Welsh Journals

THE WELSH OUTLOOK The Editor does not necessarily identify himself with the opinions of contributors to the Welsh Outlook-" Editorial responsibility is twitted to the views expressed in the Notes of the Month," and in the unsigned article immediately following. NOTES OF THE MONTH The Foreign Situation. Foreign affairs at the moment are unsatisfactory and somewhat disquiet- ing. The succession of M. Poincaré in the French Premiership threatens to push France further along a reactionary path. There are many features of the speech of the new French Premier before the French Chamber which will make all good Europeans uneasy, and no better instance could be found than his defence of the treaty with the Angora Turks. That treaty, as we have said before, contained a surrender to the Ottoman Government of territory held by France as a mandatory for the League of Nations. It is sad that a statesman like M. Poincare, who is quite ready to talk about his concern for European interests, should justify so scandalous a breach of trust, especially when it exposes no small portion of the Armenian nation to the risk of massacre. But the promised conference at Genoa sheds a ray of hope on the otherwise dismal situation. Mr. Lloyd George believes that it will accomplish much, and we agree with him. For one thing, after the Irish settle- ment he will be a far greater influence at Genoa for sweet-reasonableness in European relationships than he could possibly have been six months ago. It is also of enormous significance that at last Germany and Russia will be represented there, and their appearance at the Conference table as full members has been amply justified by the Prime Minister in a recent speech even from thai point of view of the most squeamish and bilious die-hard. Granting the very worst that can be said against German statesmansip and Russian Bol- shevism to be true, is it desirable to refuse to talk business with them at the cost of a famished Europe and ultimately a new Armageddon? Those who believe in the wisdom of perpetuating the outlawry of these nations might do worse than remember that the late Pope Benedict XV, as true a friend of peace ever lived, but a man to whom, at any rate, the pnn- ciples of the Bolsheviks must have been anathema, was working in his very last hours to assist the success of this great gathering. ^FEBRUARY, 1922. Ireland. Affairs are moving apace in Ireland. The Dail has sanctioned the Treaty, though by a narrow majority. It also defeated a highly subtle attempt to stultify its first decision by a still narrower majority. Mr. Arthur Griffith has succeeded Mr. De Valera as President of the Dail, and the picturesque Mr. Michael Collins is head of the Irish Provisional Government, and to this national government Dublin Castle-which for seven centuries has been the English stronghold, and whose name has become more hateful to Ireland than ever the Bastille was to France-has' been formally surrendered by the representative of the British Government. Little things are often the truest symbols of the greatest changes, and we are more than interested to hear that the Provisional Government is preparing an Irish stamp and contemplating a distinctive, Irish coinage. The English troops are sailing away from the Green Isle, never, as we hope (and they also apparently), to return. But the most stunning event of all is the agreement arrived at between Mr. Collins and Sir Jame* Craig on one or two of the most critical and controversial matters affecting the Treaty, as well as on other matters of great domestic importance. Ireland seems to be beginning to reap a rich harvest of its heavy and sad sacrifices, but England is also discovering in its in- creased popularity on the Continent and in America, that self-abnegation is not only a virtue, but not an altogether unprofitable one. We hope that Wales will learn something from this triumphant march of events in Ireland,-if only the meaning of political Nationalism and the seriousness of it. The levity and the cynicism of Welsh politics account for the meagreness of the results of our poli- tical activities. A true and profound Welsh nation- alist was asked recently tol point out the real distinction between Welsh and Irish Nationalism, and his some- what irrelevant answer was nevertheless a startling one Thel leaders of Irish Nationalism live a great deal of their time in gaol, and many of them die on the