Non-Members can obtain this publication from the Secretary, poat free 2/- pet' ann ......

MARCH, 1933.

The Monthly Record of

South Place Ethical Society, CONWA Y HALL, RED LION SQUARE, W.C.I.

Telephune: CHANCERY 8032

t!>BJEeTS t!>F THE St!>eIETY • .. The Objects of the Society ore the study and diaseminstion of ethical principles and the cultivation of a ratiODal religiouli sentiment."

SUNDAY MORNING SERVICES. The following DISCOURSES will be delivered, the Service. beginning at

ELEVEN O·CLOCK.

February 2G.-JOHN A. HOBSON, M.A.-The Magic Df Words. Basa Solo-Bright is the Ring of Words ' Va'Ughan WiUiaml

MR. G. C DOWMAN. Soprano Solo-Songs my Mother taught me ... Dvorak

MISS HElIE SIMPSON. { No. 23. There is a song now singing.

Hymns No. 1. Be true to every inm08t thought.

March S.-Prof. LANCELOT HOGBEN. D.Sc.-ls Religion a Private Affair? First and Second Movements from Sonata in F, Op. 24, for

Pianoforte and Violin (" The pring onata") ... . .. Beethoven I. Allegro. n. Adagio molto espressivo.

MR. WILLIAM BuseH and MR. ISIDORE SORWILLER. Hymns {No. 4. He who has the truth and keeps it.

No. 50. Do not crouch to-day and worship.

March 12-Prof. J. C. FLUGEL, D.Sc.-The Myth Df the Golden Ale. Ba88 Solo-The Poet's Song

MR. G. C. DOWMAN. Soprano Solo-Orpheus with his Lute

MISS HBBE SIMPSON. Hymns { No. 133. Lie open, soul' around thee I?ress.

No. 72. Would you gain the go1den Clty.

March 19-JOHN A. HOBSON. M.A.-Our Selves. Pianoforte Solos-(a) Adagio in B minor, K 574 .. .

(b) Sonatina in C major .. .

Hymns MR. WILLIAM BusoH.

f No. 28. Oh dew of life' 0 light of earth! (Second tune). No. 73. Out of the dark the circling sphere.

March 2G-JOHN KATZ. B.A.-The Advance to New Loyalties.

ParT'JI

Sullivan

Mozart Kuhlau

Bass Solo-Break, _Break, Break ... ... . .. R. H. Walthew MR. G. C. DOWMAN.

Soprano Solo-With Verdure Clad.

Hymns MISS HEBE SIMPSON.

J No. 231. The presence of perpetual change. 1 No. 112. There is in every human heart.

The Committee request the audience to "efrain from apptatUe. Pianist: MR. WILLIAht BUBOH.

Hayd"

A Hymn Practice, to which all persons desirous of improving the hymn .,jnging are invited, is held at the close of each Service.

A Collection is made at each Service, to enable thoae present to contribute to flu expenses of the Society.

VISITORS WBLOOMB. OPPIOIAL CA:a PARK-Qpposite Main Entrance.

MEMBERSHIV.

Any person in sympathy with the Objects of the Society is cordially im'ited to become a MEMBER. The amount of subscription is optional, but it is hoped that members will subscribe as generously as possible. The minimum is 2s. 6d. per quarter, or 10s. per annum. Any person interested in the Society's work, but not wishing to become a member, may join as an ASSOCIATE, the minimum subscription being 5s. per annum. Full-time students at universities and secondary schools are invited to become Associates for a subscription of 2s. 6d. per annum. Further particulars may be obtained before and after the Sunday Services or on application to the Hon. Registrar, Miss R. HALLS, Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, W.C.I.

Secretary: S. G. GREEN, Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, W.C.I.

HeNeRllRY (!)PFH2ERS.

Trea&urer C. E. LISTER, Conway Hall, W.C.I. Sunday Lecture Secretary F. W. RRAD, 65, Harley Road, Harlesden, N.W.lO

M · t S t ~ Miss E. PALMER, 33, Cannon Hill Lane, Merton Park, In.U es ecre ary . ., I S.W.20.

Begi&trar of Members and l Miss R. HALLS, 121, Studdridge Street, Parson, A.ssociate& .. . ... J Green, S.W.6.

Editor of MONTHLY RECORD J. B. COATB8, 5, King', Garth, S.E.23. L'b . r Mrs. T. LINDSAY, 32, Grove Park Gardens, WA.

I rartan& ... . .. 1 F. STUTTIG, 2, Durand Gardens, Stockwell, S.W.1l

The General Committee will meet on Wednesday, March 1, at 6.30 p.m., at Con way Hall. Correspondence dealing with matters for consideration should he forwarded to the Secretary, S. G. GREEN, Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, W.C.l, at the earliest possible moment. All matters relating to finance should be addressed to the Treasurer.

Secretaries of Sub-Committees are requested to note that any matter which they wish to insert in the MONTHLY RECORD should be in the hands of the Editor, J. B. COATES, 5, King's Garth, S.E.23, as early in the month as possible.

FUNERAL SERVIOES can be arranged by the Society. Application should be made to the Secretary, S. G. GREEN, Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, W.C.I. (Telephone: Chancery 8032.)

MEMBERS INCAPACITATED.-Will any reader who hears of a member of the Society incapacitated through sickness kindly inform the General Secretary, Conway Hall, or communicate with any other officer of the Society.

The Society doe& not hold itself responsible for "iews ezpressed or reported in. the " RECORD."

THE LATE F. A. RICHARDS. We much regret to announce the death from pneumonia of Mr. Frederick A.

Richards on February 4, 1933, in his 66th year. Mr. Richards had been a member of S.P.E.S. since June, 1899. He served

on the General Committee for several years, and was recently elected a Trustee. He was always willing to undertake useful tasks which he performed quietly

and efficiently. He acted as Advertising Secretary, and was responsible for the notices of the Society's meetin§s appearing in the Press. He was an ener­getic supporter of most of the Society s activities, and his keen, .bright, friendly face will be missed by large numbers of people.

The funeral took place at the Golders Green Crematorium on February 7, when about 50 relatives and friends assembled to bid affectionate farewell. The service was wholly musical.

By the unexpected and deeply regretted death of Frederick Albert Richardsi the Society has lost an active worker and a member of somewhat exceptiona

personality. Mr. Richards lost his mother at the age of three, and his father four years

later. Brought up till he was eighteen by his step-mother, in his turn, from that

:i

time onwards, he supported and affectionately tended her till her death at eighty­six. The greater part of his working life was spent in the Port of London Authority, which possibly intensified his keen interest in shipping. He had .alsl) a great love for open spaces; in his youthful days he would run or walk for miles to reach the London parks, and later the lure of the Forest led him to make his home within walking distance of its many attractions.

HiB tastes were mainly scientific; meteorological instruments had a special fascination for him, and for many years he kept a careful daily record of weather data. He ,vas a frequent visitor to the museums, and retained quite a youthful enthUSiasm for the talks of the guide-lecturers. Chess was his favourite hobby; he was an able player, and any spare time in a train or at table was generally filled up by solving its problems. He was an adept at shorthand, and was constantly wor~­ing out ideas for an improved system. Esperanto and Ido in turn attracted hiS active brain, and wireless added a new outlet for his love of experiment.

In spite of so many personal interests, he was never so happy as when doing odd jobs for someone else, and his good nature and good temper seemed never to fail. He loved birds and animals, and had an intense sympathy for all who suffered, which showed itself in his eagerness to help.

In early life he joined the Secular Society, and retained to the last his great admiration for John M. Robertson. Later he became a member of South Place l and after his retirement from official duties he, together wtih his wife, greatly enjoyed the intellectual and social life of the Society, and took an active part in committee work and other activities. His cheerful presence will be greatly missed by his many friends.

A. E. H.

APOLE REISS. Another member, whose association with the Society was of long standing, has

passed away: Adolf Reiss died on February 8. He served on the Concert Com­mittee for twelve seasons in the early days of the concerts, and subsequently, nftor a .mng period of absence, for four more. He played the violin, was a member of the "Ramblers' Band," and afterwards of the South Place Orchestra. His passing brings to mind his elder brother, Edwin, who was for a time Secretary of the Musio Committee, and who died many years ago.

A. J. C.

J. A. HOBSON. M.A., ON "IS WORLD GOVERNMENT POSSIBLE?"

The gravity of present world problems is making men more and more realise the need for concerted international action; no sane man, indeed, can doubt that if the peoples of the world could be led to concerted action for the exploitation of their economic resources, the resulting advantages would be enormous. Yet the achieve­ment of an effective internationalism seems to remain a utopian vision; the" thus far and no farther" of an obstrucbve nationalism bars the way.

The supporters of the League of Nations still shy nt the idea of a super-State and still believe that internationalism IS consonant with the retention of full, sovereign powers by the separate States. The weakness of the League is now causing grave anxiety; it continues to show timidity in the face of issues of vital importance to world peace and prosperity. In none of the recent major world problems, the problems of Manchuria, of disarmament, of tariff reduction, of the revision of the peace treaties, and of war debts has the League had any real measure of success, and the recognition is growinj; that it must be transformed into a real world government if any effective actlOn is to be taken in the international field.

What is the nature of t.he nationalistic sentiment which is barring the way to world government? It consists of a naive group egoism; the primitive instincts of pugnacity, acquisitiveness and gregariousness are pressed by the powers that control public o~inion into the service of nationalism. This group egoism readily associates Itself .wI~h the lust for power, so that ~ati0Il:alism develops into imperialism. Imperlahsm tends to become a megalomama whICh leads powers to their destruc­tion. The taproot of imperialism is economic plunder; under all the sentimentalism !>f imperia~ism, with its high-~~wn ~oral. p~ete~ces, its fine. words, its flag-waving, IS the motive of J?lunder. B'I'ltlsh Imperlahsm IS not conscIous hypocrisy· its out­ward expression IS coloured by the vague idealism which suffuses all o~r publie

I

!

policies; in it is revc;.:c:<1 the unconsciousness of the British of the true motive of their actions, their capacity for" muddling through," yet coming out safely" with the goods."

The Great War, itself largely the product of the profit-seeking motive, has done nothing to abate the conflicts of rival imperialisms i rather by the creation of new sovereign States it has created new rivalries ana new sources of international discord. Recently the nationalism of .Tap an has overflowed in a ruthleSB imperialism in defiance of solemn obligations.

In the face of the present state of public opinion and of the relations between States an effective internationalism would appear to be impoSBible. It must be remembered, however, that there. is always a considerable lag between our institu­tions and enlightened opinion. There has never been so great a realisation as to-day of the dangers of nationalism. Further, forces are at work which are breaking down the isolation of nationalities and leading to world unification in spite of nationalist opinion. Among these is the division of opinion within nations which causes the mass of working-class opinion to oppose itself to profit-making capita.lism, and to resist the efforts of industrialists and financiers who seek to foist on the nation the absurd idea that it is advantageous to sell as much as pOSBible to other nations and receive as little as possible in exchange.

In Russia capitalist imperialism has been destroyed by force, and a body of opinion in this country favours the same kind of remedy. The lecturer hoped and believed that in this and other Western nations the forces of reason and goodwill, rather than the cruder methods of physical struggle, would gain the victory for internationalism. The recent marked loosening of old notions and beliefs was the preparatory stage of the social revolution; the adaptable mind of man was capable of re-modelling our institutions to meet the needs of the new era. The lecturer did not believe that the propertied classes would be able effectively to nnite as a body to oppose the urgently needed changes.

.T. B. C.

KlNGSLEY MARTIN ON .. CRIME AND PUNISHMENT"

Though our prison system has been influenced to some extent by modern humanitarianism, and we no longer use the thumbscrew and the rack, it is, never­theless

f still largely based on instinctive and traditional barbarities. Our attitude

is stil based on some notion of .. justice;" we wish criminals to get their " deserts; " yet how much do we know as to the true " deserts" of a.nyone? That we are influenced rather by instinctive feeling rather than by reason and intelli­gence is seen in our treatment of sexual abnormality; the sexually abnormal person is often suffering from a "compulsion neurosis" and cannot help himself, yet we not only punish him brutally, but we cut him off from society and subject him to conditions which are likely to accentuate his abnormality.

The two commonest causes of crime are poverty and feeble-mindedness. People who are too poor to pay their debts are sent to prison. By far the greater propor­tion of legal offences are offences against property, so that it is largely true that the purpose of the law is to defend the propertied classes against the unpropertied. The saying, "There but for the grace of God go I," might well be changed to " There but for the grace of Mammon go I." A large percentage of criminals are feeble-minded persons. It would not be difficult to devise methods by which such persons could be trained to be harmless if not useful members of society.

It is commonly believed that the main purpose of our criminal code is to deter the criminal and protect society. InvestigatIOn shows, however, that this is a comparatively unimportant motive in our legal punishments. If the protection of society were our chief aim l we should treat with greatest severity such " criminals" as careless motorIsts, people who spread influenza by going out with a cold, and fraudulent company promoters, for the distress and loss of life caused by such people is infinitely greater than that caused by the criminals to whom the law is most severe. The law is most brutal to those who offend against traditional " moral" feelings; erotic crime inflames popular indignation out of all proportion to its real gravity or the need to protect society against it.

It is a common fallacy that severity is the best means of checking crime. In the days of capital punishment for theft, pickpockets, it was observed, were specially busy among the crowds watching the hanging of the criminal. As our penal code has become less severe, offences against the law have become leSB numerous. One of the severest of our punishments which has been abolished with

6

beneficial effect is solitary confinement. It was believed at one time that solitary confinement would cause criminals to reflect on and repent of their sins. Criminals~ however, have seldom any aptitude for meditation and spiritual communion, ana the effect of solitary confinement was harmful and often led to lunacy. It was Galsworthy's " Justice" that led to the abandonment of this barbarous punishment.

Conditions in prison should be so designed as to lead to the reform of the prisonor. Our methods, by which we make the prisoner spend most of his time .in solitude or in silence and fail to provide for him useful work for which he is pald, tend to lead to his moral deterioration. A prison in Russia is like a factory, in which the prisoners move about freely and mix with their fellows and are able to earn money in doing useful work. The film " The Road to Life" showed how by such treatment bands of hooligans were turned into happy and useful citizens. During his visit to Russia the lecturer visited a prison in which the prisoners built their own flats and had their wives and children with them. The worst form of punish­ment in such a prison might well be, as has been said, expulsion from the prison.

One of the worst features in our treatment of the criminal is that a person who has once been to prison is unable to get a job. The tendency is for him to return to prison, after a short period of " freedom," during which he has been carefully watched by the police.

The difficulty of replacing the present instinctivel

vindictive attitude to crime by an intelligent reformist one is greatl, increased oy the attitude of the Press. The news value of crime, and especially 0 sex crime, above all for Sunday reading, is enormous. The Sunday newspapers which deal chiefly in crime and sex have a public of ten millions; they might almost be said to provide the primary education of the British people. The Press does nothing to correct what is barbarous in our traditional standards, while it fosters an enormous admiration for certain" heroic" types of criminals, and inspIres the sentimentality which makes it possible to procure thousands of signatures fOI: the reprieve of the most dangerous criminals.

The great obstacle to the reform of our penal code has always been fear of the consequences of leniency. It was this which made Peel, for example, object to the measure for abolishing capital punishment for thefts of less than £5. Yet the evidence that severity increases rather than diminishes crime is overwhelming. Given the abolition of poverty, and the establishment of a system by which mentally defectives with unsocial tendencies could earn a living under decent con­ditions while mixing with their fellows, the number of criminals would disappear until one or two prisons were sufficient for the country.

J. B. C.

D. CHRISTIE T AIT ON .. SOME INTERNATIONAL ASPECTS OF UNEMPLOYMENT."

The lecturer began by emphasising the international character of the problem of unemployment. Most people who had studied this subject recognised that the problem could not be adequately solved except by means of international agre&­ments; nevertheless, he deprecated the tendency of nations to shirk their own responsibilities, and to take no decisive steps to apply remedies within their own boundaries.

The stupendous number of unemployed in Europe and America to-day was due to several root causes. Roughly, these were: The increase in technical knowledge and general productive capacity; the adoption of tariffs, especially by the chief creditor countries; the war debts; and lastly, but probably the most important cause of all, the currency disorganisation and the accumulation of most of the world's gold in the U.S.A. and France. There were, of course, other contributory causes due toJocal conditions.

The mal-distribution of gold was due to the fact that countries had endeavoured to avoid an adverse balance of trade; and the only way in which creditor countries could have their debts paid was by allowing imports to be in excess of exports. Great Britain, the lecturer pointed out, had thriven on an adyerse balance of trade before the war.

The fall in the level of prices had caused trade dislocation because purcbasing power had been allowed to fall as well, which was absurd . A general increase in wages and of social expenditure was clearly desirable; and more especially a reduc­tion in the bours worked, witbout reduction of wages and salaries. It was evidently necessary to put more money into the hands of consumers, and from this angle public works schemes were of value.. By this means the price level could be gradually raised, but it would need to be coupled with controlled inflation. Public

I .

11'

works should therefore be carried on hand in hand with a controlled expansion of currency by the central banks.

But there could be no doubt that in the last resort long term planning on an international basis was essential if any permanent cure was to be wrought. The short view, the purely local measures now adopted, were inadequate for so rooted a disease. The International Labour Office was doing great work in endeavouring to bring about such international agreements as were deemed to be desirable--for example, the reduction in labour hours throughout Europe to 40 hours per week­and the lectureJ: felt that it was the duty of members of such bodies as the Ethical Society to see that that work was supported.

W.E . . W.

GERALD HEARD ON "GROUP PSYCHOLOGY AND ITS VALUE FOR RATIONAL RELIGION."

The lecturer began by referring to the idea, implicit in much of the writin~ of Mr. H. G. Wells, of the larger life in which individuals must sink themselves If they are to find their ultimate satisfaction. This larger life is for Mr. Wells the life of the race, the ends of which the individual exists to subserve. It is generally said that while we as individuals are mortal, Man is immortal, but Mr. Heard pointed out that this view was no longer tenable. Our knowledge of the external world has made it clear that the race has a limited life just as we ourselves have, limited both in time and in quality. We are faced then with the ultimate question: are we the end of Life, or is Life our end? Moreover, we must ask the question to-day whether there are not other forms of consciousness besides our own.

In the 19th century such a concept as tbe latter was totally impossible. It was then thought that, on the one side, the vast majority of things consisted of dead matter j and on the other there were glimmering, phosphorescent spots of con­sciousness which were living individuals. But modern research has given us a new concept of matter. It has shown that there is nothing but activity in the Universe, and that matter is nothing more than energy. It has revealed that matter is not the hard and dead substance that it appears to be, but that it is a radio-active entity. Seeing is no longer believing, for scientists have discovered eighty-ei~ht orders of radiation where we can see with the naked eye only one. Of the liVIng world, therefore, we know only a fractional part.

In the sphere of human physiology scientific results have been even more extra­ordinary. Until recently no instruments existed for measuring the force which holds the cell together, but now such instrl,llIlents exist. It has been discovered that the cell is surrounded by an electric field which is positive and controlled by a negative core inside. The moment a cell dies it bursts by the pressure of the force within. Life can then be described as an electric force--a potential.

Psychology has also advanced to new conceptions and has now realised the tremendous importance of the sub-conscious, which it should be remembered is of a fundamentally different order from our normal consciousness. There are just as many forms of consciousness as there are forms of matter. This is of immense significance when we realise that surface knowledge (purely mental knowledge) and cerebellular knowledge are great fields of energy surrounding the ganglia of the mind.

Mr. Heard then asked the quelltion whether we can discover in all this any co-ordinating factors in the sphere of human affairs. We have learned, he said that things preserve their form by reason of a certain magnetic field. Thi~ magnetic field, when tampered with, as, for example, by the operation of radium was destroyed, and the thing lost its shape and was disintegrated. And i~ endeavouring to discover what is wrong with the world to-day psychologists have realised that there exist no pure social groups in which the individual can submerge himself and find himself again as a part of a larger whole. To-day societies are too large and confused, and the only union between most individuals is what Carlyle called the cash nexus. Only in small groups or societies can the balance between the individual and the whole be really achieved. And it was significant in this respect that all the great creative periods in history were moments when societies were extremely small.

The general drift of Mr. Heard's lecture conveyed the impression that the submergence of the individual in a group is the only way in which real value and significance can be given to the individual life j but that such groups to be real must be of one mind and, as it were, a corporate whole.

W. E. W.

1

CONWAY FORUM. MR. JOHN KATZ ON ALDOUS HUXLEY'S "BRAVE NEW WORLD."

At the Conway Forum on January 20 Mr. John Katz opened the discussion with an address on Aldous Huxley's " Brave New World."

Mr. Katz began his paper with a brief outline of the substance of the book. "Brave New World" is an attempt to picture a completely realised scientific civilisation, based very largely on the ideas and speculations of Ford, Pavlov and J . Bt. S. Haldane. From Ford is derived the conception of the complete mechanisa­tion of all industry; from Pavlov, and also to a certain extent from Coue, the idea that the individual can be "conditioned" in any way desired by the State or by the psychologists employed by the State; from J. B. S. Haldane the conception of babies born in bottles; _and of the breeding by " unnatural " selection of a popula­tion divided into alphas, betas, gammas and deltas in proportions that lead to a stable hierarchal SOCIal system. In the" Brave New World" there are no " free" morals and no spontaneous art, for all individuals are State-conditioned auto­mata' just as there are no moral problems because there is no choice, so there are no sexuai problems because the individual is " conditioned" to be promiscuous and is never upset either by chastity or by passion, and there are no social problems because the economic organisation of society is perfectly planned in accordance with a "tested" system. Some flaw is apt to arise in the finest organisation, but a perfect remedy for all discomfort has been found in soma, the drug that produces pleasant sensations without any undesirable after-effects. A. Huxley describes ~oma as "Christianity without tears." The cQnsolation against misfortune, old age, death and other evils provided in the past by religion is given in the "Brave New World" by soma.

The influence on Aldous Huxley of Bertrand Russell and D. H. Lawrence is very marked in the book. A. Huxley has been impressed with and shares Russell's fears as to the misuse of science by powerful persons and corporations, and his view that the development of highly cultivated individuals is the highest of all human aims. He fears that a mechanised society may produce men and women to whom culture and individuality have no meaning, though they are made perfectly happy by the cheap " dope" provided for them.

D. H. Lawrence's influence on Huxley has been very perceptible in all his works since "Music at Night," and it seems that Huxley has taken seriously Lawrence's jibes on his professorial style and has come to worship with Lawrence the private world of the pure literary arti!lt. His attempts at being a natural creative artist have not, however, been successful, for he is by nature a scientific intellectual and is incapable of the gushing and passionate spontaneities of Lawrence. With all its brilliance and wit, ";Brave New World" is not a successful work. The unresolved conflict in Huxley's mind between the claims of the artist and of the scientific intelligence has affected not only his style, but also his point of view, so that the teaching of the book is hesitant and indecisive. If the conflict presented is regarded as between the spirit of Shakespeare and the spirit of Lenin, the spirit of Shakespeare cannot be said to gain a clear victory. The" Savage" who idolises Shakespeare is at the same time a smut-hound, the victim of a childish idealisation of woman, a self-flagellant, and a sadist pervert. Individuali%,liberty, culture, and religion mean also, Huxley points out, unhappiness. w nen the " Savage" tells the World Director that he wants God poetry, real danger, freedom and goodness, the latter point!! out that he is asking for the "right to be unhappy, not to mention the right to grow old and ugly and impotent, the right to have sytlhilis and cancer ... and the right to be tortured by unspeakable pains of ev~ry kllld."

In conclusion, the lecturer criticised the spirit of " egocentric individualism" which he believed to exist in this and in other works of Aldous Huxley as well as in the works of Bertrand Russell and D. H. Lawrence. The problem of Aldous Huxley was he considered, the problem of the status of the highly-conscious individual in a rev~lutionary age. There were three possible attitudes for the nrtist in an age such as the present-the attitude of Arnold Bennett, described by D. H. Lawrence as "a pig in clover," who frankly enjoyed our bour~eois civilisation and set out to be primarily an entertainer; the attitude of H . G. Wells and Bernard Shaw, who hold that our boasted c~vilisation is intole!"ab.le and that every self-re~pecting artist must be a propagandIst and a revolutlOnlst; and finally, the attItude of D. H. :';'ll;wren.ce an~ .Ald<?us Hux~ey, :who, ha~ing our mo~ern.socjet~, find refu~e in mysticism, III retlrlllg mto their private Ulllverses . ThiS thud attitude was, m the lecturer's opinion l a highly danger ous one. It was first of all, a mistake t o regard culture as spr mging out of the ind ividual. Shakespeare would have been

I; I

! I

I

I

8

impossible but for the 6QCial order which fertilised his spirit and provided the true soil for his ~rowth, and similarly all great artists and thinkers had possessed an organic relatlOn to the society which produced them. Great art would be produced in the future by men who had a pasionaie intere~t not in their own consciousness, but in the building ul? of a world civilisation. WJlat was lacking in Aldous Huxley was this fertilising faIth, this ability to surrender his personality to the ideal of the creation of a world communit~· .

J. B . C.

MR. 1. O. EVANS ON "WORLD HISTORY AS A FACTOR IN EDUCATION."

Mr. 1. O. Evans, the author of " The Junior Outline of History," spoke at the Conway Forum on February 17 on "World History as a Factor in Education."

The speaker began by pointing out that the only subject which call demand the attention of thoughtful men at the present time is the saving of civilisation from collapse. The penl is due, not to any material shortage, but to wrong ideas in the minds of men which lead them into competition and strife where co-operation is plainly needed. Of the sources from which our ideas are derived, the most potent IS school education; and it was largely to a wrong education that the evils of modern life were due. A particularly grave example of wrong education can be found in the traditional teaching of history. School historical teaching has hitherto been frankly nationalistic, leaving the child with the impression that " his" nation is the one most worthy of being studied, that it is superior to all others, and that the others only form a sort of unimportant background for ita wonderful doings. Similarly religious bodies deliberately use historical teaching to give the impression that they themselves have a monopoly of wisdom, virtue, and importance.

The Great War brought home to the common man a recognition of the dangers of nationalism. Hence arose the idea of a League of Nations; and it was in con­nection with the deve!o'pment of this idea that Mr. H. G. Wells first came to realise the need for world hIstory teaching. Wells perceived that the councils of the League tended to be completely ineifectivtl., owing to the nationalistic outlook of the delegates, which was largely produced by wrong notions of history and the lack of a common historical perspective. A world history was plainly called for ~ and as no academic person seemed prepared to write it, he set to work to proauce his " Outline of History." He hoped that it would be taken up by colleges and schools even though the reading public might neglect it; but to his surprise it was boycotted by the educational authorities and bought avidly by the common man.

The speaker had been enthusiastic for the "Outline" ever since it first appeared. He sketched the difficulties he had encountered in producing his " Junior" version, in which he had adapted Mr. Wells' work to the needs of young people. He claimed that even from the purely educational point of view

. world history was superior to national history, enabling subjects to be dealt with as a whole instead of in local fragments, and enabling history to be given a more picturesque treatment, and to be adapted more completely to the juvenile mind. Its great advantage, however, was of a frankly propagandist character-for world peace and constructive ideals. A child educated on world history would be less susceptible to anti-foreign propaganda and to the war spirit, and would be a better citizen of the world. His own work he hoped, would be of value in developing world history teaching; though he admitted its imperfections, he claimed that it should fulfil a real want, placing in the hands of progressive parents and teachers a sour('!' of information elsewhere inaccessible which was invaluable in the proper training of the young.

1. O. E. CORRESPONDENCE.

RATIONALISM AND CONWAY HALL.

To the Editor of the" MONTHLY RECORD."

DEAR Sm,-Please let me touch a question that arises out of the letters from Mr. Alee Craig and Mr. C. J. Pollard-namely, the relation between rationalism and Conway Hall. I speak as an energetic co-operator with C. A. Watts in laying the foundations , in 1890-1899, .of the Rationalist Press A:ssociation, as a present member of Conway Hall, as a lIstener to the noble Humamst, Moncure Conway in 1880, and as a helper in the Ethical Movement in 1889 and onwards. In orde; to bar out misunderstanding, I may Bay that I am still a worker for the R.P .A. and would like to see many more Conway Hallians join its membership. '

From the view-point of effective social propaganda, I consider it unwise to link Con way Hill in any special mode (as, for instance, in the Tuesday evening dis­cUBBions) with the rationalism of the R.P .A., or other type!; and 1 should apply the same remark to all Ethical Societies. We of Conway J:iaIl state that" The obl' ects of the Society are the study -and dissemination of ethical principles and the cu tivation of a rational [not " rationalist"] religious sentiment." I think these objects

i with which I heartily agree, mark a circle far wider than rationalism­

a circ e that should invite any Anglican, any Roman Catholic, any Free Churchman any Atheist, any Muslim, any Hindu, any Jew, any Buddhist, any Scientific B'umanist, or any politician, who was willing to step to our platform, in a fraternal temper, and offer counsel in support of man's physical betterment, or of a rich and creative education for all, or of international and inter-racial fellowship and unity. As anti-theolol;l:ical rationalism, in its various organised forms, stands to-day, it does not expliCitly aim at these economic, educational and universal objectives. And even if it did, I should not like Conway Hall, by federating ;with the R.P.A. or any such society, and thus allying itself with anti-theology (a different thing from non-theology), to shut out from membership any sensible and good­hearted person who ap'proves our printed objects. I perfectly well know that many fine and rigid souls WIll not vote for my attitude; but I am (so to speak) broadcast­ing to the world at large, and thinking of a bright liberal to-morrow.

Yours faithfully,

Armorel, Woodfield Avenue, .Ealing, W.5, .I!'ebruary 1, 1933.

POETRY CIRCLE.

!I'ltEDERICK J. GOULD.

On January 27 the Poetry Circle were fortunate to secure Mr. Wallis Mansford's help. He gave a paper on "Robert Burns and his Poetry," and was ably assisted by Mr. Robb Lawson, who read selections from the poet's works; by Mr. Horace Gowing, who sang several songs, the words of which were by Burns; and by Mrs. Grace James, who accompanied.

Mr. Wallis Mansford described Robert Burns as the National poet of Scotland. He had little education, but even in his early years was a great lover of books. His first poem, "Handsome NeIl," was written in his childhood. While he was still a youth his father died, and Robert took over the management of the farm, but spent much of his time writing satirical poems. The farm did not pay, and his poems upset the kirk folk. The more his heart-strings were wrung, the more beautiful became his poems, and eventually he gave over the farm to his brother, and went to Edinburgh and published his poems. He 'became very popular in Edinburgh. When he was 29 he married Jean Armour, and obtained a post in the Excise. He died at the age of 37. His whole life was haunted by poverty; one of his chief characteristics was a fondness for women, for whom he had a great attraction, and to whom he showed little consideration. "Tam 0' Shanter" is his best and most popular work.

On Friday, February 101 a paper was given by Mr. E. P. Hart on Wordsworth's "Prelude." Owing to the Illness of the Hon. Secretary an account of Mr. Hart's paper cannot appear, and the usual notices for the month are not forthcoming. They will appear later on the board.

M.I.

RAMBLES. The last two rambles of January, both arranged by Mrs. James, were striking

contrasts. We spent the afternoon of the 27th amongst the machinery of His Master's Voice factory at Hayes; the 29th in the sun and wind on the hills around Caterham.

At Hayes, 6,000 workers were doing routine jobs to fill the store to its 4,000,000 capacity. The most interesting sight was the sudden transformation of a small piece of black plastic dough (a mixture of shellac, cop aI, lamp and animal blacks) to the familiar shiny black disc, moulded, and grooved on both sides simultaneousJy~ by the gigantic pressure of the steel matrixes. Unforgettable, too, was the din or the testing room, whete l on trial for durability, records differing in key, rhythm and subject were soundlllg together. Fortunately, a normal gramophone recital followed, and tea concluded the tour.

We were glad to find at Caterham-so near to London--quiet country, where fa.rms have not yet given way to factories, and, at the end of the walk, a Youth

10

Hostel with real country fare: bread, jam, cakes and pastry all made by the hostess herself. After community singing with another rambling club and 'cello solos by our host we had a moonlight walk to the station through quiet wooded side-roads unknown to motorists, and reluctantly took train back to the noise of town.

C. K. O. Saturday Afternoon March 4.-A visit will be made to LLOYD's, il-4, LIme

street, E .C.3, conducted by the Secretary, Albert C. Dabbs, Esq. Meet at the main entrance in Leadenhall Street at 2 p.m. sharp.

Saturday Evening, March 4.-The MONTHLY DANOE at Conway Hall. All members and friends welcome. Tickets 3s., including refreshments. 7.30-11.30 p.m.

Saturday, March 1l.-DuLWICH PICTURE GALLERY, conducted by Mrs. James. Meet outside 2.45 p.m. Route: London Bridge to North Dulwich, 2.15 p.m. train.

aturday, March lS.-HALSTEAD, CH EVENING PARK, KNOOKHOLT, conducted by Mr. C. S. Newsorn. Train, 2.10 Cannon Street, 2.12 London Bridge. Cheap return Knockholt 2s. 3d.

Sunday, March 26.-FARTHING DOWN and CHALDON CHUROH, led by Mr. F. James. Tea at " Surrey Crest," with social hour after. Cheap return Coulsdon, 2s. Charing Cross 1.4 p.m., London Bridge 1.16 p.m.

Saturday, April I.-There will be an extra DANOE on Saturday, April 1. Members and friends please take note.

EASTER CO-OPERATIVE HOLIDAY. AT TIMBERSCOMBE GUEST HOUSE,

Thursday, April 13 to Tuesday, April IS. Members and friends wishing to join the party should send names with deposit

of lls. to Mrs. LISTER, Conway Hall, without delay. They will be included in order of application as far as accommodation can be obtained. Names will not be received after Sunday, March 26, when a meeting, including tea, will he held in the Library at 4 p.m., at which final arrangements will be made. It is estimated that the total cost of the holiday, including week-end ticket to Haslemere, will not exceed £2 15s. Postal address: Timberscombe Guest House, Friday's Hill, Fernhurst, Haslemere. Tel.: Fernhurst 6.

G. J. CONWA Y DISCUSSION CIRCLE.

The Conway Discussion Circle meets on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. The arrangements for March are as follows:-

March 7.-Dr. Pryns Hopkins on "Has the world's next religion been born in Russia? "

March 14.-Prof. Cyril Burt on "The psychology of memory." (This lecture starts at 7.30 p.m. instead of 7.)

March 21.-Dr. E. J. Dingwall on " Spiritualism: Science or Superstition." March 2S.-Dr. F. A. P. Aveling on " New views in psychology."

ANNOUNCEMENTS. CONWAY FORUM.-The Conway Forum meets on the first and third Fridays of

each month at 7.30 p.m. March 3.-Mrs. Beatrice King on "Education in Soviet Russia: the

foundation of a new civilisation." ::\1arch l7.-Mr. A. A. Burall 011 D. H. Lawrence's "Lady Chatterley's

Lover. " Questions and discussion follow the paper at each meeting. All Members,

Associates and their friends are cordially invited.

POETRY CIRCLE.-The Poetry Circle meets on the second and fourth Fridays of each month at 7.30 p.m.

The subjects of the papers for March will be announced on the notice board. Hon. Secretary: MARIANNE IDIENS, S5, Windsor Road, E.7.

COUNTRY DANCE GROUP .-The Group now meets every Monday in the Library at 7 p.m. for a lesson.

The entrance fee is 2s. 6d., with an additional charge of Is. per less:m attended, or 10s. down for the term. Members joining at half-term,

11

February 27, and onwards, may pay an entrance fee of Is. 3d. with an addi­tional charge of Is. per lesson attended. All newcomers to the class must be full Members of the Society.

On Wednesday, March 15, there will be a Country Dance Party in the Library at 7 p .m. All Members and their friends will be welcome. A charge of 6d. will be made to defray expenses, and members are requested to bring their supper.

The next Party in the Large Hall will take place on Wednesday, April 26.

WHIST DRIVE.-The Social Committee announce that a Whist Drive will be held on Saturday, April 8 .

.. AT HOME."-The next informal "At Home" will be beld in the Library on Sunday, March 19 at 4 p.m. Mr. H. W. Nevinson and Mrs. Nevinson (Evelyn Sharp) will act as host and hostess. A nominal charge of 6d. will be made for tea.

PLAY-READING CIRCLE.-The Hon. Secretary is gratified to find audiences for Play-Readings increasing in numbers, and hopes the change of meeting on second and fourth Thursdays. at 7 p.m., is acceptable to those interested. All members and friends are coraially invited to attend play-readings.

Thursday, March 9, "Will Shakespeare," by Clemence Dane.

Thursday, March 23, " The Kingdom of God," by Sierra.

The latter is one of the most charming and original of the modern Spaniah plays.

Hon. Secretary: Mrs. HINOHLIFP, 23, Russell Gardens, N.W.n.

seVTR VLll\~E SVNDlIY eeNeERT SeeIETY.

Sunday Vopular eoncerts (ehamber Music).

The FORTY-SEVENTH SEASON will be continued every SUNDAY EVJ:NINO.

February 26.-Piano: Ethel Hobday. String Quartet: Jessie Grimson, Leonard Stein, Dorothy Jones, Robert Grimson. Vocalist: Plunket Greene. At the Piano: S. Liddle. Dohnanyi's Piano Quintet in E flat; Frank Bridge's Three Idylls for String Quartet; Stanford's Piano Quintet; Two Groups of Songs by Stanford.

March 5.-The Griller String Quartet: Sidney Griller, Jack O'Brien, Philip Burton, Colin Hampton. Piano: Johanne Stockmarr. Arnold Bax's String Quartet in G; Piano Solos by Neruda and Strauss-Friedman; McEwen's " Bisay " String Quartet; Cesar Franck's Piano Quintet.

March 12.-The Stratton String Quartet: George Stratton, David Taylor, Watson Forbes'pJohn Moore. Piano: Reginald Paul. Vocalist: Violet Russell. Arnold Bax's iano Quintet; Brahms' Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Handel, for Piano; Mozart's String Quartet in D minor.

March 19.-Piano: Ricbard H. Walthew. String Quartet: Charles Woodbouse/ Waiter Price Ernest Yonge, Charles A. Crabbe. Vocalist: Dorothea Webb. At the Piano: Eha Ivimey. Waltbew's Piano Quintet; Saint-Saens' Piano and Violin Sonata; Novak's Piano Quintet.

Marc~ 26.-The Sch~iller String Quat:tet; Isidore Schwiller, Max Salpeter, Rae Jenkms, Robert Gnmson. Second VIola: Harold Turner. Piano: L. A. Collingwood. Brahms' String Quintet in G; Collingwood's Piano Quintet· Spohr's String Quintet in E flat, Op. 33, No. 1. '

Members' Tickets 3s. each, admitting to Reserved Seats to May 7 (except Easter Sunday, April 16) may be had from the Hon. Treasurer of the Concerts, ANDREW E. WATSON, Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, W.C.1, by sending remittance and stamped addressed envelope.

Doors open at 6.10. Concert at 6.30. Admission Free. Silver Collection. Committee Meeting on Sunday, March 5, at 5 p.m. Hon. Treasurer: ANDREW E. WATSON, Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, W.e.I. Hon. Secretary: ALFRED J. CLEMENTS, 8, Finchley Way, N .3. Hon. As&i&tant Secretaries: f Mrs. D. M. Cr.EMENTS, 8, Finchley, Way, N .S.

I GEORGE HUToHllisoN, 12, Alwyne Square, N.1.

12

eeMMITTEE. A. J. CLEMENTS. J. B. COATES. E. l!'. ERRINGTON.

Mrs. F. M. HAWKINS. Mrs. HINOHLIFF. H. LIDSTONE.

E. SNELLING. Mrs. V. STUTTIG. F. STUTTIO.

A. M. S. FERNANDE8. W. FISH.

A. S. TOMS. Mrs. WATSON.

F. G. GOULD. S. G. GREEN.

Mrs. T. C. LINDSAY. Mrs. E RIOHARDS. Miss F. J. SIlIIONS. A. E. WATSON.

Concert Country Dances Dances Orchestra ... Play Reading Poetry Circle Rambles

Secretaries of Sub-eommittees. ALFRED J. CLBMENTS, 8, Finchley Way, Finchley, N.3. MISS QVERY, 70, Lewisham Park, S.E.13. MRS. JAMES, 302, Dalston Lane, E.8. E. J. FAmHALL, 18, Golden Manor, Hanwell, W.7. MRS. HINOHLIFF, 23, Russell Gardens, Golders Green. MRS. MARIANNE IDIENS, 85, Windsor Road, E.7. MRs. JAMES, 302, Dalston Lane, E.8.

Socis:1 {MAJOR GAMBLE, 43, Woodland Gardens, N.lO. ... MRS. G. CATHERALL, 49, Cecile Park, N.8.

New M('mbers: Mr. A. MoHATTIE, 4, Heene Roadl....Chase Side, Enfield. Miss K. E. HARRIS, 47, GranviIle .tl.oad, N.4. Mrs. L. A. THATOHER, 94, Brecknock Road, N.7. )11'. R.. E. BIGGS, 79, Willesden Lane, N.W.6 . Mr. J. C. HALE, 44, Coram Street, W.C.I. :Mr. E. T. WILLIAMSON, 17, Dane Street, W.C.I.

New Associates: Mr. A. J. BENSUSAN, 7, Pembridge Mansions, W.2. Miss E. COGILL, 2, Makepeace Mansions, N.S. Mr. E. V. ROCERS, 10, P arolles Road, N.19.

New Student A!IOsociate : Mr. M. H. GANDI, 42, Denning Road, N.W.3.

ehanOes of llddress 1

Miss A. CARPENTER, Seymour House, Seymour Place, South Kensington, S.W.IO. Mrs. E. M. FENTON, Seymour House, Seymour Place, South Kensington,

S.W.IO. Miss K. PEAROE, 31, Delancey Street, Regents Park, N.W.I. Miss G. POOLE, Seymour House, Seymour Place, South Keusington, S.W.IO. Major W. J. R. WINGFIELD, Strettington House, Chichester, Sussex.

Deaths: Mr. A. REIss. Mr. F. A. RIOHARD8.

DIARV F~R MARe". 1 General Committee ... 6.30 p.m.

I 17 Con way Forum 7.30 p.m.

3 Conway Forum ... 7.30 p.m. 18 Ramble: Halstead, etc • 4, Ramble: Lloyd's (see page 10). (see page 10) 4 Dance 7.30 p.m.

I 19 Service 11 a.m.

5 Service 11 a .m. 19 At Home ... 4 p.m. 6 Concert 6.30 p .m. 19 Concert ... 6.30 p.m. 6 Country Dances 7 p.m. 20 Country Dances 7 p.m. 7 Discussion ... 711 .m . 21 Discussion ... 7 p.m. 9 Play-Reading Circle 7 p.m. 23 Play-Reading Circle 7 p.m.

10 Poetry Circle ... 7.30 p,m. 24 Poetry Circle 7.30 p.m 11 Ramble: Dulwich Picture 26 Service 11 a.m.

Gallery (see page 10) 26 Ramble: Farthing Down 12 Service 11 a.m. and Chaldon Church (see 12 Concert 6.30 p.m. page 10) 13 Country Dances ... 7 p.m. 26 Concert 6.30 p.m . 14 Discussion ... ... 7.30 p.m. 27 Country Dances ... 7 p .m . 15 Country Dance Party 7 p .m. 28 Discussion ... 7 p.m.

Printed and Published by THII UTOPIA. PRESS, LTD .. 44, Worship Street, E~