Of alt the capitals in the world,
sympathy at the present season. The Madi! acoine" most, deserving of Felonies struggle between the Gove Srament andthe insurgents seems Sinliely fo be bated at Christmas lime." Tu any "event damage' and" widespread!" suffering Siresdy inflicted on. the population bby the hostilities must replace festive celebration of Christmas by manifest-Stlons of incurring. "Peace and Good will" cannot reach Spanish ears de med bythe bombardment of guns Sind. aeroplanes: There is even. Suguestion that he insurgents may develop what they propose. to be {heir inal assault on the City within the next few days. Christmas for arid serves no useful purpose this year, except perhaps to inculcate the Jessen that of all man's follies, civil war is the beastliest and mast eri-
A happy thought enabled that veteran Londoner and dramatic erltie Mr, 8, R. Littlewood to breathe the spirit of Christmas to the Empire of Wednesday night in a brondeast talk, Mr, Littlewood is the doyen of London's dramatic critics but ho is much more beside. He was in that galaxy of Bohemians who made the old "Referee" the only Sunday. paper for the true Londoner to whom the names of Merlin, Dagonet, Boris, Lancelot andthe' rest were' guarantees of entertainment' and instruetion, "Of them Mr, Littlewcod and, alas, few others remain, Mr. Littles wood is an authority on the drama Dut, unlike some of his craft, he has managed to revel in, criticize and, admire the younger art of the screen.
also on the stof of the Morning Post", the oldest daily paper in London and one which has always been fortunate in attracting writers of real distinction, "whatever its political requirements may be. Mr. Littlewood's talk, as would be expected of so confirmed a Dickensian, kept the spirit of Christmas alive albeit In n modern setting. So, if he took pains to. show that cart-horses epuld be counted up to. the number of Ally between Ludgate Circus and Mark Lane in this motor-Fidden age, if he exulted in the dominance ct the pantomime in the London theatres at the moment, he not fail to note the excellences of the hotel-habit of colebrati Christmas. He revealed that Miss Edna Best is making hier debut. pantomime this Christmas as Cindeella, that Mr. Charles Laughton is to play Captain Hook in the. Inevi able performance of "Peter Pan", that Canada Is supplying most of the turkeys for English: consumption' this, year, that British toys stilt-lead the World, especially' in the mechanical variety beloved. of schoolboys, and that Japan's wondrously cheap' mar-vols of the toymakers' art are most. in' demand in that. unconventional market which "is formed" inthe London streets at Christmas time by, the hawkers en the kerb-edge, thanks fo the, glorious " tolerance of the Metropolitan Police, London is hav= jing mid' weather this Christmas, according to Mr, Litllewocd's tame expert but that is not deterring the holiday-maker, Streets. were crowd und, 9 Jeyous Indulgence. In' the Dickens' mood was well in evidence on when Mr. Littlewood spoke,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.