A Joyful
Event

THE one joyful event of the past month was the retum of the Prince of Wales from his wonderful tour in Australia, New Zealand and the West Indies, where, by the charm of an irresistible personality, he made the golden link that unites all Britons a very human affair. Never has the Crown played a greater part in the life of our Empire than during the reign of King George and Queen Mary, who have transmitted to the Prince their own unsparing sense of duty and keen realization of what the Throne owes to the self-governing colonies, where it is now such a vivid reality. There is ordinarily so much of the conventional in accounts of Royal progresses that sceptics are apt to be suspicious of the out pourings of the Press on such topics. But there has been nothing exaggerated in anything that has appeared on the subject of the Prince of Wales's success in any oversea Dominion. All private advices confirm and better the published accounts. He literally came and saw and conquered, simply because he happens to be among the elect whom all men, women and children instinctively love. That is the secret of his triumph, which is dependent on neither circumstances nor environment-wherever he goes it goes. He carries with him an inexhaustible sense of enjoyment and appreciation which makes him at home with everyone and everyone at home with him. In addition to his love of all sports and proficiency in several, he has an exalted public spirit and an abiding regard for everyone who has served the country or suffered in its cause. It is this feeling which makes the Prince of Wales the personal friend of every disabled soldier or sailor. He had a great ovation in London on the day of his return, and even those who are anything but courtiers pay him the tribute of demanding that he should become "Regent of Ireland,' that he should "settle" the Coal Strike and clean up other messes made by politicians of sorts. From all these we sincerely hope he may keep clear, and for this winter, at any rate, have a good time, free from public cares and public tasks.

ISOLA Delicate
Question

inite

her is inevitable that the delicate question of the future Amarriage of the Prince of Wales should be much in the minds of his father's subjects, who throughout the British Empire have taken the Heir Apparent to their hearts and regard him as peculiarly their own. We should sooner have let it alone the because, though nobody can help being intensely interested In a personal question of such tremendous import to the nation, it primarily concerns the Prince, and should be settled by him according to his own inclination, which may Thebe trusted in this as in other matters. The Times wisely protests against any marriage of policy," emphasizing the transformation of public opinion on all such questions of late years. The country hopes that the Prince will

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be allowed to choose for himself, without regard to those Dynastic or conventional considerations which have been esponsible for not a few political misfortunes, as well as or many miserable marriages. The Prince radiates happiess and is entitled to happiness, which is less likely to be ssured by his being constrained to espouse some not ntirely sympathetic foreign Princess than by his following he dictates of his own young heart. There is general greement with the doubt expressed by The Times as to whether there is now the need that there may have been efore the war to limit the choice of the Prince to the circle f the Royal Blood." The one idea of everyone discussing This topic is not to create difficulties for the Prince, but to hake things easier, as they would be if he felt that he was lot "cabined, cribbed, confined," as Princes were once vont to be. His brothers, who have come so rapidly to The fore this year and are playing no inconsiderable part n our national life, are in the same happy position as the Heir Apparent.

No inconsiderable section of what Matthew Arnold called he" he "Philistines " derive keen satisfaction whenever Entellectuals make exhibitions of themselves--a form of ntertainment which the latter are not backward in proiding. The latest performance in this line was staged at

Oxford University, where a galaxy of Professors and othe learned men seek reunion with their prototypes in unchanged unchanging and unchangeable Germany. To An Oxford this end they indited an appeal to "the

Gaffe

Professors of Arts and Sciences and Members of the Universities and learned Societies of Germany and Austria," with whom they desire "the speedy re-estab lishment " of " our old friendliness," as the "impulse of local patriotism" dies away and common "spiritual ideals reassert themselves, in order to promote a wider sym pathy and better understanding between our kindred nations." This is the old outworn thesis of which Lord Haldane used to be the principal preacher before the wa with " my spiritual home." Like our politicians, thes University Bourbons have learnt nothing and forgotten nothing, and are prepared to re-echo the clap-trap which was not a little responsible for the war, by encouraging the enemy to regard us as infatuated. While our pre-wa Professors prated of peace and joined joined" Anglo-German Friendship Committees," the corresponding class in Kaiser land preached and prepared for the war, which was largely made in German Universities. When the storm burst German Professors were among the first to cast aside the mask of civilization and to come out as apostles of Kultur in whose name every horror was perpetrated without an audible protest from the German learned world whom Oxford simpletons once more seek to embrace. As Th Times reminds the signatories of an appeal which appropriately headed by the Gladstone Professor Political Theory and Institutions," no less than ninety-thre representatives of German Science and Art signed the notorious declaration of October 1914 upholding the war at-any-price policy of their Government and enthusiastically endorsing the attack on Belgium with all its sequela declaring, "It is for the protection of Kultur and out o Kultur that militarism has arisen."

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To forgive enemies the injuries they have done ourselves is a Christian act, but to pass the sponge over all the

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satrocities and sufferings they have inflicted on others is that undform of vicarious Christianity which was termed "unctuous rectitude" by one of Oxford's most famous

mar

ul to

Unctuous Rectitude

sons (though neither

a Gladstone Professor

of Political Theory" nor a Professor of Prehistoric Archæology ")-Mr. Cecil Rhodes. British professors are wont to complain that they do not enjoy the indistinguished consideration they deserve in this uncultured alicountry. This new Oxford movement is little calculated deto enhance their prestige. Among the few arresting names in the petition is that of Colonel T. E. Lawrence, of Syrian fame. But, in justice to this remarkable man, we should remember that through no fault of his own he knows absolutely nothing about the war with Germany, his entire fenergy and enthusiasm having been concentrated on the campaign against Turkey, in which he played a splendid part. Colonel Lawrence is among the few men who can pafford to sign such a document with impunity. We are hardly astonished that All Souls looms large in this affair. [It is a recognized asylum of Superior Persons, who daily thank God that they are no common clay. Two Coalition Bishops likewise joined forces with the "Gladstone Professor of Political Theory and Institutions," but, in fairness to Oxford, it must be pointed out that the signatories form but a microscopic minority of the resident graduates, who had no art or part in this outbreak of learned cranks.

WE are surprised that journals which profess a passion for economy, and which are ready to scrap the British Navy £10,000 a Year and the British Army, to say nothing of the British Empire, should have so far overlooked one indefensible extravagance. We have previously referred to the salary of the Secretary-General of the League of Nations as £10,000 a year. Some of our readers thought this must be a joke. It seemed incredible that in these days, when we are continually exhorted to "save" by the Government-infinitely more eloquent in preachment than in practice that a brand new post should be created with a stipend several thousand

a

pounds above that of the Lord Chancellor. After m protracted reticence on this delicate matter it was at last for disclosed to an astounded House of Commons that the t Secretary-General of the League of Nations-the happys holder being that very fortunate individual, Sir Eric and Drummond, official Private Secretary to Mr. Balfour when the latter was Foreign Minister does receive the sum we mentioned, though the actual "salary" is given at £4,000 plus £6,000 entertainment allowance. Six and four usually make ten, i.e. £10,000 a year. But whereas the Lord Chancellor pays income tax and super tax, Sp Eric Drummond, for some unexplained reason, escapes me these exactions. Consequently he clears several thousandse more than the Lord Chancellor. It might have been thought that if there was one office which would cultivates plain living and high thinking, it would be the Secretary Generalship of the League of Nations. To us, it is deplorable to prescribe £10,000 as a suitable salary for any untriedoffice. To exempt its holder from the taxation paid by al other British officials is a highly invidious proceeding Sir Eric Drummond probably received about £1,000 a year when he was in the service of the Foreign Office. We never heard it suggested in those days that he was underpaid Such an episode emphasizes the futility of that "Treasury control" which is once more shown to be a broken reed.

THE Miners' Federation threaten to become the prize bores of the year, and we shall heave a sigh of relief when they leave the limelight to more interesting per Prize Bores formers. We occasionally wonder whether the overwhelming publicity given by the daily and illus trated Press to every agitator engaged in engineering a strike makes for permanent peace. Extravagant advertise ment is largely responsible for the demoralization of Party Politicians, who are only happy when the papers" or on the movies." Labour leaders are likewise human, and it cannot be good for them to receive this unwholesome prominence-all the more unwholesome because chiefly accorded to Extremists. The names of the Moderates

in