition, and in the public interest ; the employees will of the great Christian principles of service and fellow- become civil servants, and the Government will be ship, we have yet so far not failed as a nation to rise to responsible to the nation for them. This is pure Social- our new corporate responsibilities, and to conduct the ism ; and the Socialists wish to see the same thing business of the community with honesty and success. done with other industries-with the provision of milk It is easy for the critic to draw pictures of all the (to take an instance that is both simple and urgent), so evils that he supposes would result if the State entered that pure and good milk should be supplied to pur- into competition with the private dealer. Such fore- chasers by an organised public service with the regu- casts are always made by the opponents of every re- larity and efficiency of that successful example of form. That is, indeed, how every reform is opposed. Socialism, the General Post Office ; and our milkmen “If this Bill becomes law,” they say, “terrible things should become civil servants, free from the harassing will happen. ” The Bill does become law, and the and debasing struggle with one another which so fre- terrible things forget to happen. They are swept away quently lands honest and respectable tradesmen in the into, the limbo of superannuated spectres. abyss of bankruptcy. That has been the great outstanding lesson of the It may, of course, be objected that for the State to century which has passed. Fears have proved liars, manage its affairs in this way would destroy the magic and hopes not altogether dupes. of possession and cripple the incentive to effort. I do A great hope is stirring in the world to-day, though not think that this contention will ever have much its realisation will not be to-day, or to-morrow. When weight with us ministers of the Church. We belong to we have all passed away and are forgotten, man will a profession that works hard without the inducement of still be busy in its shaping. But before we go from gain ; and we notice the same in other professional hence we want to see the world less bitter for the poor, classes - doctors, for’ instance, and schoolmasters. and we know that we shall not err if we labour on the These men, with whom rest the highest and most side of order, of brotherhood, and of service. precious interests of the human race, are just the men THE END. whose position would be the least changed under State employment-indeed, an ever-increasing number are already employed by the State. We protest against the The Return of the Good People. assumption that, while professional men work honour- IT is hardly necessary to recall the events which led ably by virtue of their manhood, the members of the to the exile of John Markham and prevented him, from trading and manufacturing classes can only work under witnessing the splendid and devastating drama which the spur of greed. during the third and fourth decades of the Twentieth But consider two other great professions which all Century changed the face of Europe. ‘A fervent civilised States in modern times have considered too Socialist, he had in his youth (he was born in 1898) vitally important to be left to individual enterprise, and associated himself closely, first, with the Fabian which are thus examples of Socialism-the Army and Society and afterwards with the Social Democratic the Navy. The captain of a ship, for instance, has his Party. In 1919, desiring to be in the fiercest firing own private possessions ; and though he is no longer a line of the revolutionary movement, he emigrated to privateer, he enjoys the blessings of private property. Russia and took a prominent part in the earlier phases Nay more, has he no pride in his ship because it belongs of the Russian Revolution. not to him but to the State? Is it not all the same his In 1921 he was exiled to Siberia, whence he escaped ship? Has he less, care of it, less love of it, less devo- four years later, just before the final overthrow of the tion to it, than if he had borrowed money to buy it and Tsardom. Unfortunately, his flight led him to China, ran it as his private adventure? the last stronghold of the Capitalists, whom the success Such is the spirit which the Labour men of to-day, of the International Socialist revolt had expelled from and their supporters in the world of academic Socialism, Europe. He was flung into prison in Pekin, and kept would apply to the world at large ; such is the principle there during the twenty years’ war waged between the by which the most ardent spirits in great industrial European Federation and the Chinese armies led by centres, such as this, hope to cure the ills of society. European emigrés. It was not till the fall of Pekin in It has its dangers and its difficulties : it makes great 1948 that he was liberated. demands on the integrity and intelligence of society. Even then his exile was not over. Joining the allied But it is honourable, clean, just. It claims for the forces he bore a-glorious part in the conquest of Asia. tradesman, the landowner, the manufacturer, that same It was largely by his skill and audacity that the last high standard which we have established for the soldier, Capitalist army was cut to pieces at Seoul, and it was for the priests, for the schoolmaster, for the doctor, for by his orders that the Duke of Iowa (a lineal descen- the nurse, the same disinterested honesty that we take dant of Mr. Rockefeller) was hanged at Mandalay. In for granted in the scientist and the student. 1960 he was appointed Governor of Burma and Siam, Here is a moral principle, an ideal that is instinct and devoted eight years to the education of the natives with the spirit of religion. It cannot be met by mere in Socialist principles. It was in 1968 that he returned NOVEMBER5, 1908 to England, an old man, to find a generation which different places. In the country, of course, it’s quite had grown up under the Social Democratic Constitu- common. ” tion established by the historic “ Declaration of ‘24.” “But can you trust these men’s testimony? Are I need not dwell on the change which he found in his their judgments reliable? ” native land. The slums of London were gone ; gone, “Well, we’re a democracy now, you know. We too, were the desolate wastes of the industrial North, have to rely on their judgment on matters of much which in the nineteenth century lacked alike the charms more immediate practical import. Why not on this? ” of town and of country. The English, countryside from Markham was silent for a time, trying to devise a which,, under the shadow of landlordism, freedom, self- logical answer. Then abandoning the attempt in respect, faith, and human joy had vanished together, despair, he spoke sincerely his inmost thoughts. were once more producing a busy and happy peasan- “All this bewilders me,” he said. “When I left try. The towns, where the great industries were Europe it seemed that such, superstitions were dying centred, vibrated with machinery as of old, machinery out for ever. What was left of them we attributed to more complex and efficient than ever ; only now the the ignorance which oppression breeds. We thought men owned the machines instead of the machines own- that education and emancipation would finally kill ing the men. But the remarkable experience which I them.” wish to chronicle is that which befell Mr. Markham, “ Doesn’t it occur to you,” answered the Minister of when he was shown by Mr. Brock, Minister of Cotton, Cotton, “ that perhaps it was oppression that killed over the great cotton factory of Oldham. them, and that freedom would give them a new life? The factory was very different from the factories How could men who live as your workmen, lived see the that his youth recalled. It was clean and wholesome, ‘ Good People ’ ? ’ ’ washed by life-giving airs. The machinery was care- “But our wealthier class didn’t see them either. At fully fenced, and every sanitary appliance was at hand. least, of course, there were the Spiritualists, but-” But the really strange thing happened when the bell “Yes, I’ve heard of them,” interrupted the other. rang for the cessation of work, “ We call them Devil Worshippers now. ” As the men trooped out of the factory ex-Governor “The thing gets stranger and stranger,” said Mark- Markham noticed that one of them carefully placed at ham. “Spiritualism was the one kind of supernatural- the door a large pan of milk. He put it down with ism that some of us did think rather modern and care and seemed to say some inaudible words before advanced. But apparently you’ve abandoned that, and he rejoined his companions. fallen back on old wives’ fables.” Markham turned to his guide. “Do mice trouble “ Perhaps,” was the answer. “You see women have you much in the factory? ” time to be wives now, and we don’t penalise them for “Mice? No,” replied Mr. Brock, with some sur- growing old. As for Spiritualism, we can see now prise. that the wealthy classes under the old order got hold “ But you keep cats? ” of bad Spirits-damned bad Spirits in the most literal “No, I don’t think so.” sense. The Spirits you saw, my dear friend, were as “Then, why do they have milk? ” bad as the Spirits you possessed, and nearly as bad as “ Oh, that’s nothing,” replied the Minister hurriedly, the Spirits you drank. Now we have good Spirits, as he conducted his guest to the door. we drink good Spirits, and good Spirits dance round The ex-Governor was a little mystified by his host’s the fires of our furnaces.” incommunicative manner, for all his other questions There was a pause, and then the Minister of Cotton had been answered with almost eager readiness. went on, in a quieter tone : “I wish you would tell me why they do it,” he said, “All men have always wanted to believe a little when they were in the streets. more than they can see, even in the Dark Ages-we “Oh, it’s just a popular custom, you know.” call the epoch which led up to the Revolution the Dark “ But for whom is the milk intended ? ” Ages-men wanted that. But only the wealthy could “Oh, well-it’s supposed to be for the Good People.” seek it, and they sought it in the wrong way. They “What? ” cried Markham, “do you mean to say that tried to get at the supernatural by getting away from the well-paid, well-educated workers of the new age the earth. But in healthier ages, the supernatural be- believe in fairies’? ” longed to the earth. This field had some magic quality, The Minister of Cotton hastily placed the index or this well or that tree. When the fields and wells finger of his hands on one another in the form of a and trees were taken from the people, the Old Gods cross. left them. When the people recaptured them the Old ’ “You mustn’t call them that,” he said quickly. Gods returned. When the people seized the machinery “ Great God! ” exclaimed the Pro-Consul, “ Is it which no God had ever blessed, the coal and iron also possible that you, a Minister of State, believe in were touched with magic. It was only when the them? ” common people came to their own that the ‘ Good The Minister hesitated. People: ’ returned ; only so could they return.” “Well, I suppose one doesn’t really believe in them CECIL CHESTERTON. exactly. But it’s a rum world, and one never knows.” Markham stared at his companion incredulously. SONG. ‘ You can’t mean that you really think it possible I. that the fairies---or the ‘ Good People,’ if you prefer it =-exist ! ” The time of flowers is drawing nigh ; “Why shouldn’t they? ” asked the bureaucrat mildly. Sing, O sing to me ! Markham was knocked flat, as in fact most men of On a grassy bank I lie, his generation would have been, by this question. Airy clouds flit o’er the sky. “ But-but,” he stammered, “when I left England Sing, O sing ! anybody who believed in the possibility of such a thing Yellow, yellow’s the primrose dell, would have been thought mad.” Delicate the azure bell, “ Yes, I suppose so,” replied the other. “ People Aspens quiver by the stream, who believed in the possibility of abolishing poverty And the dancing wavelets gleam, were thought a little mad, too, weren’t they? ” And the water splashes. Markham was groping wildly among the debris of II. his nineteenth century philosophy for an answer. Like a poem, half-forgot, “ But have you any evidence? ” he asked. “ Has any Read again, in this sweet spot, reliable witness ever seen these ‘ Good People ’ ? ” Spring appears to me ; “Oh, yes, I believe so. They say that when John Sing, O sing ! The earth is fair, Brown got locked into the factory all night, he saw Music trembles everywhere- them dancing in a ring round the furnaces. And there On the flowers, in the air. are many other men who say they’ve seen them in Sing, O sing ! Edmond ST. CYR. THE NEW AGE 31

Spiritual Spoof.* involves the positing and resolution of contradictory elements. This is the principle of the Hegelian method, By E. Belfort Bax. the so-called Trichotomy. As I am not writing a treatise MR. CHESTERTON'S much-reviewed latest book is typical on metaphysic, I will not attempt to expound this of a prevailing fashion in thought and trick of argu- principle in detail now. Those desiring further discus- mentative writing. His protagonist, I suppose, must sion on the subject I ‘may refer to my “Roots of be held to be Nietzsche, but for this country the Reality. ” The point here I wish to emphasise is that most popular representative of the method, whose a dexterous thinker or exponent may seize hold of a discovery of it was probably independent of given truth, or aspect of reality, or a given “value,” Nietzsche, is undoubtedly, G. B. Shaw. It may and by cleverly manipulating it, by presenting it at an be termed the method of smart-paradox. It angle, so to speak, which shows the imminent contra- proceeds, in a word, by showing that whatever is isn’t diction in an unresolved form, may give it the appear- and that whatever isn’t is. It may be characterised ance of absurdity. The trick demands practice to be as an intellectual three-card trick. The aim of the effective but the practice once acquired, brilliant and material three-card trickster of the English racecourse seemingly unanswerable paradox may be reeled off ad is to bamboozle his dupe into thinking the picture-card infinitum. Now, Mr. Chesterton, it must be admitted, is lying in a different position from where it really is ; is a past-master in the knack of thus “thimble-rigging ‘, and his effect in inducing the onlooker to stake his money the values of things. He can show you that nothing is on the conviction that the card in question is lying on itself and that everything is something else. the right when it is actually on the left or in the But it must not be supposed that Mr. Chester- middle, is the measure of his success as a three-card ton always attempts this by a strict adhesion to trickster. So it is with the intellectual attitude and the practice aforesaid. He only too often lapses method of which G.B.S. is the pioneer in this country into the easier method of verbal quibble. His and Mr. Chesterton the clever and highly successful paradoxes are commonly no more than plays epigonon. For there is a difference between Shaw and upon words or are based on premises which are mere Chesterton in the playing-out of paradoxes. Shaw arbitrary assertions of his own compounded of defini- plays them as the notes of a flute are played by the tions of words invented by himself and peculiar to him- flute player-Chesterton grinds them out like a barrel self alone. For instance, his tricks with the words organ, or, to employ a well-known industrial metaphor, “ democratic ” and “dogmatic ” are a bit too thin and Shaw’s paradoxical quips leave you with the impression obvious. When Mr. Chesterton tells us that to dis- that they are hand-made, while Chesterton’s, at least believe a rustic’s ghost story or an old apple woman’s as presented in the book under consideration, from their similarity and endlessness, suggest the products “testimony to a miracle ” is “undemocratic,” the answer is simple. Mr. Chesterton’s definition of the of machine industry. The effect of this is shown in the reading. Before one has got half through Mr. word “ democratic ” is not mine, but if it be correct, then I am “undemocratic ” Chesterton’s book, one is already cloyed with in a Chestertonian sense-et the apparently limitless output of smart paradox. It is voilà tout ! Again, if my refusal to accept uncritical and rotten evidence in favour of the supernatural con- often said that G.B.S. is simply a gay deceiver and stitutes me a “dogmatist,” according to the Chester- hardened joker. And this may be the case. Shaw some- tonian “ particular ” times, we know, comes to “believe in Jesus” and regards definition of the word, well, then, I am one. The attempt to fix a label or to prove a the middle-classes as bulwarks of Socialism. But still, circulus by inventing one’s own definitions is a game on other occasions, we do discern in Shaw the strain anyone can play at. of serious intention. With Mr. Chesterton, on the Once more, continual reiteration other hand, the interminable reeling off of paradox throughout 297 pages that the dogmas of Catholic seems to have no end beyond itself. Mr. Chesterton orthodoxy are the quintessence of sweet reasonableness never appears in any other light than as the spirit and the whole of modern science and modern thought that spoofs and that does nothing else but spoof. In everything that is perverse and contrary thereto, is not Mr. Chesterton’s book, it is true, we find the pose only not convincing but tedious. The tedium is hardly of Catholicism, affected by a certain type of intel- relieved by (e.g.) the assurance that Christianity “ was lectually gifted and intellectually blase young men an emancipation ” in that it taught men “ here you can of the present day. It is, in fact, an attempt to swagger and there you can. growl,” as against Pagan- defend this position by the method of smart-para- ism, which taught him neither to swagger nor to growl. dox. But we can only venture the assertion Personally, I am depraved enough to prefer after a perusal of it that he would have been equally Pagan precept in this connection. Mr. Chesterton com- successful in a similar smart-paradoxical rehabilitation plains of modern science taking away his freedom to of Buddhism, or Mahomedanism, Hinduism, the Heno- believe in fairy tales or, I suppose, in Catholic dogmas. theistic synchretistic paganism of the Roman-Imperial But common sense takes away his freedom to believe period, as of the Christian system. Even the fairy that London is bathed in sunshine in the midst of a tale of the nursery rhyme-as Mr. Chesterton hints- winter fog. may be shown to contain eighteen carat wisdom when Sometimes, too, Mr. Chesterton says things that treated on this method. If I mistake not, some pre- are silly, judged even from the métier of the smart- cursor of Mr. Chesterton has attempted to do this paradoxist, To take one instance of this. Among with the “ House that Jack Built.” It is certainly a more the many beneficent effects of Christianity (p. 181) as profitable and kudos-bringing occupation to take against Paganism, he alleges that it has brought service in the cause of conventional morality or con- greater variety in human life, adducing “the separation ventional religion with a new weapon in your hand, of Europe into the modern nationalities while remain- rather than to use the same weapon in leading the ing a unity ” (?) as proof of this. Now, in the first charge in an attack, direct or indirect, on traditional place, the questionable boon of the modern European authority and vested privilege. National State-System is demonstrably traceable to Let us consider for a moment what this latest fashion- economic development and other material causes, and able method of criticism by smart-paradox, when at its not in any respect whatever to Christianity. best and strongest, is really based on. What is the Catholicism, in fact, was a hindrance to its secret of its plausibility? Ordinary man,, though he realisation. Hence the disruption of the unity of the may not be bamboozled into any positive results by the Christian Church at the Reformation. That Christian- conjuring of the smart-paradoxist, nevertheless has a ity produced the modern system of National States is feeling of perplexity. He is half-conscious that he is as contrary to historical fact as it is contrary to his- being had, but he does not know how, yet the secret torical fact that this system gives us a greater variety is not so very difficult to discover by anyone versed in of type than was afforded by Pagan antiquity. Under metaphysic. It consists in the fact that reality in general, Paganism, even during the decadent Roman period, and every special content of reality, enshrines a latent every city and every district enjoyed its own religion to contradiction or antinomy. The whole movement of reality a large extent, its own legends and customs-in short, *Orthodoxy. By G. K. Chesterton. (Lane. 6s.) its own local type of colour. It was just Christianity 32 THE NEW AGE NOVEMBER 5, 1908

that put the coping stone on one side at least, to the work begun by the Roman-Imperial system on another Books and Persons. and did its best to destroy this variety by forcing all the (AN OCCASIONAL CAUSERIE.) poetry of life into the debased mould of hard and arid dogma. But for the rich luxuriance of the life of IT is eight years since the appearance of “Montes the classical Paganism it is necessary to go behind the Matador,” a volume which contains one of the finest Roman-Imperial period to that of Greek Paganism in short stories ever written by Saxon, Russian, or Gaul. its prime It is there you find an intensive variety of Mr. Frank Harris has at last thought fit to publish life the Like of which the world has never since seen another book. I know not what he has done with him- However, such things as these-would-be smart-para- self in the meantime, but whatever his activity has doxes based on bald assertions conspicuously at vari- been, I resent it, as it was not literary. “The Bomb ” ance with fact-meet one only too frequently in Mr. bears all the external marks of a publication by Messrs. Chesterton’s pages. Mr. Chesterton’s smart special Methuen. The name of Mr. John Long, however, is pleadings generally issue in-spoof. To such base on the title-page. One may assert with confidence that usage has “ Orthodoxy ” returned as to serve for the “The Bomb ” is the most serious work of imagination whipped-cream to Mr. Chesterton’s literary meringues yet issued by the publisher-in-ordinary to Mr. Nat I would be by no means understood, however, as deny- Gould and Mr. Hubert Wales. I congratulate him. I ing the brilliancy and the cleverness of many of Mr. wonder how many dilettanti of literature have pre- Chesterton’s mots. Smart-paradox is often the most served through eight years their enthusiasm for the effective way of bringing home a truth encrusted in author of “ Montes the Matador ” and “Elder Conklin.” convention to the mind, and Mr. Chesterton sometimes I wonder how many of them, when they saw the name hits truths in this way very happily. There are not of Frank Harris among “To-Day’s Publications ” in wanting grains of wheat amid all the chaff (metaphorical their newspaper, took instant and eager measures to and literal). But the smart-paradox has its limitations procure his book. Not that for a moment I imagine and an exclusive diet of smart-paradox is apt to pro- “ Montes the Matador ” to have had a large sale. I am duce a mental nausea. convinced that it was too true, sober, unsentimental, And what does it all come to? Truth is the intel- and distinguished to have had a large sale. But its lectual expression of the self-consistency of conscious- contents were immensely and favourably talked about ness as a whole. But the content of consciousness by people whose good opinion helps an author’s works changes, and with it the relation of any part of that con- to sell among the sheep, and if “The Bomb ” had tent to that whole, i.e., the unity of experience. Hence appeared seven years ago it would have been sure of the attempt to pour new wine into old bottles, to success. I shall watch with interest the remarks upon force the new matter of human thought into old it of the mandarins. “A really great book,” said Dr. forms, can never be effective in the long run. To Robertson Nicoll the other day, writing not, strange to apply this to the case in hand. The enormous bulk say, of Mr. Clement Shorter’s mausoleum for the of thinking persons have practically, if not nomi- Brontës, but of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s recent col- nally, left the ideal symbolic systems called religions lection of “Strand Magazine ” stories. Oh, face of which have been handed down by tradition, com- Aberdeen granite ! I could, if I would, predict his pro- nouncement upon “ The Bomb.” pletely, and for ever far behind them. The attempt * * * to resurrect these corpses has never yet amounted to anything more than the ghastly and fatuous pastime “The Bomb ” begins with these words : “My name is of trying to produce the semblance of life out of the Rudolph Schnaubelt. I threw the bomb which killed twitchings effected by a galvanic battery. Mr. Ches- eight policemen and wounded sixty in Chicago in 1886.” terton’s galvanic battery, powerful though it may be The novel is the narrative of the events which culmi- for other purposes, hardly succeeds in doing even as nated in the bomb, related in the first person by a much as this. Bavarian emigrant to the United States. It is also Rudolph Schnaubelt’s defence of anarchy, since it con- If there be a lesson to be drawn from the affected tains no apology for the bomb. Everyone who is and pedantic Catholic pose, in general, and Mr. in the habit of reading fiction is familiar with the sensation Chesterton’s book in particular, it can only which occasionally makes one say of the author one is, be this. Mankind, at present, stands in need reading : “ He must have been through that himself ! ” of an intellectual and moral synthesis. The old * * * religions which did duty as such are gone past galvani- sation. Where shall we look for our new synthesis? “The Bomb ” gave me this sensation at the start, For the present writer the answer is clear-in Social- and continued without intermission to give it me till ism. Not in a Socialism, may be, that “has nothing to the end. The illusion of reality is more than staggering ; do with ” religion or the family or other leading spheres it is haunting. (I am not prepared to assert that to of human interest, outside the narrowly and immediate give the illusion of reality is the highest aim of fiction. economic, but in a Socialism to which, while standing I’ am quite sure that I never thought “On the Eve ” firmly on its economic basis, nothing human is alien or “The Mayor of Casterbridge ” to be a relation of But this is a wide subject, too wide to discuss at the anything that actually happened.) Impossible not to end of a. review article. believe that Frank Harris himself is the anarchist who threw the bomb in the Haymarket, Chicago, in 1886 ! '‘ Robert Blatchford comes in for some rough handling,” Impossible not to believe that the whole business, in all so says The Dudley Herald. its details, is not literally true to fact. My own ignor- " Never has his true character been-morecritically ana!ysed,” so says Common sense. ance of the flight of bombs is such that I did not know "A Godless a bomb had been thrown at Chicago in 1886. On con- . sulting Haydn’s “Dictionary of Dates,“ I found that the SOCIALISM.” 3D rough outlines of the tale do indubitably coincide with By FRANK G. JANNAWAY. This pamphlet has compelled Mr. Blatchford to rewrite ” Merrie England,” in fact, bombs and Socialism having been rife in Chicago the new edition of which he has suppressed a whole chapter and many former in 1886. I am now more puzzled than ever to "facts.” draw a Published by WALTER SCOTT, Ltd., Paternoster Square, London. line between what is fact and what is fiction in the On Sale at all W. H. SMITH & SONS’Bookstalls. book. The experiences, the intimate spiritual experi- ences, of the bomb-thrower between the moment of throwing and his arrival in England are crushing in SECOND-HANDBOOKS AT HALFPRICES!! their convincingness. The cry is drawn sharply out of NEWBOOKS AT 25 PERCENT. DISCOUNT the reader : “He simply must have been through this Books on all Subjects and for all Examinations himself !” (I remember, in reading “ Montes,” the (Elementary and Advanced supplied. gradual growth in me of a belief that Frank Harris STATEWANTS. SENDFOR LISTS. BOOKSSENT ON APPROVAL. BOOKSBOU6HT. GOODPRICES GIVEN. had been a matador-and a matador in love ! I am also sure, in spite of myself, that he once set fire to a dry- W.& G.FOYLE , 135 CHARING CROSS ROAD, LONDON, W.C. goods store in a western city.) Many passages are on NOVEMBER5, 1908 THE NEW AGE 33 the very highest level of realistic art. I state this as one who reckons to know, comprehensively and in detail, what realistic art is. THEINTERNATIONAL * * * A REVIEW OF THE WORLD’S PROGRESS. Mr. Harris has offered himself the luxury of grave difficulties in the accomplishment of the illusion of reality. There is, for instance, the difficulty of the NOV.] PRINCIPAL CONTENTS. [1/- Net language-for his narrator is a German journalist, who learnt “American ” as a man. He disposes of this with J. A. HOBSON adequate skill. The style is just what the style of such The Nationalisation a man would be, save perhaps for a few phrases, such as “the blessed oblivion had knit up the ravelled sleeve of Railways. of my thoughts. !” I doubt whether the German’s racial fondness for Shakespeare would carry him so far in a THE EDITOR moment of intense narrative emotion. Another and a greater difficulty is that there is a superman in the Constitutionalism book. Now, a superman, and especially an anarchist in the Factory. like Louis Lingg, is like seven devils in the path of a novelist. It may be said, I think, that Mr. Harris has made Louis Lingg convincing. Some of his sayings- CANON BARNETT such as that the worst fault of American civilisation is The Problem of Distress that it is not complex enough-are extremely sugges- Among the Unemployed. tive, and in the supreme crises he does veritably con- duct himself as a superman. His suicide and death are " The Women’s Movement in France,” “ Over-Pro- Titanic. But the greatest difficulty of all is in the duction and Shorter Hours in the Cotton Industry,” sustentation of the character of the narrator. Here the " Anti - Militarism in Russia,” “ Child- Labour in author’s triumph is prodigious and dazzling-such a India,” etc., etc. triumph as can-only be appreciated by those who have themselves tried to write a novel in the first person. T. FISHER UNWIN, 1, ADELPHI TERRACE, LONDON. Rudolph is German to his toes. A rather weak man, capable of immense and obstinate enthusiasms when tuned up by a stronger individuality ; often sentimen- THE EVOLUTION OF tal ; naive ; merry in his relations with women (there are pages which the late Ian Maclaren would have MODERN GERMANY. blushed ‘to sign) ; narrow in his view ; violent and By W. HARBUTT DAWSON. 21s. net. feeble by turns ; the disciple, the honest and intelligent Traces the economic and industrial transition through which tool incarnate ! A living man ! In the closing passages Germany has been passing during the last thirty or forty years. the rank bitterness of his resentment against all The book is strictly non-controversial, and avoids all topics which America is wondrously done. divide English public opinion at the present time. + * + T. FISHER UNWIN, 1, ADELPHI TERRACE, LONDON. “The Bomb ” is the work of an artist born. I feel nearly sure that the craftsmanship in it is chiefly in- stinctive and not acquired. Assuredly there is evidence in it that its author does not write enough, nor nearly enough. It is a book very courageous, impulsively ENGLISHREVIEW, generous, and of a shining distinction. In pure realism nothing better has been done-and I do not forget Tols- toy’s “The Death of Ivan Ilyitch ” ! Some literary No. 1 roué of the circulating libraries is bound to open his mouth and say that I have lost my head over “The TO BE PUBLISHED NOVEMBER 25. Bomb.” I am not a literary roué ; but I am the author of some thirty books, and therefore likely to keep my The purpose of the Review is to avoid that super- nerve when confronted by other men’s novels. I have ficiality which is specially modern. The Editors said. JACOB TONSON. will treat their readers not as spoiled children, but BOOK OF THE WEEK. with the respectful consideration due to grown-up minds which can be interested by something else The Poetry of Mr. Kipling. than the crispness and glitter of a popular statement. IT is pleasant to have Mr. Kipling’s poetry collected into the uniform edition, in four volumes of a con- The Literary Contributors to the venient size and soft of leather, which Messrs. Methuen first number include :- have published-in a box. It induces you to read them all, one after another, straight away. I was somewhat Thomas Hardy surprised to find how stout a heart it needed to perform this- feat. Possibly poets should not be exposed to the Henry James test, save perhaps the poet whose poems one volume Joseph Conrad will hold. It seems that the human spirit can suffer John Galsworthy from a surfeit of the poetry of one man ; perhaps the reading of a man’s poetry should be spread over some Count Tolstoi time as the writing of it was. H. G. Wells None the less, for all the strain on a stout heart, I obtained an interesting understanding of the progress Editorial comment prompted by the of Mr. Kipling’s poetic genius-its beginning, its ad- communications of statesmen and vance to an admirable height, and its decline. It seems to me hardly worth while to read the first volume diplomatists. (“ Departmental -Ditties “) or the last volume (“The Five Subscribers’ Lists Now Open. Nations “) save for the purpose of obtaining this appre- ciation of the rise and fall of a genius. “ Departmental Ditties ” is indeed an amazing work DUCKWORTH & CO., Henrietta Street. to find offered to the reading of the nation, or perhaps 34 THE NEW AGE NOVEMBER 5, 1908

I should say the Empire, at large. It was doubtless excellent for Anglo-Indians-young ones. It might so From A. C. FIFIELD’S NEW LIST well have been left to adorn, in its original slim form, Fcap. 8vo. Grey boards, 1s. nett. Postage 1½d. their bookshelves. For them it has the charm of the topical. It is the verse of a smart young man, twang- ing consciously or unconsciously other people’s lyres, or even banjos. It is uncommonly crude ; the humour By W. H. DAVIES, Author of ‘ The Autobio- graphy of a Super-Tramp,’ ‘ The Soul’s Destroyer,” etc. indeed is distressingly crude ; the satire is boyish ; the parodies are weak ; and the technique is poor. It Mr. Desmond MacCarthy, Editor of " The New Quarterly’ ’ would have indeed been well to sink the whole of this says :--" Mr. Davies new poems are extraordinarily good.” volume. None of the readers of it would have lost any- Mr. Bernard Shaw said of The Soul’s Destroyer, “ Before I had read three lines I perceived that the author was a real poet.” The Nation said : “ He is a born thing, and Mr. Kipling himself would have gained by poet.” The Morning Leader: “ The most original voice we have heard for a its sinking. But there is a striking audacity in Mr. lone time.” Kipling ; and I can easily conceive that he reprinted, 6d. nett. Postage 1d. ¼-cloth gilt top, 1s nett. Postage 2d. thickened, and again, gave this volume to a world pant- CRAFTSMAN- ing with eagerness, that it might see, for 5s. nett, how WILLIAM MORRIS,SOCIALIST. bad his verse could be, from what a poor beginning his By HOLBROOK JACKSON, Author of genius grew. ‘ Bernard Shaw : A Monograph.” “ Barrack-Room Ballads, ” and “ The Seven Seas ” The New Age says : ’ A book to buy.” Bristol Daily Mercury says : ‘ Morris’s development, work, and influence are not, we suspect, any too well-known among are a very different matter. In them I find by far the the rank and file of Socialists, who should therefore be glad of this excellent and sympathetic study of the man, alike as socialist and craftsman.” Huddersfield finest expression in English poetry of the spirit of the Worker says : “ A brilliant summary and review.” Irish Independent : “ Nothing adventuring, wandering, fighting English-of the Eng- better can be said. nothing more need be said, for the art of William Morris.” lish who made England, and might have made her so 6d. nett, Postage 1d. much better had not the English tradesman spoiled their work. In these two volumes, more than anywhere BRITISHARISTOCRACY AND THE HOUSE else in English literature, I find excellent reason for my OF LORDS, By EDWARD CARPENTER. belief that England has always been two nations ; that Justice says : “It should be read by every Socialist. No violent onslaughts obtain, but the quiet analysis and plain statements which are so convincing in the valuable English have been chiefly the East Ang- capable hands. . . . . Searchingly brilliant.” lians and the coast-folk of Norse strain, the men who followed Cromwell and Drake ; that the worthless Fcap. 8vo. Grey Boards, 1s. nett. Postage 1½d. English have been the fat-headed Saxons, the country COUNT LOUISand other poems gentlemen and their serfs, and the tradesmen of the towns, the men who followed Charles and Cobden. By HENRY H. SCHLOESER. “Reveal the music of true poetry. . . . . A charming beauty of phrase and a No one has presented as finely, or nearly as finely, as wealth of feeling.” --Dundee Advertiser. Mr. Kipling the spirit of the wanderer, the English adventurer ; no one has known so well his joys and his SOCIALISM:A SOLUTIONAND SAFEGUARD. sorrows, his loves and his hates, his courage and his By C. D. SMITH. 6d. nett.,post free 7d. "Interesting and witty.“-Co-operative News. “ Clear and concise replies to fear, and above all his melancholy. At the beginning the Spectator articles. Handy for debater and propagandist “-Forward. of poetry, Homer in the Odyssey presented, for all time, the great wanderer, the great adventurer, the leader of London: A. C. FIFIELD 44 FLEET STREET, E.C. men. Mr. Kipling has been the first to present the CUT THIS OUT little wanderers, the great man’s followers ; he has made SPECIAL COUPON OFFER. plain how much of the great wanderer’s spirit drives the little wanderer through the world. There have BOOKS ONTHE QUESTION OF THE HOUR.I Parcel N.A. 1. Containing :- Post free, 1s. never been such poems of the wanderer’s spirit as the The Story of My Dictatorship : A Digest of the Land Question. two series of “ Barrack-Roam Ballads “-“ L’Envoi,” The Rise and Progress of Poverty in England: From 1066 to 1900. The Crime of Poverty. By HENRY GEORGE “ The English Flag,” “The Sestina of the Chant Land and People. By HENRY GEORGE. Royal, ” “ The Last Chantey,” “ The Song of the The Great Problem of Our Great Towns. By FREDERICK VERINDER, In these Mr. Kipling Parcel N.A. 2. Containing : - Post free 2s. 6d. Banjo,” and “ For to Admire.” The Land and the Community. By the Rev. S. W. THACKERAY. is most admirable ; his feeling is profound, genuine, Boards, published 3s. net. Land Valuation and Taxation. By EDWIN ADAM. M.A., LL.B. sincere ; its strength and sincerity give it its proper Boards, published IS. net. admirable expression ; sweeping and full-toned, re- Gems from Henry George. Strong paper cover, 6d. net. The Labour Question. BY HENRY GEORGE. sounding lyre, he rises to the very heights of lyric Individualism and Socialism. By GRANT ALLEN. exaltation. To LAND VALUES Publication Department, 376-77, Strand, London. Enclosed please find ...... for which send Parcel ...... to I have included of set purpose “The English Flag ” ...... among Mr. Kipling’s real poems. Time and again I ...... I have heard the cultured rage at it as a rhetorical jingle ; CUT THIS OUT I and I have never agreed with them. There are lines in it which give me the great thrill ; I do not find it NOW READY. rhetorical ; to me its feeling rings quite sincere. It I BOUND IN ART CLOTH. seems to me the test poem. If you can appreciate it, A SECOND REVISED AND ENLARGED EDITION OF you understand Mr. Kipling’s genius, you can really distinguish his poetry from his verse. After all, to REGENERATIVE FOOD appreciate and enjoy really his poetry, you must have AND COOKERY. By W. A. and E. WILLIAMS. been there yourself ; you must have seen the dawn With chapters on-The Quality of Food, and the Right Combination of come up “ like thunder outer China ‘crost the Bay ! ” or Foods ;. the Art of Bread and Cake Making without Yeast, Barm, or Chemi- cal Risings ; the Food Value of Nuts, with formula for the preparation of been all kinds of Nut Cakes, Nut Meats, Soups, etc. ; How to Prepare all kinds of Fruit Dishes, Salads and Drinks, etc. "Where the sea-egg flames on the coral and the long- In its review of the first edition “ The Crank” (now “ The Open Road “ backed breakers croon says :--‘ To conclude, I may say that I have read through nearly every Food Reform Cookery Book published, and I have no hesitation in saying Their endless ocean legends to the lazy, locked lagoon.” that I think it to be the most satisfactory so far.” L. N. FOWLER & CO., LUDGATE CIRCUS, E.C. The last volume, “The Five Nations,” seems to me Or through your bookseller, at 1s. 6d. net. Post free, 1s. 9d. very little more interesting or significant than “Depart- mental Ditties,” though the technique is much better ; and it is not so full of echoes. The old fire has FOR EXAMS. AND smouldered down in the poet and glows but dully. GENERAL CULTURE. Compare the “ Service Poems ” with “ Barrack-Room Educational Booklet Free. Expert Tutors. Low Fees. Special Commercial and Ballads. ” They are very good verse, a trifle better Literary Courses. than, say, Mr. Newbolt’s ; but they fall just that much J. B.RATHBONE, A.C.P., lower than “ Barrack-Room Ballads ” ; and that much Phoenix Correspondence College, is really all the way. Compare the “ Chant-Pagan ” GUILDFORD. NOVEMBER 5, 1908 THE NEW AGE 35

with “For to Admire,” and you get the difference-the AN EXPEDITIOUSMETHOD OF WRITING. little, all-important difference-in once. By EDGAR FOSTER, M.A. Mr. Kipling seems in “The Five Nations ” to have 4th EDITION. ENLARGED. An original System of Abbreviated suffered a change, the change, the disastrous change Longhand Writing for the use of persons unacquainted with Short- in a poet of action hand. Can be learned in a couple of hours. Of great value for : he has lost touch with the wanderer. making Private Memoranda, taking Notes of Lectures, Writing I suspect him of cultivating beeves ; and he has written Sermons and the like. a set of verses about Sussex-silly Sussex. I believe Price 9d. per copy, post free, from J. F. SPRIGGS, 21 Paternoster that the change in his patriotism, or rather the at- Square, London, E.C. Catalogue free. Please name paper. tempted change in his patriotism, may have been a good deal the cause of this poetic change ; he has tried TWO PROBLEMS SOLVED. “ The” Unemployed ” and ‘ Home Defence,” without addition to the to love that extensive commercial undertaking, the Rates and Taxes. British Empire, and strained himself in the effort. You By Dr. A. W. MARTIN (Medical Officer of Health for Gorton). can love your country, if you chance to be built on Price ONE PENNY. Post Free 1½d. Branches supplied on usual terms. Send on your orders. those noble lines ; but you cannot love an Empire. REFORM LITERATURE AND GENERAL BOOK STORES, 3 HYDE RD.. GORTON. That is why Empires always come to grief ; nobody really loves them. I am a steady-going Imperialist, If You Miss It You Lose. for obvious practical reasons ; but I do not really love Order it of your newsagent at Once. the Empire, and I know that I couldn’t if I tried. I am not honestly keen on being a Briton ; I am an English- “THE FREETHINKER." man, and that is good enough for me. See what the Lively, Original, Uncompromising. effort to sing with heart-felt emotion “My Empire, ‘Tis Weekly = TWOPENCE. of Thee ” has done for Mr. Kipling. His eyes no longer PIONEER PRESS, 2, NEWCASTLE STREET, E.C. of a morning open on a world in which, even before I sunset. he is bound to chance on a splendid adventure I --with eyes like stars in it. For him alas, Romance no longer brings up the 9.15. EDGAR JEPSON. New Age Cigarettes Those who smoke cigarettes should on no account fail to provide themselves with a SUPPLY of NEW AGE Cigarettes, made specially for NEW AGE readers. -- - Every Cigarette is guaranteed handmade, from pure tobacco, free REVIEWS. from dust and chemical flavourings, and smokes cool and sweet, with a fine aroma. The Constitutional History of England. By F. They are made entirely by Socialist workers under the best working conditions, (8 hour day), and are from 25 per cent. to 50 per W. Maitland. (12s. 6d. Cambridge University Press.) cent. cheaper than shop or Trust Cigarettes of the same quality. No fancy boxes, expensive advertisements, and high shop rents to pay for. There is one department of knowledge which must be Virginias and Turkish, from 2s. 6d. per 100, post free. made common property if the structure of social law Egyptians, from 2s. per 100, post free. and order is to be placed on a firm basis. Society, in Ladies’ Cigarettes (a speciality), from 2s. 6d. per 100, the sense of a public co-operative association, can only postfree. Send Trial Order to be carried on under a complicated set of rules, which LEWIS LYONS & SONS,79 CEPHAS STREET, LONDON we call the constitutional code. If the citizens do not know the rules of the code, then the whole idea of de- mocratic government becomes a ridiculous farce. For those of us who do not care for autocracy, whether monarchical or capitalistic, the instruction of the citi- zens in the laws of the land becomes a matter of The Essence and Foundation of supreme importance. We do not think that a more Health and Strength. useful book can be found for this purpose than the one now under our notice. It was written by the late Pro- Price 1/6 per ¼1b.Tin. (Postage 3d.) fessor Maitland as a course of lectures delivered at Cam- Every organ of the body is under the immediate control bridge in 1887-8. But it has a more permanent value of the brain and nervous system. A weakened nervous and a far wider scope than its purpose claimed. Mait- system means weak innervation and the consequently land is one of the great names in modern legal litera- irregular function of all organs. ture ; he had the power of giving flavour to dry bones, ESFON Nourishes the Nervous System. Its a virtue which is continually apparent in these pages. effect is immediately perceptible. He has a picturesque way of stating the law : for ex- ESFON is NOT a Patent Medicine, but a ample, “The writ runs in the Queen's name : ‘ Victoria FOOD. D.G. commands the Sheriff to an execution ’ ; but Vic- Write for pamphlet, (‘What it is, what it does.” toria cannot stop the issue of the writ.” Again, “The C. J. BURT, 12 & 13, Henrietta St., London, W.C. King has no power to commute a sentence. __When we hear of sentences being commuted, what really happens is that a conditional pardon is granted : a condemned murderer is pardoned on condition of his going into WHY HANG on to that poor feeble piano so penal servitude. It is a nice question whether he might absurdly called the “ Upright Grand” when you not insist on being hanged.” So many writers can make law understandable ; but there are not so many can get a Real Horizontal Grand ? The who can make it readable. Professor Maitland was a New Morley Baby Grand, only 5 feet long, for master of that art. He tells the reader that it is only 4 Gns. a Quarter on the Three Year System. by an act of grace that the House of Commons allows I will accept your old Cottage in part payment. its debates to be reported ; and the statement sticks in the memory when one finds the dry comment added- MORLEY, 6, Sussex Place, South Kensington “we are not likely nowadays to find either of the Station. writefor Pkoto. Houses desiring to hide its light under a bushel.” He also displays a keen political sense, as when ‘he calls at- tention to the possibilities of local government contained COOMBE HILL SCHOOL, in that clause of the Local Government Act of 1888, WESTERHAM, which allows of the transfer to County Councils of the FOR GIRLS AND BOYS. duties and powers of the central departments of State. An attempt to secure proper scope for the play That is the insight which distinguishes a statesman of instincts and impulses, and to provide a series from the mere lawyer. One-third of the book is de- of purposes by the performance of which ideas voted to a brilliant sketch of the constitutional laws, in may grow into clearness and freedom. the broadest sense which includes the Crown down to the parish constable, as they stand to-day. The rest Principal, MISS CLARK. of the book is history. The whole makes an invaluable 36 THE NEW AGE NOVEMBER 5, 1908

introduction to the law of citizenship. We must, how- lightful humour, as is the manner in which Mr. Murphy ever, suggest that the editing might have been carried punished his would-be treacherous friend. Patsy should a little further. Coroners are not now elected by the be read by all to whom Handy Andy-to which it is a freeholders in the old County Court ; and imprisonment worthy successor-is not only a name. The frontispiece for debt is not entirely abolished. Both these facts is a spirited pen and pencil drawing by Mr. Downey. should have been corrected in footnotes. Interplay. By Beatrice Harraden. (Methuen.) SMALL & SAFE INVESTMENTS Sudden conversions are evidently in the air. Under IN CONTINENTAL SECURITIES, the provocative influence of Margaret Tressider, a modern unmarried woman of forty (slangy, and not a Send for Particulars (1d. Postcard). little flippant), Miss Harraden’s people are transformed as rapidly and effectually as though the Third Floor CUNLIFFE, RUSSELL, & Co., Back himself had been at work. One by one they suc- 10 and 12, Place de la Bourse, Paris, cumb to the New Order of Things, realising the enor- mous significance of the fact that we have arrived at the year 1908. The old lady with no horizon gives up her search for a companion who can be sweated and bullied ; the statuesque representative of society and culture in Kensington brings herself to accept the heroine with a past and to hold aloof while her own daughter achieves emancipation ; the West End physi- cian sees himself as a humbug and a sham, and begins to curtail his practice. The interplay is much too obvious and mechanical to be taken seriously ; but the characters are attractively presented, and two or three of them quite excellently conceived. Miss Harraden’s psychology seems to us highly disputable. If the modern woman of forty, finding it impossible to love the man who loves her, takes the independent woman’s honest course of refusing to marry him, she will not expect her esteem to change into the other feeling because the man is kind to her during a mortal illness. Miss Harraden here has not been able to resist the demands of sentimentality. And why should she make use of the word “artiste ” ? Anthony Cuthbert. By Richard Bagot. (Methuen. 6s.) A very long and not very carefully padded story which will no doubt appeal to that large class of persons who delight in self-sacrifice-vicariously. Mr. Bagot retells his plot half-a-dozen times, and as it is not a COCOA. very ingenious one and is built upon a chain of small 10 Times more nutritious than ordinary Cocoa circumstances, we shall not burthen our readers by any In tins. 9d., 1/4, and 2/6. description. C. B. FRY’S ‘ Diet and Exercise for To save Anthony Cuthbert’s honour his newly- Training,” post free on application to acquired wife and his beloved nephew, Jim, who, just PLASMON, Limited (DEPT. B. J.), before the marriage had been lovers of a night, are Farringdon St., E.C forced to some heroic acts. The nephew forges his uncle’s name so-as to have cause for leaving England forever ; the wife dies in giving birth to Jim’s child, after full confession of the dishonour to which in all innocence they have been committed. It is all horribly SOCIALIST ORGAN unreal, but it is what the English public like to believe is the strictly moral and virtuous course to pursue. is FORWARD, published at Howard Street, Granted the shallow artificiality upon which it all Glasgow. Every week, 48 columns, Id. Lon- rests, Mr. Bagot does his part with becoming skill. The don Agents: Henderson, Charing Cross Road. one genuine character in the book is Anthony’s sister, Jane, who from a dour and sour Northumbrian patri- Series of Special Articles by the Editor on the cian lady, becomes, by the magic of womanly love, Family Histories of the Scots Nobility, causing “ strangely softened.” Mr. Bagot might contrive a great interest just now. Does for Scotland brisker style. There is too much of this meandering : what Howard Evans did for England. Cir- “A woman, quietly but well dressed, and from her car- culates from Shetland to Dumfries. The riage evidently a lady, emerged from the companion, closely followed by another, who, carrying wraps and most up-to-date journal in Scotland. cushions, was no doubt her maid.” Full Reports of the First Socialist Fight for a University Lord Rectorship. Patsy. By H. De Vere Stacpoole. 6s. (T. Fisher Un- win, London.) In Patsy Mr. Stacpoole gives us one of those popular pictures of Irishmen familiarised to us through the music-hall, the type who, as we are told by an Irish- man who was born in Ireland and not in Glasgow, goes in for “flattering our sense of moral superiority by play- address 6 Tablets for 1 s. 4d , carriage paid. ing the fool and degrading himself and his country.” Write to J. W. DUCKWORTH, 142, CHURCH STREET, HUNSLET, The book, though a disappointment to those who ex- pect much from the author of “The Blue Lagoon ” and “Crimson Azaleas,” is well written. The same sports- manlike instinct which induced the people to help Paddy Prepared solely from beet and Vegetable. Murphy’s escape from prison leading them to join with Makes delicious rich gravies or a cup of strong enthusiasm in the hunt after him is described with de- beef Tea for a penny. Ask your grocer. NOVEMBER 5, 1908 THE NEW AGE 37

frail joke, sometimes a boisterous one, and sometimes MUSIC. it didn’t come off at all. But there are more jokes in A Classical Concert. classical music than people dream of. The whole thing is a question of “ reading,” and I blame the academies How is it one always knows them by their faces? The for inculcating in undiscerning youth the fallacy of women are mostly middle-aged and sour-looking, with seriousness. The unsuspecting infant is warned that a an occasional pretty girl who has got there by acci- minim is relatively more serious than a crotchet and a dent; but the men are always deplorable. The whole crotchet than a quaver, and he never knows that an audience is so serious at a chamber concert, and how awfully jolly dirge can be composed in semibreves. it can stand an entire evening of string quartettes and There is no earthly reason why breves and semibreves things always passes my understanding. The staying should be considered the symbols of human sorrow any power is marvellous on these occasions and is worthy of more than an Irish Dance in agitated semiquavers by a Marathon record ; but I doubt its sincerity. I think Sir Charles Villiers Stanford should be considered any- it is done “out of pure swagger ” like the operatic thing but lugubrious. soldier in “Arms and the Man.” Nobody with a pre- The salvation of English musical art will be attained tence of temperament or nerves can really bear it when the student in his first year recognises Handel’s without losing all power of enjoyment or appreciation “ Messiah ” as the funniest thing in the whole literature after the Finale of the first quartette. It is quite of music. “ All we like sheep ” is a most scandalous beyond all human power. It is too utterly fantastic. piece of levity and the “ Halleluah Chorus ” the most Just observe the audience closely. Look at that triumphant piece of clowning ever achieved by an in- white-haired old gentleman winking his eye in time fectious fool. For Handel did at least understand the with the first violin ; look at that ascetic from South supernal wisdom of folly. HERBERT HUGHES. Kensington pulling his whiskers in time with the ‘cello ;. look at that antique spinster with her opaque eye fixed on the electrolier ; look at that pretty girl so obviously CORRESPONDENCE. ill at ease (she adores Reynaldo Hahn) ; look at that For the opinions expressed by correspondents, the Editor does not tired critic chatting with the hall manager. Look round hold himself responsible, once more and see if you can find anybody with the Correspondence intended for Publication should be addressed to appearance of intelligence. I can understand the quite the Editor and written on one side of the paper only, reasonable desire of anybody to listen to one string SPECIAL NOTICE. -Correspondents are requested to be brief quartette or perhaps two ; but three, and all “classic ” ! Many letters weekly are omitted on account of their length. It is impossible. If one had a Max Reger quartette, SOCIETIES PLEASE CONSIDER. or even a César Franck, by way of contrast one could To THE EDITOR of " THE NEW AGE.’ understand it. But Schumann, Mozart, Beethoven, and Probably most of us have felt we were getting more than this particular Schumann (Opus 41) quite unromantic. a penn’orth a week in THE NEW AGE, and are not surprised to hear that it is now time to pay some of the balance. It is criminal ; it is worse-it is stupid. * * * I would point out that, beside those readers who can take up shares in the new company on their own account, there The Klinger String Quartette is an accomplished are many more who would eagerly contribute a few shil- organisation, and that is the worst of it. The ensemble lings each to buy shares through their Socialist branch, is perfect ; one spirit breathes through their perform- suffrage society, or whatever new-age-ward body they may ance ; they are complete masters of their instruments. belong to. But one is forced to regret that their instruments are THE NEW AGE has fully proved itself: if we let it slip One might then have out of our hands we shall have many weary blackberry not complete masters of them. bushes to search before we find such a splendid weapon cause to remember some supreme joy. As it is, one can again. No better investment for Socialist and progressive only remember some supreme boredom. funds was ever offered. SHEFFIELD FABIAN. Miss Fanny Davies loves her Mozart, and at this con- [We shall be happy to make arrangements for such joint cert of the Classical Concert Society her performance holding of shares in THE NEW AGE Company.-Ed. N. A.] in the Mozart quartette was a thing to remember with 9 * * pleasure. She is a classic artist in the best sense of THE NEWCASTLE POLICY. the word, and was herself the sternest rebuke to her To THE EDITOR Of "The NEW AGE.” worshipping audience. She does not forget that to be In his notes for November the editor of the “Socialist classical is to have a sense of humour ; that to be Review ” makes the following statement :-“Everybody now classical is to have joy, to have youth, to have all admits the wisdom of the Labour Party Executive in not kinds of emotions. Her Mozart was like this. Her fighting Newcastle.” This is simply not true; Apart from the storm of protests raised by the rank and file, Mr. Keir Mozart expressed an unbounded love of sunshine and Hardie, the grand old chieftain, has stated in the “Labour laughter and all the bright things of the world. Leader” that he thinks Newcastle should have been fought. I feel sure if that antique spinster had understood, ELLIS LLOYD. she would certainly have disapproved and withdrawn * * * her subscription. MR. GRAYSON’S PROTEST. * * * To THE EDITOR OF (‘THE NEW AGE.” For it is the most popular of all silly superstitions The real question at issue in the Grayson incident ap- among musical executants of the day that to be classic pears to have been overlooked. Putting out of one’s mind is to be serious. Only once in a blue moon does one all personal feeling with respect to Mr. Grayson’s bitter hear a Bach fugue played with a sense of humour. remarks about the Labour Party or Mr. Snowden’s dinner party speech, which policy is most likely to benefit the Nothing, indeed, older than a Beethoven sonata can cause of the unemployed, Mr. Grayson’s policy or the policy possibly be hilarious. Mozart is accepted as charming of the Labour Party ? I unhesitatingly say that the latter and graceful and debonnair and never-except upon a is the better of the two. Obstruction by members of the very obvious text in his operas-really funny. This is business of the House, followed by the ejection of those a mistake. All the best musicians in the world had members, is only justifiable when the Government has abso- their little joke to perpetrate ; sometimes it was a lutely refused to introduce the legislation required of them. 38 THE NEW AGE NOVEMBER 5, 1908

This was the position of affairs when Mr. Plimsoll and MI Frank Smith made their dramatic protests. The Govern- -Books to Possess ment in the one case, and the Moderate majority on the IT IS EXTREMELY DESIRABLE THAT READERS L.C.C. in the other, had given a definite refusal. The SHOULD HAVE ACCURATE KNOWLEDGE OF protests were therefore quite justified, and were successful These cases have been quoted in support of Mr. Grayson’s CONTEMPORARY HISTORY. THE BEST BOOK action, but they really condemn it, The essential difference FOR THIS PURPOSE IS between the two is that, in the case of Mr. Grayson the Government had not declined to take any action with THE DEVELOPMENTOF THE regard to unemployment, but, on the contrary, Mr. Asquith had promised to make a definite statement_ on a certain EUROPEANNATIONS, 1870-1900 date. Mr, Grayson’s protest was therefore a farce. By J. HOLLAND ROSE, Litt.D. E. K. MOODY. Cheaper Edition Just Published. 8vo, 7s. 6d. net. The Spectator : “ His narrative of all the events of the Russo-Turkish [We repeat that the policy of the Labour Members has War is, like all his military chapters, clear and adequate; and scarcely no longer the approval of the Labour Party. The policy less good is his account of the tortuous diplomacy which culminated in of Mr. Grayson has.-Ed. N. A.] the Berlin Conference. % ) A FRANK STATEMENT OF THE PERSONAL LABOUR “PARTIES ” AND LABOUR ‘POLICY.’ RELIGION OF ONE OF OUR FOREMOST To THE EDITOR Of “THE NEW AGE.” WRITERS.-- Several comments have appeared recently on the present relations between the Labour Party in Parliament and the FIRSTAND LAST THINGS: Liberal Government, but so far I have not seen any remark A Confession of Faith and Rule of Life. on a position which may affect the Labour Party very con- By H. G. WELLS, Author of “ New Worlds for Old.” siderably at the next election, and in all probability cost 4s. 6d. net. them some seats and some unpopularity. The Government’s Licensing Bill, which the Labour EVERY READER HAS FELT THE NEED OF Members are supporting so enthusiastically (and so undiplo- SOME RELIABLE GUIDE THROUGH THE MAZE matically, as I think), besides its financial provisions, which OF CURRENT POLITICS. IT WILL BE FOUND IN are excellent in their way, contains also provisions for the establishment of “Local Veto ” (not Local Option, as the “ Manchester Guardian ” very honestly points out). Now, HUMANNATURE IN POLITICS. it has been happily remarked that if there is one measure By GRAHAM WALLAS. Crown 8vo, 6/-. for which the Government has a negative " mandate ” it is The problems discussed in this volume are those meditated by all who read the newspapers in moments of lucidity and emancipation from party Local Veto ; it is undeniably unpopular in the country, as blindness. It is an introduction to the serious study of political activities the Liberals found in 1895, and as they will speedily find whether local, national, or international, of the present day. again. What will happen to the Liberals at the next elec- tion is, I admit, a matter of small moment; but I contend RELIGIONS : Ancient and Modern, that the Labour Members, for their support of the Bill, PHILOSOPHIES: Ancient and Modern will bear their full share, and probably more, of the un- are series of invaluable introductions to the great popularity of Local Veto. spiritual and intellectual systems of the world. Crown Surely this is an enormous tactical error, and with things 8vo. 1S. net each. SEND FOR LIST. political as they are, is there any sane reason why the Autumn List on Application. Labour Members should entangle themselves in the certain debacle of the Liberals at the next election ? Labour ARCHIBALD CONSTABLE & CO. LTD. Members are in Parliament for one reason only: to im- prove the position of the working classes; they have a magnificent opportunity at present, for there is only one important political subject to the average man just now, and “ KNOWLEDGE IS POWER.” that is unemployment ; every newspaper in the country is ventilating it, and surely the Labour Members have suffi- Socialists and all those wishing to keep themselves informed on the views of the Social Democratic Party on current events, and all desirous cient political sense to know, with the example of the of becoming acquainted with the aims and objects of Socialism, should Irish Party before them, that they must debate Unemploy- subscribe to the premier Socialist Journal of this country, ment in season and out of season, break the rules of the House, and generally make themselves a continual nuisance " to the party in power until the subject is adequately dealt JUSTICE.” with. But there must be no more resolutions of thanks to Mr. Published Weekly. 1 d. To be had of all Newsagents, Asquith for paltry proposals; no more support of unpopu- THE MONTHLY SOCIALIST REVIEW. lar Local Veto, and no more trivial abuse of the only man For theoretic and classic articles and discussions on Socialism in all among them who saw clearly the futility of the present Its relations, Read position. The whole policy outlined above seems so obvious that “ THE SOCIALDEMOCRAT.” members of the Labour Party should demand to know why THREEPENCE MONTHLY. their Parliamentary Representatives have not pursued it. The above periodicals, or any other literature dealing with Socialism Those representatives themselves should remember that or the Socialist movement, can be obtained at the no amount of respect and good feeling inspired by their TWENTIETH CENTURY PRESS, LIMITED present conduct in Parliamentarians of the two other (Trade Union and 48 hours), parties will help them to win, or even to save, a single seat 37a & 38, Clerkenwell Green, London, E.C. at the next election. A CANDID FRIEND. Catalogues Post Free on application. ‘* 0 * “ KNOWLEDGE IS POWER.” THE CAT AND THE CROCODILE. To THE EDITOR OF " THE NEW AGE ” A crocodile loved a cat, and on the sunny bank of a river they basked together in contentment. Before many days were past the crocodile grew tired of the sunny bank, in LIFE ASSURANCE are embodied in the plans of the and sought the water. In the river he gambolled and swam BRITISH HOMES ASSURANCE CORPORATION, LTD., 6, Paul with his companions. When he grew tired of the water he Street, Finsbury, London, E.C. Particulars post free, returned to his friend the cat. “All day I have been very good Prospects for Active Agents. lonely,” said she ; “why did you leave me ? ” (‘My dear M. GREGORY, Managing Director. child.” answered he. "don’t you know that water is neces-

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sary to the life of a crocodile? Besides, how far more in- then have occasion, when, making his will, to stipulate teresting it is for you that I should widen the sphere of our "that the future heirs should, during some substantial experience.” So every day he continued to swim in the period of their life, follow some definite business or profes- water with his friends. Yet life did not become more in- sion, such profession or business not being the army, as I teresting for the cat. One morning she recollected that to object to any expectant heir developing into what I call a her the climbing of trees was natural, and as soon as Mr. loafer.‘, Crocodile had gone down to the river for his early swim, Hard words, but just under the present system and off she starts for the neighbouring forest, and there she management of our army. Ex-OFFICER. climbs and jumps and plays until nightfall, and that day * * * life seemed a good thing to her. But when Mr. Crocodile A QUERY. ‘heard of it he was angry, and said that no self-respecting cat was ever to be seen climbing trees, and that if she were Dear Sir,-Could any of your readers kindly tell me in so singularly wanting in the resources of well-conducted what: lane near Highgate, Coleridge and Leigh Hunt met river-bank cats, she had better accompany him on his swim- Keats in August, 1832, when Coleridge said, on pressing it, ming expeditions. “Water is terrible to me,” she shivers ; there was death in Keats’ hand. The fact is mentioned in "I am afraid.” “Nonsense,” says he ; “if you loved me “The Table Talk ,, F. B. DOVETON. you would learn to accustom yourself to my tastes.,, Next morning the cat and crocodile go down together into the water-and that is the end of the fable, and of the cat. T. * \ a THE SUPPLY OF ARMY OFFICERS. To THE EDITOR OF “ THE NEW AGE.‘, It seems to me, an Englishman resident in a foreign country and viewing British problems from a distance, that A Breakfast Cup for a 1d. one of the crying needs of the day is the provision of suffi- cient well-trained officers for the Army. MISCELLANEOUS ADVERTISEMENTS. True soldiers are born. They desire to fight, and have a love for adventure-a love not merely to see a fight, but Advertisements are inserted in this column at the following cheap Prepaid Rates to participate in one. This is my experience in active ser- One 6 Inset-t. Insert. Insert. vice, and a result formed by observation while travelling 16 words l/- 5- 10/6 in out of the way corners of the earth where death walks with one, and people who love life too well to risk it are not to be found. Now many young Britishers are found here in Western America-many, indeed, well-read, edu- Cash must accompany order, and advertisements must be received not later than first post Monday morning for same week’s issue. cated, high-spirited men-younger sons of our aristocracy Trade Advertisements are not inserted at these rates. and good families, with the makings of the ideal soldier; Remittances and orders should be sent to the Manager, THE new AGE, and yet we find them away from Great Britain where 140, Fleet Street, London. soldiers are at a premium. Why? These are the men we ABOLISH SWEATING, Adulteration, and Unemployment by want for our officers, men courageous to a fault, and of a organising your spending power to establish the Co-operative Common- wealth.-Write for all particulars to the SECRETARY, Co-operative Brotherhood class of whom I have never known a y one back down Trust, Ltd., 37, Newington Green Road, N. under the most trying circumstances. This being so, it is BOOKS-SECOND-HAND BOOKS in all classes of literature. not for the want of physical courage that they are not at B Catalogue post free. -HALL. Bookseller, Tunbridge Wells. home to swell the ranks of a decimated army, but for other CHEAPEST BULBS IN THE WORLD.-500 BULBS FOR reasons. 3/6 CARRIAGE PAID. Snowdrops, Crocus, Hyacinths, Narcissus, Tulips, The one I have chiefly noted is this : The army officer BEES, 181 P, Mill Street, Liverpool. is insufficiently paid, and unable to keep up his position CHEAPEST ROSES IN THE WORLD. Complete Cata- with fellow-officers who, more fortunate than he, have an logue post free,. including Ornamental Trees, Shrubs, Alpines, Peren- income to help them out with the numerous expenses. nials. Bees. 181 P, Mill Street, Liverpool. This can, and should be, remedied by placing both on an CHELTENHAM. -Board-residence, comfortable, bright, central equal footing, either by raising the pay of one to meet C to schools, Promenade, Spa, and Railways. -3, Royal Well Terrace. the other, or by placing in escrow the private funds of the CLIFFORD’S INN. Lightly furnished flat to sublet. Guinea other while in the service. I should advocate, in any in- C a week.- Box 99, *‘ NEW AGE.” stance, the placing of private funds belonging to officers FRENCH RIVIERA.- Boarders received for winter, sunny either in escrow or in a regimental community fund while comfortable house. Terms moderate .-Les Charmettes-Ermigate Antibes. in the service, as it is this inequality more than anything (Alp-Mar ). else that is the cause of so much evil in the Army. In the GROVE, 56, Cavendish Road, Leicester. MSS. typecopied neatly, accurately, and expeditiously, from 7d. thousand. Technical work first place it is impossible for the true soldier to keep a a speciality. Duplicated copies, 1S. per hundred. position where he is unable to keep up his financial end HOUSING QUESTION SOLVED. -Why not enter your own with his brother officers, except. of course, where a man house, in any district, at once ? NO DEPOSIT REQUIRED. House of very exceptional character and attainments is concerned. just bought at GARDEN CITY, Hampstead, through us. -Write for particulars, In the majority of cases, however one finds that the man box 88. “ NEW AGE,” 1 & 2. Took’s Court, E.C. of some pride and spirit, when asked to share the hospi- SURREY HILLS AND TOWN.-Board Residence (or rooms), tality of his brother officer, likes to repay it, though the quiet road, shady garden. Trams for country.-FRASER, 8, Lennard Road giver does in no way look for, or expect, any return. The Croydon. only alternative is to refuse. To be thus one of a crowd, TYPEWRITING. --8d. per 1,000 words. Remington. Neat yet not actually one of it, is unbearable. The life is hope- T----- accurate copies.-JOHN H. RUDIN, 8, Ludgate Hill, London, E C. less with such bitterness. TYPEWRITING.- -Miss LOUBET. 5. Holstein Parade. Wey bridge, Surrey. Authors’ manuscripts, 8d. 1,000 words, including paper, I believe that in many instances officers play for high Remington. Small or large commissions executed expeditiously and carefully stakes, are ruined, throw up their commissions, and leave "UNITARIANISM AN AFFIRMATIVE FAITH.” The the old country, through their trying to place themselves Unitarian Argument” Biss), ‘ Eternal Punishment ” (Stopford Brooke) in a position equal to their more fortunate brother officers. ‘ Atonement ’ (Page Hopps), given post free.- Miss BARMBY, Mount Pleasant, Much more can be said on this subject, as to the effect Sidmouth. it would have, morally, mentally, and physically, on the WANTED, “ MOTHER’S HELP ,’ in Socialist and Vege- tarian (Wallaceite) family, two little children. Whiteways, Carshalton, officers, did they have to live and act only on a respectable Surrey. income from the Government during their career. Their ZION’S WORKS ’ usefulness would increase a hundredfold, and would release Z contain explanations of the Bible, which free mankind from the charge of their energies along every plane. No far-seeing statesman, Sin. Read Vol. V., p. 87, and the " Discourses,” Vol. XII. financier, and Empire-builder, such as Mr. Rhodes, would IN THE PRINCIPAL FREE LIBRARIES.

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issued by the NEW AGE PRESS, BOOKS TO READ 140, Fleet Street London The Common -Sense of the Woman Question. Sexual Ethics By MILLICENT MURBY. By Professor AUGUST FOREL, M.D., Ph.D., LL,D. CROWN8vo, Paper 6d. net. Quarter cloth gilt, 1S. net. With introduction by Dr. C. W. SALEEBY, F.R.S. T. P.‘s Weekly in a Review nearly a page in length, says : (EDIN.) “This book ought certainly to make Mr. Belfort Bax re- adjust his views as to women’s lack of power to form ’ an Demy 8vo, Stiff Wrapper, 1s, net; by post, 1S. 2d. objective and disinterested judgment; for a clearer, more Cloth gilt, 2s. net; by post, 2s. 2d. moderate and more precise presentation of the woman’s point of view than this of Miss Murby it would be difficult to find. Professor Forel’s name must by this time be To those even who differ from her conclusions will come many well known to the English reading public. Several plain statements of fact which will bear thinking over.” of his scientific works have already appeared in this country, but many who recognise him as a distinguished student of insect life may still be TOLSTOY: unaware that many years ago he turned his atten- HIS LIFE, WORKS AND DOCTRINE. tion from ants to men, and is now one of the most By Dr. A. S. RAPPOPORT. human and vividly interesting of living Socio- Including TOLSTOY’S RECENT CHALLENGE TO THE logists. RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT, AND BIBLIOGRAPHY, * Readers who do not care to face the voluminous biographies, but who The present work consists of an analysis of wish an outline of the great thinker’s life and work will find all they need in this succinct and careful study.“-The Dundee Advertiser. sexual morals as they exist to-day, together with Paper 6d. net. By post 7d. (with portrait.) a variety of constructive proposals for the future. It is a book which must be read by every social reformer who realises that the first step on the THE SUNLIT WAY road to progress is the reconstruction of human AND OTHER POEMS. morals. By GUY KENDALL. F’cap 12mo. Quarter bound. Gilt top, 1s. 6d. net. Of all Booksellers, or from the. Publishers, By post 1s. 8d. THE NEW AGE PRESS, " Mr. Kendall is a master of a variety of measures. , . There is a quiet 140,. FLEET STREET, LONDON. thoughtfulness about all his work which arrests the attention of the reader and inspires meditation.“ -The Dundee Advertiser.

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