Non·M embers ca n obta in this publication f rom the H on. Secretary, POlt free 2 /. per aDDum

1929.

Record he South Soc iety,

CONWA Y HALL, RED LION SQUARE, w.e.I. Place Ethical

Telephone, CHANCE Y 8032

0BJEeT 0P THE S0eIETV. "The Object of the Society is the cultivation of a rational religious sentiment, the study of ethical principles, and the promotion of human welfare, in harmony with advancing knowledge."

SUNDAY MORNING SERVICES . The following DISCOURSES will be delivered, tbe Ser vices beginning a t

ELl:. VEN O'CLOCK.

October 27.-C. DElISLE BURNS, M.A., It.Lit.-Diplomacy and Finan ce. Pia.noforte Solos

Intermezzi in A major, Op. 118; in B flat minor, Op. 116, and in C major, Op. 118

MI:. Wl;:LIAM BUSOH. i !\' o. 227 The heart it hath its own estate.

Hymns I No. 63. All grim, and soiled, and brown with tan.

November 3.-C. DEllS LE BURNS, M.A., D.Lit.-The Arts and the People. Sonata for Violoncello and Piano ... ... ... '"

Hymns

Largo-Allegro con Rllirito-Adu!!"io-ViYIlc:e. Miss HILDEGABD ARNOLD and Mr. WILLIAM Bl/SCTI.

{ Xo. 133. Lie open, soul I around thee press. No. 112. There is in overy human heart.

November lO.-C. DElISLE BURNS, M.A., D.Lit.-War and Religion . • oprano 010. To Daffodils R. H.

Mi'~~ HEsE Snn.sox:·

Eccle.~

Waltltew

Ba.s Rolo. Eldorado ... 11. H . Wallltew Mr. G. C. DowMAN.

( No. 30. ot with the flashing steel. The World Flag. Words by John Russell. MURic by R. H. Walthew.

The Composer at the Piano. Hymns

November H .-JOHN A. HOBSON, M.A.-Law and Order. Piarloforte Solo

Sonata in A, Op. 120

Hymns

1. Allegro Moderato. 2. Andante. 3. Allegro. Mr. WILLIAM BUSCH.

r No. 76. These things shall be I a loftier race. I Xo. 115. Happy he who e spirit ear.

Schubert

Nov2mber 24.-Prof. GRAHAM WALlAS.-The Social Function of Property. Roprano Solo. Loyeliest of Tr~ s ... ... ... Graltam Peel

MiR' HEUE SUIPSON. Ba~R Solo. l\fy.elf When Young

M;: G. C. DO\VMAN':' Lcltmann

Hymns No. 17. A dreamer dropped a random thought. I No. 11. An offering to the shrine of power.

The Committee request the audience to refrain from applaus . . A Hl/mn Practice. 10 wltich all 7'er .• on.~ desirous 0/ improving the hymn singing are 'nvited, is h rld af lite clo .• e of each Servirc.

Piani, ' : Mr. WILLTAM BUSOTI. A Collection i. made at each Service, to enable those present to contribute t o the

e.rp.nSC8 of thc Society. MEMBERS RIV.

Any person in sympathy with the Objects of the Society is cordially invited to bocome a J.{EMIlER. The amount of subscription is optional. with a minimum of 2s. 6<1. per I]I!ar!er, or 10s. per annum. Any p.e~son interested in the Society's work, but not wl~hlllg 10 become a member, may JOIn as an ASSOCIATE. the min imum subscription hCIll~ Ss. per annum. Further particulars may be obtained before and after the Sunday 're.rvlces, or on application to the Hon. Registrar, MISS R . HALLS, Conway Hall, Red '\0. quare, W.C.1.

R0NeRllRV 0FFH2ERS. Treasurer C. E. LISTER, 17, Churston Mansions, W .C.1. Secretary F. M. OVERY, Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, W.C.I Sunday Lecture Secretary F. 'vV. READ, 65, Harley Road, Harlesden, N.W.lO. Minutes Secretary Miss E . PALMt:R, 74, Falkland Park Avenue, S.E.25. Registrar 0/ Members and I . .

Associates ... . .. I MISS R. HALLS, Conway Hall, Red LlOn Square, W.C.1.

Editor 0/ MONTHLY RECORD JOHN MURPHY, 41, Brookland Rise, N.W.ll.

{

Miss V. A. ALEXANDER,S, Hopefield Avenue, Brondesbury Librarians ... Park, N.W.6.

F. STUTTIG, 2, Durand Gardens, Stockwell, S.\V.9.

Treasurer, Co"way HaU l N. LmsToNE, 96, Blackstock Road, N.4. Appeal Fund

The GEm:RI\L COMMITTEE will meet on Wednesday, November 6, at Conway Hall, W.C.l. Correspondence dealing with matters for consideration should be for­warded to F. M. OVERY, Hon. Secretary, Conway Hall, Red Lion. Square, W.C.l, at t!:le earliest possible moment. All matters relating to finance should be addressed to the Treasurer.

Secretaries of Sub-Committees are requested to not~ that any matter which they wis;h to insert in the MONTHLY RECORD should be in the bands of Mr. F. W . READ not later tban 15th of the month. All literary matter should be forwarded to the Editor, MR. JOHN MURPHY, 41, Brookland Rise, N.W.lt, as early in the month as possible.

EDITORIAL. The progress of th.e Society since the opening of Conway Hall has

dispelled all apprehension of danger from the break of the association with South Place; indeed, it seems that transplantation in a new soil has had a stimulating effect. Since September Ist no less than fifty new members and twenty new associates have joined us. All our meetings have been well attended and contributions to the Appeal Fund continue to come in. If we continue to grow at this rate we shall soon be able to develop an activity without parallel in the history of the Society.

* * * * Our Sunday morniI\~ discourses and Tuesday evening discussions for

November should prove specially attractive to thoughtful young men and women. Anyone who glances at the first page of this Record may well ask himself whether he could spend a Sunday morning in November more profitably than in joining the congregation in Conway Hall.

* * * * We would dra\y special attention to the Social Meeting to be held in the

Library at 7 p .m. on Monday, 18th November, when Mrs. Winifred Stephens Whale will speak on " Anatole France as I Knew Him." Lovers of French literature will be attracted by the name of the most fascinating of modern writers of French, and those who know French literature in translation will recall what they owe to the translations and essays published under the name of Miss Winifred Stephens. We hope to see many of our new fellow-members on this occasion.

CHRONICLE OF THE MONTH. 1n a brief account in the October RECORD of the inaugural meeting held at Conway

Hall on the evening of Monday, September 23, we inadvertently omitted to mention the name of Miss N. Eberty amongst those whose letters of congratulation. were read by the chairman. 1t is a matter of regret to Miss Eberty and to her friends in the Societv that she is now unable, owing to infirmity, to attend the Sunday morning services. -

3 UNVEILING OF ALDRED MEMORIAL.

The proceedings in connection with the formal opening of Con.way Hall on Septem. ber 23 began with the unveiling of tbe fireplace in tbe Library erected in memory of Mr. John Aldred. Mr. "\Yallis Mansford explained the external features of the Memorial, and said that Mr. Aldred's widow regretted her inability to be present at the ceremony, but had sen.t a donation of ten pounds to be expended in books as a further token of her husband's interest in the Society.

Dr. Delisle Burns then formally accepted the Memorial on behalf of the members. He said he had known John Aldred perhaps rather better than any other member of the Society. To him he exemplified the best type of man which the tradition of South Place had produced, embodying the high seriousness of the Puritan spirit with a love for the things of beauty and a very strenuous desire to do something to help adolescent minds to realise their latent aspirations. Such a combination in one personality he thought was not very frequently met with, and it was a notable tribute to South Place that it should have so largely moulded John Aldred. He could not conceive that such a man would desire a greater honour than was conveyed by association with the literary thought of the generations which had its visible sign in the renewed effort to carry on the torch of human enlightenment. A. S. T.

* * * * INAUGURAL MEETING IN THE LARGE HALL. Dr. C. DELISLE BURNS opened his remarks from the Chair by referring to the skill

with which the architect, Mr. Herbert Mansford, had created a new body for the soul of the South Place Ethical Society, and to Mrs. Stuttig's sculptures on either side of the platform. We were not in this Hall~ ' he said, adding a new pulpit to those already existing in the land. It was. not a pulpit but a platform, and not a platform composed of planks which everybody had to accept beforehand, but a place for free and pla'n speaking on all the weighty matters that concern us: war and peace; wealth and poverty, the arts, literature and science. There were two enemies of progress often encouraged by the example of the men of knowledge and thought~ilence and ambiguous speech. Silence was a vice of the intelligent and amounted to a desertion on their part in the face of the enemy. It was important that the leaders of thought should speak, and speak plainly. That did not mean speakiug impolitely. The notions which stood in the way of clear thinking two generations ago had rapidly vanished away. Ohtrusive denials of them were no longer necessary. It was now far more important that people should express their constructive ideas and formulate the new insight which was to take the place of the doctrines that had been ahandoned.

Prof. GILBERT MURRAY said that at first glance it was rather difficult to see what idea Dr. Moncure Conway's career stood for. He had taken up and abandoned several things in his time and seemed not to have been particularly successful in anything. Yet here were wer ecalling our Hall by his name and regarding bis life as a symbol of something that we accounted precious.

On looking more closely at Conway's career, however, one saw its real significance. He had given up advantages, even opportunities for doing good, because he con· sidered the sacrifice a lesser evil than acquiescing in something he believed to be false or wrong. The point of difference between him and his congregation was at one time a religious doctrine, at another time the question of slavery or of its abolition, but whatever it may have been Conway acted on the conviction that it was more important to speak the truth than to attam by sacrificing it any kind of success that wa open to hIm. He placed sincerity first. It is this that made his career symbolic. But were the sacrifices worth while? 'Vould it not have been better, for example, to say Once clearly that he did not believe in slavery and thereafter hold his peace on the subject, doing what good he could in other ways? Our view was decidedly that the sacrifices were worth while. The study of social history shows that beneficent changes can only be brought about by just this kind of sinceritv and courage. And the verdict ?f history was confirmed by direct moral feeling which for most of us is the decisive lII.fluence in matters of personal conduct.

. The duty of the thinking few is to speak tbeir inmost thoughts, even about matters whIch seem at first sight remote from practical affairs . In questions of religion ethics and philosopby that see~ specuJati:ore, reticence and ambiguity are. in the long ~un di~~ astrous. PractIcal experIence contmually demonstrates the neceSSIty of sincerity about fundamental things. Idealism and experience meet.

. T~e religion of a people ought to develop with its experience, growing in new dIrectIOns to meet new needs and modifying itself to accord with new knowledge. It would a~tually develop in this way if all the best thinkers were sincere and frank. For ~~n.ous reasons, bowever, the intelligent failed lo perform their natural functions of ~ntJclsm. Thev were sometimes moved by the fear of disturbing a system of ideas whIch, although false, ~eemed to support morality. But their abstention did not pre. serye the outgrown tradltion which was gradually undermined until it suddenly became

4

incredible to the mass of men with disastrous results to the morality that had been associated with it . It was dangerous to base our life on a falsehood which might at any moment be detected. There was the same need of chan.ge and growth in religion and ethics as there was in law, in the constitution and in education. Tradition was like an old map. It had been useful as a guide in former times but did not correspond with the present aspect of the world. It gave no guidance about the new streets. It was not entirely false and worthless, yet it was in many im­portant matters misleading and dangerolls. Hence tradition required continual sifting, and this work of sifting tradition is the duty of the thinkers. They take the place of the priests of former times. The thinkers have to stand between the living and the dead. Their first duty is to proclaim the truth as they know it. The abandonment of sincerity by an accepted teacher is like the desertion of a soldier before the enemy in the field. It was the supremacy of this duty of seeking and pro­claiming truth that Moncure Conway stood for.

Miss ATHENE SEYLER, in a graceful speech, mentioned her own connection from childhood with South Place, where she had made her first appearance on the stage, and the deep impression which the personality and teaching of Conway had made upon her father. In her own work as an artist the quality of sincerity was no less essen.tial than in the sphere of intellect and of practical morality.

Mr. F. M. OVERY (Hon. Secretary) gave a bird's eye view of the history and present position of the Society. 'Ye were commencing the third phase of our existence. The first had begun in dingy Parliament Court in 1793 and the second in 1824, when ~Ir. J. Fox moved to South Place. He recalled how he had himself ,with others, dreamed of this new hall and agitated for it twenty years ago. Many members thought this a dangerous step, but with characteristic loyalty they worked hard for the success of the new scheme once the die had been cast. Valuable help had been given by the late Mr. John Aldred, Mc. Lidstone, Mr. C. J. Pollard and Mr. Herbert Mansford, whose long labours had been crowned with splendid success. Generous financial help had also been rendered by our friends. Yet the results of the appeal fell short of our expectation. Our capital would be all expended on the construction and furnishing of the building, but an endowment fund of £10,000 was necessary if our work was to go on freely. He hoped a friendly millionaire would take account of this difficulty. There was a great deal to be done in many directions. We needed money; we needed voluntary help in order to develop an.d sustain the many-sided activities we had undertaken.

Mr. JOHN A. HODs ON recalled Mr. Overy's remark that there was a great work for this Society to do. It was characteristic of Moncure Con way that he moved on with the times, turning his attention to new themes as the circumstances demanded. There were other fields for the action of free thought besides the field of theology. Follies and absurdities existed in other departments of life-in politics, in business and in society. It was vain to attempt to handle twentieth century problems with nineteenth century mentality. There was, for example, the question of population, its quantity and its quality; there was the problem of how, in the new economic order, to reconcile the claims of individualism with the co-<>perative power of Socialism, an.d there was the need of vigilant attention to the international issues now coming into a new promi. nence. The times in which we live demand that our new work should not be narrow and destructive, but many-sided and constructive.

Prof. GRAHAM WALLAS said that we were called upon to reconcile tradition. with invention. This ought not to be difficult for us because our tradition itself was one of invention. Vole wen~ fortunate in that, unlike the older chapels, we had no definite parish. Had we been tied by traditional association to a particular area in the neighbourhood of Liverpool Street our migration to this spot might have had dis­astrous consequences. Our new site suggested a great opportunity. 'vVe should be near the new University of London, where young men and women will soon begin to gather. This great fun.d of unsatisfied seriousness would concentrate itself here if we could win their respect. He had lately had occasion to feel the constraint imposed by ancient associations at the funeral of his old friend L. T. Hobhouse. He had to speak valedictory words about him in surroundings in which only by a contin uol1s effort could onc succeed in expressing one's thought an.d feeling without disguise. He hoped that if when the time came his friends would like to say words of farewell over his own ashes, the ceremony could take place in one of the smaller rooms of Conway Hall, where there would be no hin.drance to the most complete sincerity. An American friend, discllssing politics with him, once said that in America "we wcre content if we decided as a result of our thinking how wc should vote, but YOll in the Fabian Society wanted to decide how everybody in the world should vote." In Con way Hall we were endeavouring to think for the whole world. If we were inventive enough to rise to the full height of our task this might be not merely the beginnin.g of a work that would influence the thought of our time; it had a chance of being an influ­ence on the civilisation of mankind.

Mr. RICHARD 'VALTREW spoke of the musical side of th work that had been

...

carried on at South Place. A series of concerts of the finest kind extendin.g over forty years must be a unique record. Mr. Clements had been eclectic in the best sense, not banishing masters because they were not his own favourites! but representing ever"':! kind of excellence so long as it was senous. He had never gIVen way to mere fashIon or suffered triviality to mar the impression that a fine concert ought to create.

ld:r. ALBERT HALsTEAD (Consul-General of the United States), in moving a vote of than.ks to the speakers, and especially to Prof. Gilbert Murray, mentione~ the inter­esting fact that his father had been a close friend of Moncure Conway and hIS colleague as newspaper correspondent during the Franco-Prussian war of 1870.

Dr. SUNTaN COlT, in seconding the vote of thanks on behalf of the other Ethical Societies declared that the success or failure of South Place meant the rise or decay of the othe~ Societies also. T'ti.e existence of a building ensured the permanence of the ideal it embodied. There were at one time over twenty Ethical Societies in England, but all except a few had disappeared, chiefly because of the lack of a secure hahitation. Logic and criticism were not enough. These could be pursued in. isolation and would not of themselves lead to the creation of a Society such as this. Fox and Conway were not only thinkers but also poets inspired by the enthusiasm of humanity. It was this that embodied itself in the spirit of fellowship which was the soul incarnated in

Conway Hall. * * * * rONW.\:x MEMORIAL LECTURE.

The Conway Memorial Lecture was delivered on September 25 by Mr. Laurence Housman. The Chair was taken by Mr. H. \V. Nevinson. The lecture is obtainable at the bookstall for one shilling. Hr. H. G. Vlells was also present, and took the oppor­tunity of mentioning, amongst other things, fiis lack of enthusiasm for the present League of Nations.

DR. DELISLE BURNS ON AMERICA. There was a large audience on September 29 to hear Dr. C. Delisle Burns on

"_-\merica and Civilisation," in which he considered what contribution the United St,\"I.'s 'on; making to civilised life, civilised life being the attitude and habit of men and women in their intercourse with one another. He illustrated the character­istics of the American scene, the mighty geographical scale of daily thinking the mechanisation of people engaged in. industry, the extraordinary patches of violence that existed in certain great cities, the sense of equality that struck a visitor from this snobbish and flunkeyish continent. It should not be forgotten, the speaker said, that the U .S.A. should not be compared with a little place like England but with the whole of Europe. Has Europe solved her problem of violence? There was in American culture a certain initiativeness that produced monstrosities here and there-a Parthe­non stretched out to ten times the size of the Athenian model or a Gothic building twice as high as Rheims Cathedral and ten times as narrow. But that should not blind us to the real love of the beautiful that existed and expressed itself in business men's orchestras and painting societies, as well as in a characteristic American architecture and in many other directions. America was a land of experiments, the results of which might be of incalculable value. The youn/Zer generation was deliberately experimentaf. distrusting tradition on principle. In their dismay at this rejection of accepted standards some of the old generation held fast to fundamentalism as to a rock in a desert land. As far as world politics were concerned most Americans lived in com­plete innocence of their na.ture as a result of isolation from the rest of the world. The result was a naive nationalism which might be very dan-/Zerons. They did not under­stand Europe, and their unfortunate consciousness of good inten.tions led them to think that nothing more was necessary to the solution of its problems than 10 pass a law or to utter some fine platitude.

THE ANNUAL SOIREE. The Annual Soiree on September 29 concluded the inaugural week on a less formal

note .than that of the opening meet!ng on the pre-yious Mon.dav. Thl' function this year was In the nature of a honse-warmmg. Many fnends were present who, owing to vari­ous reasons, have few opportunities of participating in uor usual activities. The speeches were brief. Mr. John Murphy, who took the chair, paid tribute to the work of the architect, Mr. Herhert Mansford, an.d referred to the debt we owed to Mr. F. M. Overy, the Honorary Secretary, and otber untiring helpers. Mr. J. P . Gilmour Chairman of the Board of Directors of the R.P .A., who said tbat he spoke not only a; a Rationalist b.ut also as a member of the Society, dwelt on the wide and swift movement in the direc­lion of rationalism and tolerance that bad occurred during his lifetime, and that the w~rk of the Rationalist an.d Ethical gronps had been powerful contributorv causes of thIS change. Dr. C. DeJisle Burns regarded the change as a decay of theology, not of

I.,

6

religion. "Ve bad to find a new expression for tbe experience which our fathers had formulated in terms that were now antiquated. But our activities should not be confined to propaganda. Our Society should foster a new attitude in practical life which would be recognised as distinctive. A pleasant evening was made more delightful by two very accomplished artistes, Madame Lily Henkel (piano) and Miss Orrea Pemel (violin).

* * * * MR. RATCLIFFE ON BERNARD SHAW.

The religion and politics of Bernard Shaw were the subject of a disquisition on October 6 by Mr. S. K. Ratcliffe, who has had the advantage of long acquaintance with the Sage. Most readers and hearers of Mr. Shaw would claim him as a Rationalist, but it appears that he objects to this classification. Mr. Ratcliffe traced the development of his religious views from "Man and Superman," through Blanco Posnet, on to Methuselah without being able to take the latest phase very seriously in spite of his appreciation of many brilliant passages in the Shavian Pentateuch.

Shaw advocated equality of income without subscribing to what many people under­stand by democracy. He hated the ignorant, sentimental, inefficient mob and took every opportunity of expressing bis feelings about it. In bis detestation of it he prob­ably made his first mistake, that of praising the present Italian dictatorship. It was curious tbat a man wbo had all his life been a humanitarian should have founJ good words to say for the doings of Mussolini. His latest extravaganza, " The Apple Cart," furnished a new illustration of his philosophy. Tbe critics showed the widest divergence of opinion <IS to its value and even as to its meaning, but it would probably be found that once more the dramatist had done his contemporaries the service of confronting them with problems in imaginative guise tbat tbey would soon have to solve in deadly earnest.

* * * * DR. DELISLE BURNS ON " THE MORAL TANDARD IN LITERATURE."

On October 13 Dr. Delisle Burns spoke on "Tbe Moral Standard in Literature." He said that one of tbe fundamental functions of government was to encourage desirable types of men and women. He was not in favour of censorship of books by the police. Government machinery tended to get out of date and tberefore to become OppTl!ssive. Men and women were not all on one level, and tbe terms Vice and Virtue were inade­quate expressions. At tbe end of the Latin classical era books were written on wbat were sometimes called "doubtful subjects." Tbe Middle Ages had fixed standards, but at the Renaissance, and again at the present time, such books were written. Tbey were expressions of social malaise in a transition period. We could not do away with Christian sanctions and traditions and leave untouched Christian morality. Thi; was not an argument for leaving intact false tradition, but for a revised statement of duty. There was a rule of good manners which prevented certain things from being pro claimed from tbe bousetops. People must be given strength to resist harmful influence. In industrial cities tbe ugly streets, ugly clothes, and tbe ugly noises tended to tarve tbe emotions of beauty. As these things were improved beauty would cease to he dangerous. F. H. M.

* * * * THE OCTOBER OCIAL.

In tbe Librarv on Mondav evening. October 14, Mr. S. K. Ratcliffe discussed the American novelists of to-day ..

Like all Mr. Ratcliffe's lectllre~ this was most informative, broad in vision, and exceedinglv interesting. He said that there was no outstanding genius amongst 'he novelists in the United States, but many talented men and women writers. He dis­cussed those who were best known to English and other European r~aders, such authors as Upton Sinclair, Sinclair Lewis. and Theodore Dreiser. These, like many more of the less kn~wn writers, lacke~ the fine literary. style and craftsmanship of Henry .T ames and Edlth Wbarton. Theu method of wntmg was more reportorial. Tt was Upton Sinclair who had established this precedent as well as that of the choice of the sl1biect-matter, wbich was an exposu re of certain detrimental social conditions. Theodore Dreiser, in "The Ameri('an Tra!!'edv," followed the method established bv Upton Sinclair in his "Jungle." "The Brass Check." "Oil," and later in " Boston." Sinclair Lewis. in. bis titles of "Main Street" and "Babbit" had the unusual distinction. of creating two expressions which incorporated in themsel~es definite characteristic pictnres, and which had become universally current in speecb. Of those others whose popularity had spread beyond America, and whose literary style was better, Mr. Ratcliffe mentioned Thornton Wilder, Sberwood Anderson, and Joseph Hergesheimer. C AROLTNE MAULE.

-

7.

RaMBLES.

Saturday, November 2.-DANCE, in large ball. Tickets, 3s. 6d. Non-dancers de· sirous of looking on may do so; admission Is., including refresbments.

Saturday, November 9.-CRIPPLEG\TE CHURCH and HISTORICAL L01,;))O)l adjoining . Conducted by Mr. Edward nelling. Meet outside Churcb, 2.15, for 2.30 p.m.

Sunday, November 17.-After service walk from 'Wimbledon to Richmond. Con­ducted by Mr. Angus. Lunch in the Clubroom. Meet at \Vaterloo Station, 1.45.

Saturday, November 23.-TIIEATRE PARTY, to " The Apple Carlo" Meet in Gallery queue, Queen's Theatre (2s.), at 5 p.m. Leader, Miss Rose Salmon. Suggestion: Bring stools for queue.

Saturday, November 30.-DANCE.

Secretaries J I

GRACE JA!.!ES. OLTVER WARWICK.

semTH 1?LaeE SUNDay eeNeERT SeeIETY. Sunday Popular l.2oncerts (l.2hamber Music).

The FORTY-FOURTH SEASON will be continued every Sunday in Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, Holborn., \V.C.1.

October 27.-THE DETTMAR DRESSEL TRIO: Violin: Mr. Detlmar Dressel; 'Cello: Mr. heridan Russell; Pianoforte: Mr. Ivan Pbillipowsky. Vocalist: Miss Dorotbca Webb. At the Piano: Miss Ella Ivimey . Tscbaikovsky's Piano Trio; Scbumann's Phantasiestiicke Trio and Papillons for Piano.

November 3.-Violin: Miss Bessie Rawlins. Violoncello: Mr. AlIen Ford. Piano­forte: Mr. Jobn Pauer. Vocalist: Miss Helen Henscbel. Brahms' Trio in C minor; Bach's Chaconne for Violin alone; Benjamin Dale's Ballade for Violin and Piano; Mozart's Trio in E.

November 10.-Violin: Mr. George Stralton. Viola: Mr. Lawrence Leonard. 'Cello: Mr. John Moore. Piano: Miss Ivy Parkin. Vocalist: Mr. Leslie Holmes. At the Piano: Mr. Reginald Goodall. George Stratlon's Piano Quartet; Dvorak's Piano Quartet in E flat; Beethoven's Piano and Violin onata in D, Op. 12, No. 1.

November 17.-Concert on behalf of tbe Musicians' Benevolent Fund (founded in memory of Gervase Elwes) . The SPENCER DYKE STRING QUARTET: Messrs. Spencer Dyke, Tate Gilder, Bernard Shore, B. Patterson Parker. Piano: Mr. Reg-inald Paul. Vocalist: Madame Tatiana Makushina. At the Piano: Miss Ella lvimey. Beetboven's Quartet in F minor; Elgar's Piano Quintet; Chopin's PianQ Sonata in B minor, Op. 58.

November 24.-THE STRATTON STRING QUARTET: Messrs . Georg-e Stralton, William Manuel, Lawrence Leonard, John Moore. Piano: Miss Johanne Stockmarr. Beethoven's String Quartet in D; Piano Solo; Scbumann's Piano Quintet.

Doors open at 6.10 p.m. Concerts at 6.30. Admission Free. Silver Collection. Committee Meeting on Sunday ovember 3, at 5 . .. THE STORY OF A THOU AND CONCERTS," by W. S. Meadmore, togetber

with a List of Works, Number of Performances, Names of Artists, etc. One Shilling net. Post free Is. 2d., from the Hon. Treasurer.

Hon. Treasurer: ANDREW E. WATSON, Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, W.C.1. Hon. Secretary: ALFRED J. CLEMt:NTS, 8, Finchley Way, N.3. Hon. Assistant Secretary: MRS. D. M. CLEMENTS, 8, FiDcbley ","ay, N.3.

seUT R VLal.2E eRI.2HESTRa. 33rd Season-1929~30.

Conduc tor: RICHARD H. WALTHEW_

Practices will be held at Con way Hal] from 7 to 9 p.m. every Friday from October 4 to December 20, and from January 3 to March 21. Subscription 10s. per each half season. Any furtber particulars may be had from tbe Hon. Secretary, F. 'N. CAN!'ING, 63, Kingshall Road, Beckenbam.

S UNOJtY JtFTERNeeN SE>eIJtLS. It is proposed to hold a series of informal "At Homes" in the Library on the

secoI1d Sunday in each month. The first of the series will be held on Sunday, Novem­ber 10, from 3.30 p.m. to 5.30 p.m., when Mr. and Mrs. Overy will act as host and hostess . A nominal charge of 6d. will be made to meet the cost of light refreshments. Will memhers who wish to attend kindly advise the hostess not later than Friday, November 8, so that adequate arrangements can be made.

eaNwJtY OlSeUSSI0N eIReLE. October 29.-W. S. SANDERS, M.P.-" The Probable Developments of British

Political Parties. November 5.-Dr. MARIE STOPES-" Racial Ideals and Some Religions." November 12.-HAMILTON FVFE-" The Imbecility of War." November 19.-1\. M. LUDOVICI-" Christianity and Women." November 26.- H. D. HENDERsoN, Editor of The Nation and Atliena!ll1l/-" The

Limits of Insular Socialism."

LEJtGUE E>F NJtTIE>NS UNleN BRJtNeH. New Members are wanted for the Branch . All interested in this activity, whether

members of South Place Ethical Society or not, will be welcome. Particulars of Member­ship can be had of the Hon. Secretary, HELEN M. FAIRHALL, 8, Scarborough Road, N.4 .

saelJtL EVENING. A Social Evening for members and friends will be held in the Library on Monday,

November 18, at 7 p.m., when Mrs. Winifred Stephens 'Whale will speak on " Anatole France As I Knew Him." Admission Is ., including light refreshments.

PLJtY .. REJtOING eIReLE. The Play Reading Circle will meet on. Wednesday, October 30, at 6.30 p.m., when

" Loyalties," by John Galsworthy will be read. Names of those who wish to read parts should be sent to Miss C. TRESIDDER, Con way Hall .

eE>UNTRY OJtNeE eL1tSS. This class has now been formed and meets on Monday evenings in the Library.

An efficient teacher has been obtained, through the English Folk Dance Society, who will conduct a lesson from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m., and practice will follow from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. Members of the class pay 2s. 6d . entrance fee and Is. per lesson. Those wishing to join should apply to one of the Joint Secretaries, Miss R. BUSH or Miss P. M. OVERY. All payments should be made to the Treasurer, Mrs. D. LINDSAY.

OJtNeES. It has been decided to hold the remaining two dances before rhristmas in the lar>:e

hall. These will be lfeld on Saturday, November 2, and Saturday, November 30, from 7.30-11.30 p.m. The tickets in each case will be 3s. 6d . each, includin g refreshments, and may be obtained from Mrs. J AMES, 302, Dalston Lane, E.8, or from the Registrar. Varicus members have asked if they may come and look on, and we shall be pleased for thl'm to do so at a cost of Is. each.

ME1tNS E>F JtPPRallen T0 eE>NW1tY HJtLL. By Tube :-Holborn., 3 minutes; Russell Square, 8 minutes; British Museuf"\ and

Chancery Lane, 4 minutes.

By Metropolitan Railway :-Farringdon Road Station, 8 minutes. By District Railway :-Temple Station, 12 minutes.

'Bus Routes :-38, 138 and 19 pass the Theobalds Road entrance; also trams from Leyton, Hackney, Muswell Hill, Islington, Barking, Aldgate, Whipps Cross, Hornsey, Shoreditch and Westmin.ster.

Passengers by 'buses via Holborn should alight between Red Lion Street and Kingsway.

Passengers by tram via Gray's Inn Road should alight at Holhorn Hal1, three minutes walk from Conway Hall.

9

MR. H. G. WELLS AND THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS. lIr. H. G. "-ells, in seconding the vote of thanks to Mr. Housman, at Conway

Hall, on 'eptember 25, condemned Nationalism, and then. went on to say that the League of Nations was useless as an alternative. His criticism of the League seems to be based upon two charges : first, that the League preserves the existing Sovereignty of States on which ationalism depends, and, secondly, that the League includes among lls members and secures from criticism such tyrannies as the present regime in Italy. It must be admitted that the League is in many ways defective, as, for example, the British system of government is defective in preserving obsolete privileges; and advocates of the League system are often foolishly complacent at the shams which have been practised at Geneva by statesmen who profess peace and prepare war. There is the crudest Nationalism in certain corners of the League ecretariat itself.

But Mr. Wells is mistaken in underrating the difficulties with which any form of international government has to contend. He seems to imply that it would be wortb while to "scrap" the League and try again. And he does not give due weight to actual achievements of the League. First, Sovereignty, l-ationalism, and the oppression of llinorities or of opponents within the State are not new evils, nor are they peculiar to members of the League. In States which are not members there is even less oppor· tunity of resisting Nationalistic egoism or local tyranny than there is in States which as members of the League are made aware in League conferences that other Nations eltl1lt. The Italian representatives at the LeaglIe Assembly in 1923, after the bombard­ment of Corfu, were made to feel the disapproval of other nations-even if nothing " official" was said. Criticism of mi~itarisfic policy is feared by representatives of certain States. Mussolini does not dare to meet other Prime Ministers at Geneva. At least, therefore. the situation is a little better than it would have been if no League existed.

Secondly, aetnal achievements of the League system are not merely such obvious successes as the recovery of Austria and the rescue of Greeks, but also the established diplomatic practice of conference at fixed intervals between responsible Ministers. Sovereignty is bein.g transformed in practice. But, of course, there is no prospect of a small body of men directing the affairs of the whole world-if that is what is meant by a World State. Personally I prefer to preserve the responsibility of each nation for the t!oyernment of its own area of the earth . Not only do I not want a Swede, for example, in a world government to tell me what roads to make in England: but I do not want to tell the Swedes, if I am to be a candidate for the dictatorship of the world, how to maKe roads in Sweden. C. DELTSLE BURNS.

A NEW HYMN. The following hymn, by Mr. John Russell, set to music by Mr. Richard H. Walthew,

will be sung at the service on Armistice Sunday, November 10, with the composer at the piano. Members are asked to brin.g the RECORD to the service in order to take part in the singing and also to attend the practice of the hymn after the service on. October 27 and November 3.

THE WORLD FLAG.

Ten thousand years the warring world A thousand warring flags has flown,

And death and waste, and sorrow hurled, And bitter seed of hatred sown.

But la. man's mind pursues new lights, His heart reveals a larger t;'race,

His spirit soars to nobler heights, And earth presents a kinder face.

Time yet shall see the war-flags furled, The severed nations closer grown;

The way of love shaH win the world. The flag of peace float high alone.

Then up and swell the rallying-cry, Join hands against the ancient wrong;

In purpose firm, in. spirit high, Speed on the coming triumph-song.

JOHN RUSSELL.

10

CONWAY HALL APPEAL FUND.

Amount already acknowledged F. Stuttig, S .W .9 C . Delisle Burns ... Miss R. E . Bearcroft, E.C.l H. Crossfield, S.E.3 H. M. Hoar, Maidstone (2nd donation) W. H . Fenton, Heston . . . Mrs. A . Butcher, vV.B .. . Collectin.g Boxes at Con way Hall Madame A. Singer, N.W.ll (2nd donation) Mrs. J. R. Hinchliff, N.W.4 . .. Miss S. Elliott, N.W.3 (2nd donation) Mrs. Fenton, S.vV.I0 )2nd donation) MT. and Mrs. S. G. Green, S.E.22 (3rd donation) Mrs. Cockburn Mrs. H. Bradlaugh Bonner, J.P. (2nd donation) A. Bonner, F .S.A. A. C. Y. Bell, Keston (Bth donation) Mrs. Errington, Petersfield A. S. Bundy, S .E.14 Collected by Miss \V. A. Sowter M. Cole, per Mr. vVatson Miss E. J. Arnold, Amsterdam (2nd donation) G. Stubington, Toronto (2nd donation) F . E. Walsbe, Cbingford (2nd donation) '" Miss E . M. Swepstone, per A. J. Clements

£ s. d . 4B17 14 10

3 15 0 10 0 0 100 1 1 0 o 10 0 500

20 0 0 109 o 10 0 2 10 0 2 10 0 2 10 0 2 10 0 2 10 0 2 12 6 2 12 6 500

10 0 0 220

5 0 1 0

o 15 0 080 o 10 0 220

£4901 9 7 All donations sbould be sent to Mr . N. Lidstone, 96, Blackstock Road, London,

~.4, tbe Hon . Treasurer of tbe Fund.

LENDING LIBRARY. In response to a demand from tbe membership the Library will be open on Tuesday

e,-enings from 6.30 to 7 o'clock. The Librarians-in-Cbarge being Miss Fairhall and Mr. Maurice Miller.

We have pleasure in announcing that Mr . Wallis Mansford has received from Mrs. John Aldred, on bebalf of tbe Library, a gift of £10 to be spent on books in memory of the dedication of the Memorial Fireplace to her husband on September 23.

Since our first meeting on September 1 several gifts of books have also been re­ceived. Mr. E. Kilburn Scott has sent us, amongst others, "The Philosophy of Nietzche," by G. Cbatterton Hill; "Tbe Reconstruction of Soutb-Eastern Europe," by Vladislavr Savic; and "A :Musical Pilgrimage in Yorksbire," by J. Sutcliife Smitb. From Mr. E . A. Hawkins we have received" The Life of a Priest," by Houtin, and " The Position of 'i\Toman in Primitive Society," by C. Gasquoine Hartley. Mr. J. M. Robertson's works are always a welcome addition to our shelves, and Miss Gowa has presented us with a copy of his latest work, " A History of Freethought in the Nine­teenth Century."

SECRETARIAL NOTES. vVhen an appeal was made at tbe Opening Ceremony for £2 lOs. to add to Mrs.

Holyoake Marsh's gift of a similar sum towards a clock for the Library one little expected so instant and generous a response. Before the even.ing was over I received two promises of tbe sum required and one cheque. The next morning two further cheques arrived, and since then. three clocks, a piece of tapestry, and several" objects d'art " have been presented. The names of the givers are Mrs. Butcher, Mrs. Cockburn, Miss S. Elliott, Mrs. Fenton, Mr. and Mrs. S. G. Green, Mrs. J. R. Hinchliff, Mr. G. J. Hancock, and Mr. F. G. Squire. Grateful tbanks are due to all these donors. T trust tbat those who sent cheques will allow them to be used for beautifying the Library and other parts of the building.

So generous a response emboldens me to mention otber needs. A pressing one is a typewriter in good working condition. A gramophone is required for the Country Dance practice. Chairs are needed for the Library and a second-hand piano is wanted for the club-room.

Our Registrar reports that since September 1 fifty-three new members and twenty

II

new associates have been enrolled. Some £80 have been added to the Appeal Fund duriJag the month. Vve appreciate these contributions, but we hope members will bestir them~elves to obtain much larger sums from those who have not yet subscribed. Remember, one good friend has promised to add ten per cent. to all sums received between the opening and the end of the year.

Lettings of the Halls are improving gradually, but here again we need the help of all friends to advertise the building. Letting brochures can be obtained from the Secretary or from the Caretaker. The three Building Fund Concerts given by the Bra a Strin.g Quartette have done much to make Conway Hall known, and the Daily Tt:legrapll, on October 10, congratulates Mr. F. Herbert Mansford " on having created the most perfect concert room in London for listening to chamber music."

Will all new members and associates make a special note of the monthly "At Home "on the second Sunday in each month. The first is on Sunday, November 10, at :1.30 p.m. Here is an opportunity to make the acquaintance of the officers and other Inembers. The second dance of the season is to be held in the Large Hall on Novem­ber 2, and needs the support of members, old and new. Tickets, Ss. 6d. each, including refreshments. F. M. O.

CONW AY HALL LETTINGS The Halls and Rooms of this Build·ng are ildmirably adapted for

M E E TIN G S, CON C ER T S, DRAMATIC PERFORMANCES,

ART EXHIBITIONS, and similar purposes.

TERMS.

Large Hall 4 to lO:.l Guineas Small Hall 1

" 2J .. Library 1 ~ " 2

"

A Pamphlet containing full particulars, together with a plan of the Hall and a map of the districl, may be obtained from the Secretary,

Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, W .C/.

THE BUILDING FUND CONCERTS. . If from the Building Fund point of view the attendance at the Special Concerts in

aId of it \\as somewhat disappointing there can be no doubt as to their success in every other way.

The audience welcomed the Brosa Quartet (who played at all three concerts) in the warmest manner.

The programme opened with Mozart's Quartet in B flat, one of the set of six dedi­cated to IIaydn, to whom he owed so much. Onc is reminded of Dr. Ernest Walker's happy statement that Haydn showed Mozart how to write quartets and Mozart showed B~y.dn how quartets should be written. The B flat was played with much g race and ~PlT1t and made hearers realise again that it is one of the imperishable things in music. Solomon, who was also warmly received, played solos by Brahms and Schumann with much ?istinction and charm, and added a Mazurka by Chopin for an encore. The rendennl:( of Dvorak's Piano Quintet showed the thorough understanding between the

12

artists, and abounded in effective and striking points, which revealed the beauty and ingenuity of the composer's wonderful score. There was great enthusiasm at the close.

At the second concert Mark Hambourg contributed two groups of solos, playing Tausig's arrangement of Bach's Toccata and Fugue with great virility. His second group concluded with his own arrangement of Liszt's Fourteenth Rhapsody.

This concert began with the first of Haydn's 83 Quartets, and ended with Ravel's vastly different and only example of this form of composition. The classic simplicity of the one and complex modernity of the other were admirably brought out by the Brosa Quartet.

At the time of writing the third Concert has yet to come, but with Harriet Cohen as pianist there is certain to be no fallin g off in interest, and esar Franck's great Quintet is sure to bring the series to a close in the most triumphant manner.

The sincerest thanks are due to all the artists for their generosity in givin.g their se rvices, and there is no doubt that the concerts, and the comments on them in the Press, have helped materially to bring Con way Hall to public notice.

New Members: Miss F . BARKER, Miss W . P. BARRALET, Mr. GEO. N. BATTERSBY, Mrs. HYFATIA

BRADLAUGH BON~"ER, J.P., Mr. ARTIlUR BONNER, F .S.A., Miss E . P . BUTT, Mr. V. C. BRODIE, Mr. H. BROWN, Miss G. M. BROWN, Mr. C. CASTANER, Miss TUNE CLAPPE, Mr. M. B. CLAPPE, Mr. A. F. DAWN, Mr. A. DURONI, Mr. H. DENSTON FUNNELL, Miss E. GANE, Mr. F. GANE, Mrs. H. A . GRAY, Mr. J. L. GREEN, Mr. H. T. HAMSON, Miss B. HARE, 1Ifr. A. HARRISON, Mr. A. D. A. HAWKINS, Mr. H. F. HUBBARD, Mr. H. W. SETON.KARR, Mr. and Mrs. G. N. KUTTNER, Mr. ALAN LAWSON, Mrs. A. L. LEON, Mr. H. L. MANsFoRD, Dr. C. MAULE, Mrs. EVA METCALF, Mr. A. \V. S . MITCITELL, Miss F. M. MORRIS, Miss J. S. NEVTLL, Mrs. E. M. NEVrLL, Miss K. PEARCE, Miss J. PEARCE, Mr. H. F. PECK, Mr. H. G. V. PHlLLlPS, Mrs. MARY S. PRICE, Miss M. S. PVKJ:, Mr. H. B. RITCIIlE, Mr. JULI.IN RONEY, Mr. \V. SALISBURY, Miss E. E. SUMMERS, Miss A. VINN.

New 1J.ssociates: Miss N. CAMPBELL, Mr. T. S. DAWN, Mr. H. R. FROSTICK, Miss E. F. HAlUltlIl.N,

Mr. and Mrs. MELHUlSll, Mrs. H. M. MILLER, Miss P. M . OVERY, Mrs. H. PECK, Mrs. W. S. ROTHON, Mr. P. SCAMMELL, Mrs. C . H. HEATH, Mr. E. A. \VEBB, Miss L. R. WILD.

ebanges of 1J.ddress: Mrs. G. WINTER RUDD, 22, Belsize Avenue, N.\V.3. Miss E. V. KOCH, 27, Cambridge Road, vVanstead, E.11. Miss C. TRESIDDER, 48, Fernhurst Road, Fulham, S.W.S. Mr. W. TRESIDDER, 48, Fernhurst Road, Fulham, S.W.S. Mrs. B. MCCABE, 40, Russell Gardens, Golders Green, N .W . lI. Mr. H . W. UNTHANK, University College, Exeter. Mr. B. O . WARWICK, 93, Falmouth Avenue, Higbams Park, E.4. Miss S. FREUTHAL, 27, Doughty Street, W.C .!. Miss H. HELD, "Woodlands," Christchurch Avenue, N.\V.6. Mr. A. P. BuscH.MlTCHELL, 32, Marine Parade, Dover.

Deaths:

2

Mrs. \V. J . REYNOLDS, on September 18, 1929. Mr. W. W. JM.IES, in June, 1929.

DI1J.RY FeR N~VEMBER.

Dmce 7.30 p.m. 17 Service 3 Service 1l a.1TI. 17 Wll11ble: Wimbled' l1 3 Concert 6.30 1'.111. Hichmond (scc page 5 Discussion 7 r·m. 17 Concert 6 General Committee 6.30 p.m. 18 Social Evening 9 Ramble: Cri1'plegate Church 19 Discu~sion

tn 7)

(see page 7) 23 Thea1re Party (see page 7) 10 S' rvice 11 a.tn. 24 Service 10 At Home 3.30 p.m. 24 Concert 10 Concert 6.30 p.m. 26 Discussion 12 Discussion 7 p.m. 30 Dance

11 a.m.

6.30 p.m. 71'.01. 7 p.m.

11 a.m. 6.30 p.m.

7 p.m. 7.30 p.m.

---Printed and Published by THE UTOPIA P L --RESS, TD., 44, Worship Street, E.C.2.