For the first time the number of death sentences on soldiers carried into effect during the war was disclosed in the House of Lords recently. Of 3,076 officers and men sentenced to death 343 were executed. Lord Southborough called attention to the different types of hysteria and shell-shock from which many soldiers suffered during the war, and referred to the death penalty inflicted upon men by court-martial on the charge of cowardice. Viscount Peel, for the War Office, said during the late war immense trouble was taken to see that no person was condemned to death unless for the very gravest reasons, and both at the court-martial and afterwards every possible inquiry was made in respect of those who were able to plead some form of mental damage from shell-shock. No sentence of death in any theatre of war was carried out unless confirmed by the Commander-in-Chief of the Forces. The total number of death sentences carried out during the war was exceedingly small. For cases of cowardice 18 death sentences and for cases of desertion 266 death sentences were carried out. The total number of death sentences carried out was 343. The total number of death sentences passed on officers and men was 3,076, 50 that the proportion of sentence actually carried out was only. 11-15 per cent. of the whole. These figures not only embraced every theatre of war, but they covered the whole period from August 4, 1914, to December 31, 1919. Lord Southborough had_ suggested that a Departmental Comnfittce should be sei up to inquire into the expert knowledge derived by the army medical authorities and the medical profession on the subject, with a view! to its use in the future. On behalf of the Government, Viscount Peel accepted the suggestion. They took the view that great advantages might be obtained from such an inquiry. Many of the nervous and niental conditions involved were entirely new and it would be most useful that they should be fully investigated. them on ladies whose form approximates more nearly to their own.
The request, which has been made to fashionable houses, will provide a subject for much humour, but, after all, it is an act of great moral courage. It is an open admission by these matrons that they howe lost the delicacy of silhouette which makes beautiful gowns even more lovely-
What an opening for society rivals! Possibly two "friends" may be sitting side by side at the centurier's. One will call for man-sequins of the reserve line—heavy treading matrons; the other will score a triumph by asking for models from the first line of lightly stepping youngsters.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.