Welsh Journals

in Eisteddfodic control and procedure. It introduced new, efficient, up-to-date machinery which worked smoothly and well for a long period of years. Like all machinery in long and constant use, it needs periodical overhauling. To scrap it all in favour of some other machinery whose chief merit is that it is new and untried, would be not merely disastrous but idiotic. What we have to do is to adapt the existing machinery to present day needs to introduce where possible and desirable such new working parts as experience shows to be necessary, and to dean and furbish up its rusted driving gear. The demand for reform is clamant and almost universal. As affecting the National Eisteddfod Association it is voiced by competitors represented by the Rev. David Davies, Penarth as affecting the Gorsedd by the some- what drastic suggestions of Llew Tegid as affecting the musical side of the Eisteddfod by the new born Welsh Musical Festival as affecting the Drama, by the Lord Howard de Walden movement as affecting the financial side by the protests of numerous local committees as affecting provincial Eisteddfodau, by the growing desire of these bodies to seek recognition by and affiliation with the National body. I believe these, and all other legitimate demands, can be adequately met by a sensible re-arrangement or re- modelling of the existing machinery. I have no more sympathy with those who would smash the National Eisteddfod Association because it does not fulfil their particular anticipations, thsn I have with those who would smash the Gorsedd because their great outstanding merits and personal ability to control the Bardic state are not recognised by the constituents of the Gorsedd. On the other hand I am far from contending that either the Eis- teddfod Association or the Gorsedd is perfect, that their mutual relations cannot be improved, that their joint attitude towards the local committees is all that it might, or indeed in the best interests of the Eisteddfod must be. I venture, with some diffidence, to suggest, in somewhat broad outline, my conception of what the reformed Eis- teddfodic state might be and should do. There should be one central body, supreme in authority over everything pertaining to a National Eisteddfod. This Eisteddfodic Parliament should have three great Depart- ments of State, dealing respectively with (a) the finances, (b) the Bardism, (c) the music of the National Festival. The first two already exist in (a) the National Eisteddfod Association, and (b) the Gorsedd Association. The third was, at one time, projected in the form of a National Eisteddfod Musical Association. That idea might now with advantage be resuscitated, and assume practical form. This Eisteddfodic Parliament-call it by any name you wish-should decide where the Eisteddfod is to be held from year to year, making the announcement three years in advance. It should assume the whole financial res- ponsibility for the National Festival, paying all expenses, receiving all the income from whatsoever source. It should determine the programme of events, com- petitions, concerts, meetings of the amalgamated, affiliated, or associated organisations. This programme should include three separate sessions daily, viz :­ (a) Musical competition (b) Literary criticism and oratorical competition (c) Grand concert or dramatic performance. In addition to these official sessions there would be the annual meetings of the various societies, e.g., the Eistedd- fod Association, the Gorsedd, the Musical Association, the Folk Lore, Bibliographical, and other societies, whose time and place of meeting should be arranged and deter- mined by the central authority, and duly announced in the official programme. (This would avert the two existing dangers of undue multiplication of societies having no necessary connection with the Eisteddfod, and the holding at the same time of more than one of the recog- nised organisations). The holding of the Session (b) would enable the literary adjudications to be delivered in full-and if necessary or desirable discussed-to an appreciative audience. I see no reason why these adjudications should not be printed, and, together with at least the chair ode and crown poem, sold at the close of the session where the adjudication was delivered. (This would serve the doubly useful purpose of satisfying the natural desire of com- petitors to have the merits and defects of their composi- tions made known to them, and of satisfying the natural curiosity of the public to see, straight from the mint and bearing its stamp, the composition declared to be the best). If the hall in which this session is held afforded inadequate accommodation for the crowd of sight seers, the public ceremonial of the crowning or chairing might be observed in the Eisteddfod pavilion at a definitely fixed hour, and proceedings of session (a) so arranged as to provide for this interpolation. The remaining prize compositions, or such of them as might be deemed desirable to publish officially, should be printed and ready for sale at the ensuing Eisteddfod. If not then so published, both the copy and the copy- right should then immediately revert to the author. I assume that the Gorsedd department should deter- mine the list of (a) literary, (h) poetical, and (c) oratorical (Drama and recitations) competitions, and that similarly the musical department should determine the whole of the musical items, including compositions, competitive renderings, and concerts. There is no reason indeed, why an arts department should not be added, and exercise similar powers. I would accord the drama as honoured a place as the chair ode, or the chief choral competition. There should be a competition in dramatic composition at each Eis- teddfod, the prize composition to be produced," either in competition or by an official Eisteddfod dramatic company, at the next succeeding annual festival. I think literature should be more worthily recognised. Not only should there be some ceremonial attached to the awarding of the prize for the chief literary composition, but work produced outside the competitive arena should be recognised. For instance, authors might be invited to submit original works published during the previous