Welsh Journals

It is of great historical moment to find now, on the unimpeachable evidence of these remarkable memoirs, that House was at work in Europe for some months up to the very eve of actual hostilities working heroically to avert war by effecting an un- derstanding between America, Britain, and Germany, as the three nations which acting in com- bination could safeguard the peace of the world. The League idea even then was striving for effective political self-expression. The faith and optimism with which Colonel House pursued this end were equalled by his dis- appointment at the tragic failure of his adventure. His diary conveys the impression that he still clings to the belief that a little more time, a little more patience and understanding, might have saved Europe at the eleventh hour. On the other hand, it is permissible to speculate that the forces making for war had already attained a momentum too great to be checked. But, in any case, his efforts as the real ambassador of Wilson and of America will remain one of the noblest memorials of America's profound desire and active work for world peace, and though they failed for the moment, they were to bear fruit later by supplying the foundation principle of a plan on which the weary and bank- rupt belligerent nations might begin to rebuild what they had so madly cast down. When these remarkable papers are read they will do even more than interpret the real America and the veal Wilson to Europe; they will confirm public faith in the League of Nations idea as the only rational way of escape from the barbarism of war and establish afresh the League's claim on the loyalty and service of every lover of international peace and goodwill. F. E. Hamer. The Round Table, No. 62, March. Macmillan & Co. The March number of the Round Table opens with an article on the Next Imperial Conference," and the first question asked is whether there is anything that can be usefully discussed at it. If Imperial Conferences are simply to be occasions for junketing the institution will obviously soon cease to exist. In the Round Table's opinion, although there is no call for a revision of our constitutional relations, there are questions of great importance that demand attention if the Prime Ministers are ready to come to grips with them. Fascist Reforms in Italy will clear up much haziness among people as to what Fascism means at home. No one who reads this article will retain any doubt. It shows the internal changes which the Fascists have been making and the principles upon which they are based. It also shows the radical differences between those principles and the ones which underlie our own system and that of the United States. A contribution entitled India: The Brighter Outlook," is the most cheerful account that we have yet seen of prospects in India. There are still plenty of problems, as the writer frankly admits, and not the least that of Hindu-Moslem antagonism, but India's feet are, in his opinion, at last on the constitutional path, and he has a solution, too, for the worst of her troubles. The Irish article, The Boundarv Settlement and After," is also hopeful. The events which ended in the settlement are described in the first section. The second one, which is from an Irish writer, also draws attention to the important effects it has already had in Ireland. The Augustan Books of Modern Poetry. Messrs. Ernest Bell. Ltd., have issued another six books of Augustan Poets at the astounding price of sixpence each. True, the books are in paper cover, but their contents are almost priceless. The present books contain selections in separate volumes from G. K. Chesterton, William Blake, John Davidson, J. C. Squire, John Freeman, Andrew Marvel. Many of the poems have not been published be- fore, and it is with gratitude that we welcome them to the light of day. The magic of the Art of Poetry has conferred on each of the men represented here its appropriate blessing: "on early years Experience, on maturity Calm, on age Youthfulness." Where- ever these books find a resting place it is hoped they will find a fit audience. R.M.G. The Opium Evil in India. By C. F. Andrews. S.C.M. 1/ Mr. C. F. Andrews must have been very gratified to read Lord Reading's pronouncement on the future policy of India with regard to the trade in opium so soon after the publication of the book under the above title. It will be remembered that India subscribed to the Hague Convention of 1912, which bound its signatories only to permit the traffic in opium for "legitimate" purposes. To ensure the completeness of her obligations the Government of India exacted from the Government of every importing country a certificate testifying that the consignment of opium in question was for "legitimate" purposes. But the word "legitimate" was interpreted very loosely, with the result that Indian opium found its way to the pipes of confirmed opium smokers. This fact has led America to demand the substitution of the words for medical and scientific purposes only" for "legitimate." The American delegation failed to gain their point at Geneva twelve months ago, but now Lord Reading has laid down, as the future policy of India, the prohibition of all exports of opium except for purely medical and scientific purposes. This practically amounts to the entire abolition of the export of opium from India for Indian opium having a low morphine content is unsuitable for medical use. But the most serious fact of all is that opium is given to babies by mothers engaged in the cotton mills. When they go out to work they give the babies a daily dope of opium in order to keep them quiet. Lady Wilson, the wife of the present Governor of Bombay, commenting on this pernicious practice, said, "I have seen the poor little things in the Bombay chawls, with their pinched faces. looking like persons who have suddenly grown old." A more serious comment is the fact that in ordinary years the infantile mortality in Bombay is over 400 per thousand. This little book by Mr. Andrews is full of similar facts gathered from reliable sources, and it would be a good thing if a copy of the book were placed in the hands of every member of the British House of Commons. R.M.G. FORTHCOMING PUBLICATION BY WELSH OUTLOOK PRESS. We would draw the attention of our readers to an interesting collection of poems which will shortly be issued from this Press. It is the first published collection of Aberystwyth Student Verse and con- tains the best work in Welsh and English of about twenty writers, extending over the period 1919 to the present time. The material has been carefully chosen and edited by Mr. Charles Davies and Mr. Edward K Prosser, both of them graduates of Aberystwyth and former editors of the 'Dragon.' The book is full of vigour and charm. It is typically Aber in spirit and contains a great deal of promising work which reflects very truly the strenuous and vivid life which our students have been leading during the post-war period. It is marked throughout by courage and sincerity and should find a warm welcome among the general public as well as from the members of the University.