Jand has contributed to English literature, in The New Despotism," volume which will ring down the ages, sounding the tocsin as it does, in favour of the freedom of the subject. Through the long years—Which the history books usually start in B.C. with the invasion of the Romans on the shores of spotism—must await greater leisure and another occasion. Yet it seemed to be be high time that, at any rate, a note of warning should be offered." With this statement, the serious minded British public who study "The New Despotism" will be in thorough agreement.
Lord He-wart is to be deeply ai congratulated upon essay." It is unquestionalfly one of the finest books of its kind that has Beer written for many a long Southern England—the inhabitants of the little grey isle in the North Sea have clung with a bulldog Yenacity to many things and to none more -than to their legal rights. Kings and princes, dictators and parliaments have gone down before the will of the people as soon as "the many-headed multitude" awake ened to the fact that its 1 were endangered. Magna Chartas and Runnymedes have been common enough in British history unde that and other names with the result that the Englishman's home remains ju this year of grace 1930 his castle, And what has been fought for through all the centuries 4s not likely nor lightly to be re-squished; however subtle or dangerous may be the attack upon it, however insidious may be the doctrines preached into ears which possibly have been lulled into security by reason of long years of satisfactory systems of government, Out here in the "Far East" it is our fortune—and not our vei fortune either—to have a greater practical knowledge of the evils of bureaucracy than is ordinarily granted to our stay-at-home compatriots. In the average life of the resident of the homeland, "red-ape" and all it connotes may have increased quite appreciably since 1918; country has not. quite pletely within the snares of offic dom, Lord Howart's book has been given very wide notice at home, and very deservedly so, We are told that it is a "most damning and crushing indictment" and "the thanks of the country are due to him, for sounding the alarm and asserting the ancient. privilege of the English Judges to pat their faith, not fearing, into words, and re-assert England's old and' best palladium—The Rule of Law." In effect, "The Now Despotism" is a brilliant volume coaling entirely with the encroachment of bureau racy on the life of the citizen, the greatest danger of the majority of these encroachments being that the humble man-inthe street knows little or nothing of them until they become accomplished facts. That the question is a most serious one goes without saying. From his high oficial position, the Lord Chief Justice has considered it so serious Uhat he has decided to set himself on record on the subject, and that very important decision, we may take it for granted, was' not made until after most careful consideration of all the aspects of the matter. Haying come to his decision, the Lord Chief Justice, as might be expected, has expressed himself throughout with a most commendable force and clarity. But while all who run may read that Lord Howart is a staunch upholder of the erty of the subject, "The New spotism" is a volume which requires very careful, deliberate read-ug. At the outset the author states 'A little inquiry will serve to show that there is now, and for some years past has been, a persistent influence at work which, whatever Ghe motives er the intentions that support it may be thought 0 be, undoubtedly has the effect of placing large and increasing field of art mental authority and activity beyond the reach of the ordinary Jaw." Lord Hewart does not intend any attack upon what it is a common place to describe as the best Civil Service in the world and he himself is very modest—very much too modest—when he describes this, important work as "this little essay." "It is satisfactory to note, however, that it may be the forerunner of another volume inasmuch as, a prefatory note, he writes, "An exhaustive exhaustive examination of the pretensions and encroachments of barenuracy—the new de-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.