Ethical Record Vol

The ISSN 001 4-1 690 Ethical Record Vol. 92 No. 3 MARCH 1987

EDITORIAL terms of these problems and the World Problems and details of needed changes. And Human Potentials should we, in fact, try to secure a sufficiently wide range and number THE YEAR ADVANCES APACE and the of people to grasp the main facts activities, sufferings, hopes and and to work out what to do, so illusions of the planet's nearly that they can help implement 5,000 million people' press against possible solutions? and around us; very often unpre- The lecture programme for this dictable; sometimes not known month once more reflects the about (though some of them variety of these problems, cover- appear dramatically with our ing as it does: the ethical perspec- breakfast or supper—lucky us to tives of the future, together with have both—strained through the welfare, racism, nuclear power and electronic and other media) or to (what ERIC MCGRAW chooses as understand—how can you, for the title for his talk) The Multi- example, accommodate in your plying Millions among particular mind the interminable deaths of subjects.3 40,000 children each day.2 No doubt, as usually happens, Our puny efforts to learn of, each lecture will open up "a whole understand and take actions about can of beans" (more likely a even a limited area of the burgeon- hornet's nest) of associated and ing problems often seem hopeless. interdependent issues. Some of But we have a function at South those attending the lectures will Place—to grasp these problems pose simplistic and "theological" and relate them to the ethical, (their own or someone else's) solu- humanist, rationalist and secular tions: not that it is easy to respond concepts developed over the years; and to restate the principles in Continued on page 18

CONTENTS Page Coming to Conway Hall: Vidya S. Anand, Norman Bacrac, T. C. Barker, Jack Bridle, Eda Collins, Nicholas Hyman, . Eric McGraw and Richard Scorer 2 Abdication 1936: T. F. Evans .. 3 Viewpoints: Colin Mills, George Watford, Jim Addison Comments on Systematic Ideology: Colin Mills . Sam Beer's Notes• Books Added to the Library: Edwina Palmer .

The views expressed in this journal are not necessarily those of the Society.

PUBLISHED BY THE SOUTH PLACE ETHICAL SOCIETY CONWAY HALL, RED LION SQUARE, LONDON WC1R 4RL SOUTH PLACE ETHICAL SOCIETY

Appointed Lecturers: H. J. Blackham, Fenner Brockway, Richard Clements, OBE, T. F. Evans, Peter Heales, Richard Scorer, Barbara Smoker, Harry Stopes-Roe, Nicolas Walter Hall Manager: Geoffrey Austin (tel. 01-242 8032) Secretary: Anne Sieve* (Wed-Fri, tel. 01-242 8033) Honorary Representative: Sam Beer Chairman General Committee: Barbara Smoker Deputy Chairman: Norman Bacrac Honorary Registrar: Bill Horsley Honorary Treasurer: Victor Rose Temporary Honorary Librarian: Edwina Palmer Editor, The Ethical Record: Peter Hunot Trustees: Harold Blackham, Christine Bondi, Louise Booker, John Brown, Anthony Chapman, Peter Heales, Peter Hunot, George Hutchinson, Ray Lovecy, Ian MacKillop, Victor Rose. Barbara Smoker, Harry Stopes-Roe (*Resigned January 31, 1987)

COMING TO CONWAY HALL Sunday Morning LECTURES at 11.00 am in the Library March I. RICHARD SCORER.Why Welfare? March 8. NICHOLAS HYMAN.Futures—Ethical perspectives. March 15. VIDYA S. ANAND.Racism—fact and fiction. March 22. ERIC MCGRAW. Multiplying Millions. March 29. Speaker and Subject to be announced.

Sunday Forums at 3.00 pm in the Library March I. No meeting. March 8. NORMAN BACRAC.The Sizewell Report. March 29. T. C. BARKER. 300 years of Red Lion Square.

Sunday Social at 3.00 pm In the Library March 15. Postponed from January JACK BRIDLE and EDA COLLINS will give a Talk and show slides on Travels in the Auvergne. Tea interval at 4.30 pm. Country Dancing (jointly with the Progressive League) Saturday, March 21. 3.00 to 6.00 pm in the Library. Beginners welcome, for whom the tutor, EDA COLLINS gives expert tuition during the first half hour.

Humanist Holidays Association AGM, Conway Hall, Sunday April 5 1987, 2.30 pm.

Sunday CONCERTS in the Main Hall at 6.30 pm March 1. LONDON FESTIVAL PLAYERS.Bach, Art of Fugue. March 8. MUSICIANS OF THE ROYAL EXCHANGE. ANTHONY GOLDSTONE. Mozart, Dc Falla, Dvorak. March 15. ALBERNI STRING QUARTET. Haydn, Britten, Grieg, March 22. EDINBURGH QUARTET. Beethoven, Villa Lobos, Mozart. March 29. FAIRFIELD STRING QUARTET. DAVID CAMPBELL. Beethoven, Webern, Mozart. 2 Ethical Record, March 1987 Abdication 1936

T. F. EVANS

Summary of the Lecture given at Conway Hall, Sunday, December 7, 1986

... and with a little pin Bores through his castle wall, and farewell king! SHAKESPEARE, KING RICHARD 11 . . . the series of measures which in their rapid succession changed the whole character of the English Church. The acknowledgement of Henry's title as its Protector and Head was soon found by the clergy to have been more than a form of words. It was the first step in a policy by which the Church was to be prostrated at the foot of the throne. J. R. GREEN,A Short History of the English People

FIFTY YEARS IS NOT A VERY LONG TIME. Yet, the course of history has been so changed by what has happened since 1936 that it is almost impossible to recall clearly an event in that year which, at the time, was thought to present an overwhelming threat to the stability of the British crown. The monarchy, in strictness of the house of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha had, for obvious reasons, changed its name to Windsor during the war of 1914-1918. It is claimed that the house of Windsor could trace its descent from Ecgbert, who became King of Wessex in 827 All. On the death of George V in January 1936, he was succeeded by Edward, Prince of Wales with the title Edward VIII. The history of his brief reign can be quickly summarised. At some date in the autumn, he informed the Prime Minister, Stanley Baldwin that he intended to marry an American lady, Mrs Wallis Simpson, who was in the process of divorcing Mr Simpson and who would be in a position to marry the King shortly before his coronation, which was to take place in the following summer. The Prime Minister saw difficulties. The King said that if he could not do as he wished he would be prepared to abandon the throne. Accordingly, he abdicated on December 11 and was succeeded by his brother, the Duke of York who became King George VI. The former monarch was granted the title of Duke of Windsor, he subsequently married Mrs Simpson, who became Duchess of Windsor but without the coveted appellation of "Her Royal Highness". Edward died in 1972. His wife, Wallis died in April of this year (1986). George VI had died in 1952 and was succeeded by his daughter Elizabeth. The long reign of Elizabeth II seems to be in no danger. Royalty has been abandoned thoughout the greater part of the world but it remains secure in Britain. Republicans may be slightly more plentiful than flat-earthers but they remain a minority. The most powerful reaction to the idea of monarchy could well be indifference but it is certainly not determined opposition. The subject of Edward's association with Wallis and the abdication has given rise to a vast amount of print and sometimes confusion follows from an attempt to see the whole story in some perspective. It may be best to look at the story under three headings. The first is the personal. The extent to which the characters of parents affect the characters of their children is a subject on which speculation can be endless. With Edward VIII, the dispositions of his parents were crucial. First, it is not on record that he was never swamped by an excess of affection. His father, a man of few intellectual gifts, a manner for which the word "bluff" is often used to conceal less complimentary epithets, never

Ethical Record, March 1987 3 seems to have been able to show affection to his son. The mother, Queen Mary, seems also to have been devoid of most maternal qualities. Edward (incidentally, while it is convenient so to call him, he was always known at "David" to his family and friends) grew up with neither great interests in life or any strong sense of purpose. As Prince of Wales, he accepted the various duties that fell to him and, within limits, discharged them satisfactorily, almost in spite of himself gaining a popularity for youth and charm. There is no evidence that he really liked being in the public eye nor that he looked forward to the heavier duties that would claim him when his father died. He showed no inclination to marry and "settle down". There were associations with women, two at least of undoubted intimacy but it was not until he met Wallis Simpson that marriage entered his head. Even then, he had known her for some time before he thought of marrying. Once he did so. it became the only really firm purpose of his life. There is a theory, strongly held in some quarters, that what the Prince, later the King, really wanted was not no much a wife but a mother-substitute to fill the gap that he thought had been left by the coldness towards him of Queen Mary. It will be necessary to refer to this again.

The Political and Legal Basis The second important heading is the political and legal. It may be a good thing for anyone to be allowed to marry the wife of his choice but with a king, the situation is different. The king had to have the consent of his ministers. It seems that, in strictness, the only wife that was not available to him would have been a Roman Catholic but the Prime Minister had to point out to Edward that the fact that Wallis had been married twice already and divorced twice was an insuperable objection to the match. Edward did not understand why. Not understanding his position was the great feature of Edward's conduct during the entire tragi-comedy. Possible other courses were discussed. For a time, the idea of a morgantic marriage was thought to be a way out. Edward did not like the idea, that is, of Wallis becoming his wife without being Queen, but it might have worked. There were various arguments on the more political side. It was thought that, whereas one large section of the British public might object to Wallis because she had been divorced, another large section might be reluctant to accept her because she was an American. In fact, so careful were the authorities (then, as now, not marked by great eagerness to let anyone know anything that can be kept hidden) to keep the news of the King's predicament from the public mind that only a very small number of people were able to make up their minds. There was some loose talk, however, of a King's Party being formed, if Baldwin and his government put obstacles in the way of the marriage. There was a minor, but very amusing detail which may be included under the heading of "political" even if it was more strictly legal. When Mrs Simpson decided to bring an action for divorce against Mr Simpson, she wished to do this with as little publicity as possble. Accordingly, she took up residence, if not fictitiously, at least in a very contrived way, in the Suffolk resort of Felixstowe, in order for her case to be heard at Ipswich, far from the glare of London. On the surface, the action was quite normal, insofar as that word can apply to an action based on an unnamed woman as the co-respondent and the ritually convenient hotel evidence. The question entered some minds however, whether the King's Proctor might find himself concerned, should any suspicious minds suspect that the divorce was not as simple as it seemed on the surface. Thus, to put as delicately as possible the thoughts that flitted through the odd mind—if it could be shown that, in addition to the admitted adultery of Mr Simpson, there had been adultery on the part of his, apparently wronged,

4 Ethical Record, March 1987 wife, and that adultery had been concealed from the court, the King's Proctor might find himself able to step in before the decree nisi was pro- nounced absolute. This would upset matters, and to no small extent. Of course, it might be argued that the King's Proctor would be unable to take action if the King himself were involved and it might be suspected that the adultery of which Mrs Simpson could have been thought guilty was with no less a person than the King himself. Fortunately, if the question arose, it was dropped quickly. From the safe vantage-point of 50 years on, it is one of the most fascinating features of the whole affair. The Duke of Windsor always strenuously resented the use of such terms as "mistress" and "lovers' to refer to his pre-marital contacts with Wallis. Some who felt themselves able to speak, have asserted that the association was not a sexual one and contended that Edward's previous close women friends were more of the nature of mother-substitutes than of mistresses. Wallis, it is suggested, could be so regarded. Certainly, she appears to have dominated him, both before and after marriage but such an attitude is not incompatible with full conjugal relations. The historian A. J. P. TAYLOR refers to Edward spending his days during the crisis at his favourite home, Fort Belvedere in Windsor Great Park. and adds that "late each night, he motored to London and joined Mrs Simpson." Nobody should ever be surprised at anything, least of all in the field of sexual relations but it does strain belief to think that, in such circumstances, the visits were simply for the purpose of sitting on the settee, holding hands, and looking at pictures in the fire.

The Religious Heading—King Also Church Head The third heading is the religious. Edward was not only King. He was also Head of the Church of England. The coronation service was one of the most sacred rites of the Church. The Church of England was firmly opposed to the remarriage of divorced persons. Whether Edward had married Wallis before the coronation, or intended to do so afterwards, and the one thing that is clear is that he did intend to do so, he could not, in all conscience do it without realising that he was being untrue to the oath that he would have to swear. To Edward's great credit, he always saw and did not underestimate this particular difficulty. In this aspect of the matter, the Church of England has had a bad press. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Cosmos GORDON LAING did not display an excess of Christian charity or even, it may be, human understanding, either before the abdication or in his remarks sum- ming up the affair after Edward had left. It is necessary, however, to understand the Church of England and its position. If it held strongly to a certain code of conduct, it could not set that aside merely because one man, even, paradoxically the Head of the Church, would have found things made easier for himself thereby. In some ways, to students of church and state, this feature is the most piquant of the entire confused mix-up. The Church of England had come into being to satisfy the wishes of a King, and in connection with a divorce that had been refused by the Pope. Irony could not be more exquisite. The crisis lasted no more than 11 days. On December 1, the matter was brought to the public eye for the first time as the accidental result of some remarks, not intended to refer to the Edward-Wallis relationship, made by an obscure bishop. The damage was done and events moved so quickly that Edward abdicated on December II. Of course, while the greater part of the population had been in ignorance and were certainly astonished to learn of a constitutional crisis, there had been gossip in some quarters. As the press was effectively muzzled for so long, it is in the diaries of the Ethical Record, March 1987 5 gossip-writers that the most illuminating and interesting comments can still be read. HAROLD NICOLSON, former diplomat, Member of Parliament, manor man of letters, something of a snob but shrewd, noted in his diary a week before the death of George V in January 1936, that he had "an uneasy feeling that Mrs Simpson, in spite of her good intentions, is getting him out of touch with the type of person with whom he ought to associate". Another Member of Parliament, the lightweight HENRY, "Cm's" CHANNON, also chronicled the progress of the association. He liked and admired Mrs Simpson and thought her an excellent influence on the King. In his diary on May 10 1936, he wrote: "She encourages the King to meet people of importance and to be polite; above all she makes him happy. The Empire ought to be grateful". An American journalist, MARGARET HARRIMAN, and, it is unfortunately not known when this impression was recorded, wrote that: "The masses were sentimentally all in favor of the match at first, and crowds gathered in every street with cries of 'Let 'im 'ave the gel 'e wants, Gord love 'im!' ". The American press was not subject to the restrictions that operated on this side of the Atlantic and, where hard facts were difficult to come by, the deficiency was readily made up by imagination.

What Did this Bizarre Episode Prove? The question remains: what did the bizarre episode really prove? As already suggested, the •throne was proof against the shock. Yet something was undoubtedly lost. No longer could the old loyalties of Church and state be accepted so blindly and without question as before. What had the sacred rituals and beliefs of the Church to do with the monarchy if they could be so lightly set aside by one bred to observe them for the whole of his life? What importance could ever be seriously placed on these outworn ideas in the future? The answer to all these questions is of course negative. It could be claimed that under the reigns of George VI and Elizabeth II, the British monarchy is still a valuable, if illogical, instrument of constitutional government that works just as well as, or possibly better than could any other system which might involve, for example the democratic election as head of state of, say, a retired party politician or a superannuated military man. Could one accept with equanimity, for example, the idea of Field-Marshal Montgomery as President or Lord Home of the Hirsel? Such speculation tends to take a serious subject into the realm of the flippant. In truth there is much to laugh at in the entire episode although this does not exclude genuine sympathy for those caught up in the com- plicated story. Edward himself may deserve pity for his foolishness and Wallis may be thought to have been unfortunate in becoming enmeshed in the sorry Windsor story. Yet, she entered it with her eyes open and not all students can think of her as an entirely innocent victim. Perhaps the best conclusion for the time being may be that while Edward might not have made a successful king in a longer reign, it could be argued that Wallis might have been a queen who could carry out the duties of the position very satisfactorily. If we could have had Queen Wallis, with Edward as Prince Consort, perhaps it might have worked.

BERNARD SHAW wrote a merry squib called The King, the Constitution and the Lady, in which the King draws attention to the difficulties caused by the great number of different religions in the British Empire.

6 Ethical Record, March 1987 Viewpoints •

From ColM Mills

On Truth and Orthodoxy

PETER HEATES1 makes some interesting links. We need to trust our.sources both' as individuals and as group members. Both the bonding mechanism Peter Heales mentions, and the deception I describe in my reviews of Sissela Bok's books are frequently used to manipulate the majority. George Walford takes a much too sanguine view of their ability to resist manipula- tion. Minorities usually act with the compliance of the majority, but often if not always by controlling knowledge. Besides, it has time after time been the minority who have been able to persuade the majority. Sometimes the minority has been proved right; at others, they have been horribly wrong. George Walford's attitude appears to be that the majority believe what they believe—presumably for good reason—and there's an end of it; if so, he is wrong. • GEORGE WATFORD writes2 about what he describes as scepticism, "the approach—orthodox in conservatism—which emphasises the need for caution when moving forward from the tried and tested into the unknown" (a definition not found in the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary), claiming the scepticism is linked with conservatism. As FRANK RIDLEY wrote in 19483, "When a thing is old and profitable, one can always find reasons for justifying it, and not always in conscious bad faith!" In fact, scepticism has a much broader range of senses, and is not exclusively linked with any ideology; its sense varies according to the context in which it is applied. In the sense used in progressive circles, it emphasises, to adapt George Walford's words, the need for caution in continuing with what has been tried and found wanting. When an ideology has become an orthodoxy, its adherents are powerful and thus able to control knowledge. They are then able, as Peter Heales describes, to manipulate others even oppress those sceptical of the orthodoxy whose commitment poses a big enough threat. THOMAS KUHN describes' how scientists generally work 'with normal science, in which they frame their questions within a given theory ("para- digm"), with both questions and answers gaining in precision'. But normal science becomes more and more creaky, with some scientists—a few at first, then more and more—proposing alternative theories. Eventually, a crisis is leached; a revolutionary theory is proposed which is eventually accepted as working better than the old one. This may even occur at the cost of solutions accepted by the old theory being rejected by the new, even though the new one does not have any pat solutions ready. But an interesting aspect of the crisis is that the language used in science is theory-laden; two schools of thought can be bogged down in mutual incomprehension, until some spade-work in done to clarify the terms used. The analogies between political ideologies and scientific paradigms are obvious. The various theories of truth mentioned in Heales' article correspond to philosophies of science. The inductive method widely attributed to BAcave was fashionable as a methodolgy of science in DARWIN'S time, even though it does not seem to have corresponded to Darwin's actual research method. Later methodogodies of science are deductive in nature. Popper's is one positivist methodology of science', though some scientists appear to think there is no other. Kuhn rejected logical positivism, though Suppes claimed that the later unpopularity of Kuhn's ideas arose from his dilution of that rejection. The coherence model seems to me the more useful; like a computer, science needs a "bootstrap loader". From the wide acceptance of

Ethical Record, March 1987 7 Bacon's methodology, and later POPPER'S, among many scientists, it seems they acted as paradigms, which ironically tends to support Kuhn's ideas rather than Popper's. Kuhn's methodology is attractive to me in that it pro- vides roles both for orthodoxy and heterodoxy in science. Comm Muds (11/11/86)

I Lying, Deception . . and Orthodoxy (Ethical Record, November/December issue). 2 Ideological Commentary No. 24. IC is "an Independent Journal of Systematic Ideology" and is obtainable from George Walford, 186 Upper Street, London NI 1RH. 3 F. A. Ridley, Socialism and Religion (2nd edition), 1986. 4 T. S. Kuhn, The Struc ture of Scientific Revolutions (2nd edition), 1970, Chicago University Press. See also F. Suppe (cd), The Structure of Scientific Theories (2nd edition), 1977, Illinois University Press. 5 Paraphrased from C. H. Waddington, Tools for Thought, 1977, Paladin. 6 Wrongly, according to R. Harré, The Philosophies of Science, 1972, Oxford University Press. See (among other books) K. Popper, The Logic of Scientific Discovery, 1972, Hutchinson.

Follow- up on Lying and Deception MillsAdds More Quotes (see ER, October 1986, pages 3-10; November/December 1986, page 10; January 1987, pages 15-19) MICHAEL GRAY wrote recently, from Liverpool of the mixture of incompetence and obstruction he encountered in seeking a blood test for AIDS on returning from West Africa. "Aren't there some things it's best not to know?" said G.P. he consulted. DAVID ROSTROM wrote' also from Liverpool that the incompetence and unsympathy encountered by Gray did not square with his experience, but agreeing that he was counselled against being tested for AIDS, and given 48 hours to think about it. This unwilling- ness to pursue vigorously testing for AIDS may have less to do with concern for the testee's feelings and interests than the very natural concern of health workers for their own health and their already heavy workload. The British Medical Journal recently published a report that 40,000 people are AIDS carriers without knowing it. "No bloody wonder", retorted Gray. Dr. KURT WALDHEIM has now admitted,3 contrary to his denial earlier this year, that he served in 1942 in West Bosnia during the Germans' bloody campaign against Yugoslav partisans. Following up my comments on the outdated secrecy of British land law, there was an excellent item in Timewatch4 on the impossibility of obtaining Domesday-style information on British land ownership today. Womens' imprisonment is another field which is surrounded by a veil of official secrecy and public myth5. Prisons lie outside the control of local councils: statutory agencies have no right to inspect prisons, and prison workers are covered by the Official Secrets Act. Women are thought to be well served by the criminal justice system, and women prisoners are said to be inadequate or disturbed. The report° commissioned by the GLC Women's Committee, with its useful information is therefore very welcome. RICHARD NORTON TAYLOR reports' on how harmful government snoop- ing may be. GCHQ and the American National Security Agency have a huge network of computers and satellites, to which—for example—the GCHQ station in Earls Court is linked8. "But [this network] automatically harvests all communications: the machines cannot distinguish between a potential terrorist or spy, and an innocent system, even if their operators 8 Ethical Record, March 1987 wanted them to. The only safeguards are self-imposed ones. . . The other dangerous development [is] a temptation to manipulate intelligence information for domestic political reasons.... RALPH CORNES reports 9 on why Information Management doesn't work and why the Data Protection Act is wasted. They are both based on the wrong assumption that data and information are the same thing. Nobody defines information because everybody assumes (wrongly) that they know what it is, and that they are managing information by managing the mes- sages and the files. The basic premiss of Information Management is that information gathered for one purpose can be used for lots of other purposes. This has obvious advantages, but the drawbacks are equally obvious. The Data Protection Act allows inspection of electronically processed data, but not of the means by which it arrives in computer files, or of manually processed data. COLIN D.J. Mlus, Amersharn on the Hill, Bucks (11/11/86)

I A plague on the health service, the Guardian, November 8, 1986. 2 Letter to the Guardian, November 11, 1986. 3 Abstracted from report in the Guardian, October 31, 1986. 4 Timewateh, BI3C2, 7.40-8.30 p.m., November 11, 1986. 5 Review in Policing London No. 24, November/December, 1986, produced by the Police Monitoring and Research Group of the London Strategic Policy Unit, Room 801, Middlesex House, 20 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London SW1V 2SB. Womens' 5 Women's Imprisonment—Breaking the Silence, available from Equality Group, Room 401, London Strategic Policy Unit (address given in previous reference). 1 GCHQ guilty secrets, the Guardian, November 13, 1986. 8 See also Peter Laurie, Beneath the City Streets, Panther 1979. o The Smiley's Circus of unsecret files, the Guardian, November 13, 1986.

There is No Direct Experimental or Empirical Evidence for Coleman's "Socialism" Reading STEVE COLEMAN'S contribution in (ER, January, 1987) oneis led to believe that he is entirely against the use of armies. There is nothing in it to suggest that there are circumstances under which he would approve the use of an army. Yet he is a member of, and a speaker and writer for, the Socialist Party of Great Britain, which declares (Principle No. 6) its intention to use "the armed forces of the nation" as an "agent of emanci- pation" and for "the overthrow of privilege". The suggestion, in his second paragraph, that during the first 40,000 years of human society "what they had they used in common" is unjustified. The evidence from archaeology and anthropology indicates that tools, weapons, dwellings and clothes were privately owned, that trees producing specially valued fruit were often private to one family, and communities commonly tried to exclude non-members from hunting and gathering on their terri- tory. These people lived by private ownership as far as their technology enabled them to establish it. As an alternative to what we have Steve Coleman proposes socialism. But by "socialism" he does not mean what is usually understood by that term. He and his party hold that the system they favour does not exist anywhere and has never existed. This means there is no direct, experimental or empirical evidence that it would be better than what we have or, in fact, that it would work at all. GEORGE WALFORD,London NI Ethical Record, March 1987 9 From Sam Beer Some Poems from Australia and items from China, France, etc.

Shi—Huang—Ti By way of correction to my article on THE CHINESE(ER, November/ December 1986, page 21) I should explain that the first Emperor of all China, SHI-HUANCi-TI,was notorious for the severity of his rule. He lived in total seclusion, governing through officials from whom he demanded instant obedience. When the Emperor died two of his close confidants, fearing execution by his successor, concealed his death by ordering the carriage carrying the imperial corpse to be followed by another laden with rotting fish. They were able to reach the capital and use the imperial corpse to be followed by another laden with rotting fish. They were able to reach the capital and use the imperial seal to compel the crown prince to commit suicide.

Misunderstood Nations It has been known for some time that the popular use of the names PHILISTINE,VANDAL and BOHEMIANiS unfair to those nations. But it comes as a surprise to learn that this is also true of SPARTAN.The Spartans, though kinder to women than most ancient Greeks, were thought to despise culture. According to L. F. FITZHARDINGE,this is a myth put about by the Spartans for propaganda purposes.

Confucius 551 - 479 B.C. Confucius said "How about you, TIEN?" Tien was softly playing the Zither. With a bang he laid down the instrument, rose and said: "My wishes are different from what the other three gentlemen (disciples) want to do." Confucius said "What harm is there? We want each to tell his ambition." Tien said "In the late spring I would like to go with five or six grown-ups and six or seven young boys to bathe in the river, enjoy the breeze on the Rain Dance Altar and then return home singing." Confucius heaved a sigh and said "I agree with Tien". TZU-L11said "What will be your 'first measure?" Confucious said "It will concern the rectification of names". Tzu-lu said "Why should there be such a rectification?" Confucius said "With regard to what he does not know, the superior man should maintain an attitude of reserve. If names are not rectified, then language will not be in accord with truth, then things cannot be accomplished. If things cannot be accomplished, then ceremonies and music will not flourish. If ceremonies and music do not flourish, then punishment will not be just. If punishments are not just then the people will not know how to move hand or foot". Confucianism is rational but it is hard on women and peasants. China tolerated two rivals—Buddhism and Taoism. From the last sprang Chinese Science, according to NEEDHAM.

Montaigne on Strike The Times Educational Supplement for December 12, 1986 had a large banner which read "MONTAIGNEENGREVE". MONTAIGNEis, presumably, the name of their school but the notion of Montaigne (1533-92) being on strike is richly ironic when we remember that he was the complete sceptic (if that is possible) and his motto was QUESCAIS .m? (What do I know?) in the same issue we discovered that there 10 Ethical Record, March 1987 is a SIMONE DE BEAUVOIR school in London. We may yet see a WOLLSTONE- CRAFT school, a BYRON, a SHELLEY, a SHAW, a WELLS a RUSSELL Or a BROCKWAY SCh001. When all the schools in Bromley had to change their names 15 years ago we nearly had a Wells School. Is it a good idea to name a school after one famous person? A school near me groans under the name of ERNEST BEVIN. The 6th French revolution is now over, we think.

Joan of Arc (burnt May 1431) No, we are not going to prove that she did not exist. She existed and was burnt but since she died she has been the heroine of both Left and Right in France. In May 1878 she and VOLTAIRE (whose centenary it was) caused serious riots in Paris. Voltaire did not take her seriously and into his drama LA PUCELLE (the Maiden) he introduced a talking donkey with wings. Did he get this idea from Midsummer Night's Dream?

British Museum After devoting three months and a special gallery to ST AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO (354-430) "master of Western Christendom" the British Museum has moved on to "The Body in the Bog" (primitive man found strangled and preserved in mud in Denmark).

"Future Mind" (LI Editor: Paul Ingram, 30 Hollingbourne Gardens, Ealing W13 8EN.) This is the new name of the magazine which used to be called WESTERN BUDDHIST. II formerly clarified Buddhist ideas but readers began to ask "Is Buddhism true?" and "Is it beneficial?" Just as ancient Buddhism founded by GAUTAMA (560-480 B.C.) had an Eightfold Path so the Scientific Buddhist Association (SBA) has set itself seven objects: the furthering of the welfare of all beings and bringing them to enlighten- ment to publish the causes of the problems of human existence to take the most effective non-violent action courses of Buddhist meditation communication and friendship with all who have the goal of enlighten- ment handouts, newsletters and a magazine premises and facilities for the SBA. The founder-chairperson of the SBA is GERALD Du Pat (38). Reading between the lines of this magazine it appears there has been some criticism of the conservative position hitherto taken by the SBA. The Leeds Buddhist Group complained that Buddhism was being reduced to little more than self-help psychology or Oriental Pelmanism. Whether Buddhism is a religion is not yet settled by Buddhists but we know that many Buddhists have quite recently suffered for their "faith". S.B.

Review of "Alter Ego" (by EDUARDO SANGUINETTI, PENTLAND PRESS*, £ 4.50) It gives us pleasure to be able to review this book by a distinguished Ethical Record. March 1987 11 academic in Argentina. He gives his thoughts on a number of personal, yet universal problems. The cover says "The objectivity of these thoughts will have instant appeal to any contemplative reader". I quote : "What is man? "Thousands of people have defined him: the only being who knows he has to die, who is aware of what he is doing, who chooses, who believes in God. But most importantly of all, without a shadow of a doubt, the only being who tells lies. Inventing lies so that others will believe them. Forging something from nothing. Lying: our only claim to greatness. Art : a beautifully expressed lie." The book consist of short chapters on various subjects which, by debating the limits of language, suggest Kafka or Wittgenstein. Sanguinetti quotes GRACIAN (1601-1658): "The truths which matter most to us are always half spoken." But, although the book is so abstract, Sanguinetti has two chapters on Love (both dated May 1983): "Let us love each other while we can" and "That woman stands above all else" It is a fascinating book. S.B.

• Publisher, Douglas Law, M.A., Kippielaw, By Haddington, East Lothian EH41 4PY, Scotland.

Voices From Australia Humanolatry Of a young cock "I believe in man Vaunting his own vainglory And his basic good" From a dunghill. Comes the idle cry. I do not believe in man. "Which man? I do not believe Whose good?" I ask of In gods or demons. Uncomprehending ears. I seek for truth Though life is short "I believe in man! " And death is sure. That cry again I do not believe Drifts from a pile of bones In man. Across a sea of blood, I do not BELIEVE. Like the callow call

The above comes from An Australian Anthology of Poems by NIGEL H. SINNOTT, now at 62 Powell St. Yarraville, Victoria, Australia. Nigel was editor of the Freethinker and chairman of the London Young Humanists. These poems translate the Freethinker message into clear, memorable verse but not without the occasional side-swipe : Epitaph for an Old Fashioned Freethinker His pen, never sheathed, lies silent : Who shall inherit it now? Smart-suited, white-collared humanist, Spouting of "stances for living"? With the poems came the N.S.W. Rationalist News (winter 1986, 40 pages edited by RON MARKE). This contains IMMANUEL KANT, KEEPING TIME, A PERSONAL PLAGUE UPON NEWSPEAK, THE UNSIGNED CHEQUE (the New Testament), ARMSTRONG & HUBBARD (World- 12 Ethical Record, March 1987 wide Church of God and Scientology), THE FIRST BIRTH CONTROLLER (ON AN in Genesis 38 verse 9) and is CREATIONISM A SCIENTIFIC THEORY? This magazine is one the movement can be proud of and is published by the Rationalist Association of NSW (58 Regent St, Chippen- dale NSW 2008 Australia). (Do not send personal cheques but an Inter- national Money Order made out in Australian currency. Surface mail $5, air mail $10 U.S.)

Thomas Hood 1799 - 1845 "No shade, no shine, no butterflies, no bees, No fruits, no flowers, no !eaves, no birds—November! " The author of these lines is the subject of a lecture at the Byron Society on November 7th. He is famous for The Song of the Shirt and poems containing dreadful puns: "Ben Battle was a soldier bold, And used to war's alarms: But a cannon-ball took off his legs So he laid down Ins arms."

Green Teacher The Centre for Alternative Technology is launching a quarterly journal for teachers. Its first number has a photo of a half-naked DR DAVID BELLAMY in a wheelbarrow and a prize is offered for the best explanation of how he got there and what he is likely to do next. The Centre is a success story. Half a million people have visited it including 100,000 schoolchildren but of course it needs cash (it is a registered charity). It also has six vacancies— for a director, development courses co-ordinator, restaurant co-ordinator, builder, site engineer, and information officer. The address is: Llys Awel, 22 Heol Pentrerhedyn Machynlleth, Powys, Wales SY20 8DN.

Max Beerbohm, 1872 - 1956: Of course we all know that Morris was a wonderful all-round man but the act of walking round him always tired me.

H. G. Wells on Bernard Shaw. An idiot child screaming in a hospital.

Mark Twain, 1835 - 1910: Man is the only animal that blushes or needs to. I am not an editor of a newspaper and shall always try to do right and be good so that God will not make me one.

D. H. Lawrence on James Joyce. My God, what a clumsy OLLA PATRIDA James Joyce is! Nothing but old fags and cabbage-stumps of quotations from the Bible and the rest, stewed in the juice of deliberate, journalistic dirty-min dedness.

The English: It is related of an Englishman that he hanged himself to avoid the daily task of dressing and undressing.

Goethe, 1749 - 1832: Englishwomen's Shoes look as if they had been made by someone who had often heard shoes described but never seen any. Ethical Record, March 1987 13 Evolution and Eve We continue our patient journey through the Biographical Dictionary of Modern Rationalists (934 pages) by JOSEPH MCCABE by picking out the women or some of them :— BETHAM-EDWARDS, born 1836—novelist. BODICHON, BARBARA, born 1827—foundress ofGirton College. COLMAN, LUCY, born I817—American rationalist, who fought against Slavery. DARUSMONT, FRANCES, born I795—American Epicurean. ELIOT, GEORGE, born 1819—novelist, translated Straus's Life of Jesus. Her masterpiece Middlemarch is now well known. GODWIN, MARY WOLLSTONCRAFT, born 1759— wrote in 1792Vindication of the Rights of Women. MARY SHELLEY was her daughter. MARTIN, EMMA, born 1812.—The persecution of the Owenites fired her zeal and she wrote Baptism a Pagan Rite. MARTINEAU, HARRIET, born 1802—descendant of Huguenot refugees. She was probably the ablest woman Rationalist we have yet had, says McCabe. MONTAGU, LADY MARY WORTLEY, born 1689—quarrelled with ALEXANDER PORE, the poet. "Priests can lie, and the mob believe, all over the word" she wrote. NIGHTINGALE, FLORENCE, born 1820. SAND, GEORGE, born 1804—novelist, spent three years with Augustinian nuns in Paris but never returned anywhere near the Church. STANTON, ELIZABETH, born 1815—wroteThe Women's Bible and What has Christianity done for Women?" A candidate for Congress. S.B.

Crystal Palace was burnt down 50 years ago. It was important as the first glass building in Europe. It was the scene of enormous choir festivals. Queen Victoria became worried that pigeons might deface its windows and sent for the Duke of Wellington whose answer was "Sparrowhawks, ma'am". The models of prehistoric monsters which were part of the original 1851 Exhibition are still there. SAM BEER

Books Added to the Library The General Committee has recently agreed to some expenditure on new books for the SPES Library at Conway Hall. As a first instalment the Library Sub-committee has agreed the following volumes for addition: Against the Faith, JIM HERRICK. 98 Not Out, LORD FENNER BROCKWAY. The Alternative Tradition (a Study of Unbelief in the Ancient World), JAMES THROWER.An Atheist's Values, R. ROBINSON.Freedom—A Hundred Fears (A history of the Anarchist Movement), Various authors. The following books have been presented to the Library by the authors, members and others: Instead of God, JAMES HEMMING. The British Ethical Societies, IAN MACKILLOE.Thinking of the Devil (pamphlet), FRANK RIDLEY. Britain's Unknown Genius—I. M. Robertson, MARTIN PAGE. Elementary Ethics, DAVID WEDGEWOOD, Atheism on a Soap-Box (pamphlet)—A Playlet, BARBARA SMOKER.Minority Achievement in an Evolutionary Perspective, Tom RUBENS. Freiheit, ERNST MOSER. Poems from Australia (pamphlet), NIGEL SINNOTT.Giordano Bruno, FRANCES YEATES. It would be appreciated if members would return books within one month to avoid reminder slips having to be sent out. EDWINA PALMER, Acting Librarian

14 Ethical Record, March 1987 Thoughts on Mars (This is NOT about space travel) The month of MARCH is named after MARS, Roman god of war. It used to be the first month of the year and that is why the months from September (7), October (8), November (9), December (10) are mis-numbered. The year began on March 25. Chaucer opens the CANTERBURY TALES With "When that April with his showres soote (sweet) The drought of March hath pierced to the roote. Then longen folk to go on pilgrimage." MARS was the Roman god of war and his priests leapt about in full armour. The place dedicated to military exercises was called the CAMPUS MARTIUS. The Wolf and the Woodpecker were sacred to him. John of Gaunt tied himself up in knots in Shakespeare's Richard II by describing England as "This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars, This other Eden, demi-paradise, This fortress built by Nature for herself Against infection and the hand of war". A fortress built against the hand of war would hardly be the seat of Mars and John of Gaunt was speaking just after the Black Death (1348). MAR'S courtship of VENUS was a favourite subject of Renaissance painters. The Wallace Collection has a painting of MISS O'MURPHY as VENUS being courted by MARS : it was painted by Madame Pompadour's court painter, FRANCOIS BOUCHER (1703-70). VULCAN, the fire god and a technical wizard, was jealous of MARS and devised a net to catch the lovers. But, of course, Love laughs at locksmiths. SAM BEER March 15th This date was known to the Romans as the Ides of March and was the day in 44 B.C. when JULIUS CAESAR was assassinated. This event so impressed one Times reader that for years he inserted an IN MEMORIAM notice for J.C.! Shakespeare's comment (through Mark Antony) was: "The evil that men do lives after them The good is oft interred with their bones". but I wonder if Shakespeare ever thought of applying it to himself.

A Correction National Peace Council The NPC was hoping to make a fresh start after the departure of Sheila Oakes with the appointment of BRIAN MALLOY (See page 15, ER February 1987), but Brian Malloy has suddenly resigned for financial and housing reasons, it is thought. The NPC is temporarily solvent but needs money and a new treasurer: it is considering selling the premises at 29 Great James's Street. The area that once housed peacemakers is now full of aspiring lawyers. JAN MARTIN is continuing. S.B.

A late Viewpoint: What Evidence for "No Violence"? What historical evidence is there to support STEPHEN COLEMAN'S state- ment that during 40,000 years there was violence in human society (ER January 1987, page 6)? This is surely a romantic fallacy which can be traced back to Jean Jacques Rousseau's Discourse on Inequality: Man is naturally good. Any evil in his nature must originate in his social institu- tions (Private property and the State). J. ADDISON,London W12 Ethical Record, March 1987 15 Comments on Systematic Ideology

COLIN MILLS

An Outline Sketch of Systematic Ideology by George W. Walford; the Walsh), Society, c/o The Bookshop, 186 Upper Street, London NI IRH, 1977; 10p. ISBN 0 9505445 0 7.

This little booklet seeks to expound the theory of systematic ideology, begun by HAROLD WALsav. Harold Walsby, who died in 1973, was in his youth a revolutionary socialist, who became frustrated at the lack of progress toward a Social Revolution. He decided to examine how the ideological situation we find came about.' Walford mentions the major works in this field,2. 2 and claims that nearly all the work published in the 1960s and 1970s derives from Mannheim's viewpoint.4 Walsby claimed that ideology influences all our behaviour, and that contrary to the view generally held, the Left is not a working class movement, nor the Right a middle class one. From Walford' account, it seems that the reason for holding this belief is that because the correlation between the position of one's ideology on the Left-Right continuum and one's economic class is not perfect, then it does not exist at all. Watford draws attention to the imperfections of such a correlation, and admits that socialist thinkers rarely suggest that ideology is entirely or simply determined by economic factors. Walford refers, for instance to the electorate being overwhelmingly working class. But it hardly makes sense, for instance, to think of salaried company directors, or board members in nationalised industries, as proletarians, and the development of a class of professional managers was in fact discussed by Marx. The anarchist concept of the division into the boss class and the bossed class is in fact a fertile one. Because systematic ideologists do not accept the idea that ideology is correlated with socio-economic class at all, they put forward the view—in my opinion, a circular one, which explains nothing—that political structures which appear in democratic societies are the expression of an ideological structure. Those who hold ideological assumptions in common are held to be an ideological group. This group is an aggregation of individuals; ideology cannot be related to socio-economic class, profession or other such obvious factors. Watford discusses the field of ideology, the terms assumption and identi- fication, and then proceeds to quote Walsby's definition of ideology: "the complete system of cognitive assumptions and effective identifications which manifest themselves in, or underlie . . . the behaviour of an individual human being". Lionel Trilling wrote: "Ideology is not the product of thought; it is the habit or the ritual of showing respect for certain formulas to which, for various reasons having to do with emotional safety, we have very strong ties of whose meaning and consequences in actuality we have no clear understanding".5 It seems that ideology is the context in which thought takes place; but it would surely be a rash man who really believed that it could not be influenced by thought. Systematic ideology agrees that those identified with the same assumptions constitute an ideological group. Their classification of the major ideologies is far too pat to be as useful as they claim, however. Basically, the classification rests on several assumptions—that political ideologies can be ranked sequentially on a Left-Right continuum; that the terms Left and Right have precise and generally accepted meanings; and that those meanings correspond broadly to suPP ort for, and opposition to social change.

16 Ethical Record, March 1987 It should be obvious to any experienced observer of the political scene that these assumptions are at best highly debatable, and at worst snares and delusions. For instance, the eidostatic ideologies, proceeding from Right to Left are the protostatic, the epistatic and the parastatic, corresponding to fascism, conservatism and liberalism. Liberalism, for instance, can have at least two meanings : one places it to the Right of fascism and conservatism as a Right wing libertarianism, and the other to the Left of both as a moderate or libertarian socialism. Fascism can to some, and on certain issues, be to the Left of the Liberal Party. Turning to the eidodynamic ideologies, these are, from Right to Left, the protodynamic, the cpidynamic, and the paradynamic, corresponding roughly to Labour Socialism, Communism, and Anarchism. Communism, or Leninism, to use the more accurate term, can cover viewpoints from well to the Left of the Labour Party to Liberalism. As is well known, the political centre of gravity of the Labour Party is to the Left of that of the Communist Party. Again, anarchism is a term of very variable meaning, covering anarcho-communism, anarcho-syndicalism, egoism, and many other ideologies. Despite the anarchist tag "neither god nor master", anarchism is indeed a broad church. Indeed the assumption that "Left" desires social change, and "Right" opposes it, is untrue. In fact, they all accept it, and often promote it; the point of debate is how and by whom it be controlled. Should it be controlled by, or in the interests of, the middle classes; the "Left" intelli- gentsia; the working classes? Nor is individualism and collectivism well correlated politically with "Left" and "Right". They are all, to use Walford's term metadynamic. Is systematic ideology thus not shown as valueless? 0

The Domain of Ideologies, by Harold Walsby, published by William MacLellan, Glasgow, with the Social Science Association. 1947. 2 The German Ideology, by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels (1845/6), published by Lawrencc and Wishart, 1964. 3 Ideology and Utopia by Karl Mannheim (1929). 4 For instance, Ideology and Politics by Professor Martin Seliger (1976). 5 The meaning of a literary Idea in The Liberal Imagination (1950).

The Printer's Devil Strikes Again! The heading you gave to my letter In February* made me see Red; It signalled odd Thoughts which have never By yours very truly been said. Was your epithet "Maoist" a plot Against my Materialist stance? On reflection, I think perhaps not— Just a misprint for "Monist", perchance

So may I hereby put the Record Straight on the bent of my text? I'm a Monist, but never a Maoist. (Correct it, I beg, in your next.)

*(ER, February 1987, page 12) BARBARA SMOKER Ethical Record, March 1987 17 THE EDITORIALS CONTINUED Human Nature). Perhaps the material could be re-circulated to from page one those able to attend further meetings on the subject to discuss the on-the-spot to a prepared lecture ideas, concepts and possible which has not previously been criticisms.3 studied. Perhaps we should aim to persuade lecturers to provide some outline or abstract of their proposed arguments in advance of lectures, so that we can prepare Problems Listing Top 10,000 more coherent contributions? On the subject of problems: we Where adequate summaries or can recommend you to get your reports of lectures are available local (or other) library to obtain (and quite a number of lecturers a copy of The Encyclopaedia of do not provide these despite World Problems and Human vigorous attempts and part of Potential,4 published last year. their fee being dependent on their There are over 1,400 pages cover- so doing) and published, issues can ing more than 10,000 world poli- be raised in subsequent Viewpoints tical, social and economic prob- —though this is a slow process lems5 and the over 14,000 identified over months due to our publication possible human resources° avail- intervals and the small space available to respond to those problems. able. ANTHONY JUDGE, of WA, is to be congratulated, with others, for the persistence and intellectual effort A Good Response that was needed to bring the pro- ject to a conclusion. The detailing Members and readers, inciden- of the problems is based on those tally, appear to have responded identified by international bodies well to encouragement and more (full details of which are available letters are being received than can in the Union of International now usually be published (apolo- Associations (UJA) companion gies to those not chosen to be volume: included—but please continue to The Yearbook of Inter- write in as the views help to deve- national Organisations! lop editorial policy). There is insufficient space here for anything like a full and critical assessment, but fuller details can be obtained from the UJA in Brussels, though it can be suggested that Discuss Lectures Again? some of the problems and poten- We might also arrange some tials related to concerns of SPES meetings at which we refer back members with ethical principles to (published) material from and the cultivation of rational and lectures and re-assess the views humane ways of life perhaps need expressed. For example, take re-stating. HARRY STOPES-ROE'S lecture on Many of the subjects dealt with The Open Society (given over at SPES lectures are worth looking three years ago and a summary of up in the Encyclopaedia before a which appeared on pages 3-7 of the lecture: thereby possibly better July/August 1984 Ethical Record) understanding implications, contra- (as did the second part of STEPHEN dictions and views (to quote from HOUSEMAN'SWhy Must Man Be the press release, ". . . the book Rational?). Both these are well favours the presentation of alter- worth re-reading and discussing in native viewpoints, from every relation, say, to the recent series school of thought, specialization or on Humanism and Science and on moral standpoint") and so to learn IS Ethical Record, March 1987 about, and the possible sources for status—in the 140 square miles, the current population increases from solving, the problems that may be 760,000 at over 17,000 a year. outlined to us. Population increases over last 150 years A Reminder in 1830 there were 1,000,000,000 Don't forget! The Annual people in the world; General Meeting comes again very in 1930, 100 years later, there were 2,000,000,000 people; soon—in May. Your ideas for in 1960, 30 years later, there were developing SPES and to ensure its 3,000,000,0000; effective continuation—as is your in 1975, 15 years later, there assistance (from finances, gifts of were 4,000,000,000; books, participation—in commit- in 1986/87, 11-12 years later, tees as well as functions)—are there are 5,000,000,000 people! needed. So, how about thinking At a doubling rate of only 17 up some (practical) suggestions— years, Kenya could reach the in the form of resolutions to put number of people in China today in only 100 years (from 20 mil- to the coming AGM? lion now). (Figures from an article in Deve- lopment Forum (Nov-Dec 1986) For something to be included or by IAN STEELE. considered for the MAY issue, it 4 Published by K. G. Saur (ISBN should be received by the Editor 3-598-21864-8) at $200, 1,440 pages, of the Ethical Record BEFORE din A4. 5 These world problems include: Tuesday, March 31—this applies to natural disasters, food shortages, notices of meetings and other acti- pollution, endangered species, trade vities, letters, articles or news items barriers, restrictive practices, unem- (whether from members or officers ployment, labour abuse, maldeve- of the Society); although earlier lopment, poverty, homelessness, receipt will help ensure publication illiteracy, ignorance, social frag- of the issue near, at or just before mentation, family breakdown, dis- the first day of the month. crimination, inequality, soil erosion, deforestation, armaments build-up, war, corruption, disease, mental Increasing at over 80,000,000 a illness, torture and maltreatment. year, the more exact number is ° The human resources include: difficult to assess. human development, education, security, world order, human 2 Figures given in State of the World's Children, I987—a Report values, appropriate technology, by JAMES GRANT, Director of transformative conferencing, meta- UNICEF (celebrating its 40th anni- phors, symbols, patterns, commu- versary). OUP, £4.25. BM Box 391, nity empowerment, self-actualiza- London WC1B 6XX. Free? 26 tion, mediation, negotiation, con- pages. census, cultural heritage, conscien- tization, interdisciplinarity, non- 3 On this subject, several interesting points: we read in Programmes for linearity, human rights, responsibi- Peace (sub-titled—An Overview of lities and conservation. the Improving Quality of Life in 7 Published by K. G. Saur. The Year- the West Bank and Gaza since book deals with some 20,000 official 1967) just published by the British! and voluntary bodies, past, present Israel Public Affairs Committee, and projected. Your Ethical Record that ". . . rapid growth (of the editor was editor of the first edition population) presents difficulties for prepared for the Union of Inter- health services, water supply, edu- national Associations in Brussels in cation, social services, and in the the late 40's. The WA was formed maintenance of a general well- in 1910 and produced a comprehen- f unctioning infrastructure". Some sive volume on international 200,000 more people in each of the organisations at that time—interest- two areas in the period. In Gaza ing to compare with the current 50% of the population have refugee book. Ethical Record, March 1987 19 South Place Ethical Society* FOUNDED in 1793, the Society is a progressive movement whose aim is the study and dissemination of ethical principles based on humanism, and the cultivation of a rational way of life. We invite to membership all those who reject supernatural creeds and find themselves in sympathy with our views. At Conway Hall there are opportunities for participation in many kinds of cultural activities, including discussions, lectures, concerts, dances, rambles and socials. A comprehensive reference and lending library is available, and all Members and Associates receive the Society's journal, The Ethical Record, free. The Sunday Evening Chamber Music Concerts founded in 1887 have achieved international renown. Memorial and Funeral Services are available to members. Membership is by £1 enrolment fee and an annual Subscription. Minimum subscriptions are: Members, £4 p.a.; Life Members, £84 (Life membership is available only to members of at least one year's standing). It is of help to the Society's officers if members pay their subscriptions by Banker's Order, and it is of further financial benefit to the Society if Deeds of Covenant are entered into. Members are urged to pay more than the minimum subscription whenever possible, as the present amount is not sufficient to cover the cost of this journal. A suitable form of bequest for those wishing to benefit the Society by their wills is available from the office, as are Banker's Order and Deeds of Covenant Forms. *Registered Charity No. 251396 MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION FORM To THE HONORARY REGISTRAR, SOUTH PLACE ETHICAL SOCIETY CONWAY HALL HUMANIST CENTRE RED LION SQUARE, LONDON WC1R 4RL The Society's objects (as interpreted by its General Committee in the light of a 1980 Court ruling) are the study and dissemination of ethical principles; and the cultivation of a rational and humane way of life; and the advancement of education in fields relevant to these objects* Being in sympathy with the above, I desire to become a Member. I will accept the rules of the Society and will pay the annual subscription of . . . (minimum £4 plus £1 enrolment). NAME (BLOCK LETTERS PLEASE) ADDRESS

OCCUPATION (disclosure optional) How DID You HEAR OF THE SOCIETY? DATE SIGNATURE *Formally, the objects of the Society are the study and dissemination of ethical principles and the cultivation of a rational religious sentiment. The Ethical Record is posted free to members. The annual charge to subscribers is £4. Matter for publication should reach the Editor, Peter Hunot, 17 Anson Road, London N7 ORB (01-609 2677) no later than the first of the preceding month.

IE David Neil P? Co Printer, South St Dorking