Dean. Trivet's letter on the subject of "Clerics and Politics" is interesting if not particularly convincing. The Archbishop of York and a certain number of other clergy have thought fit to issue a statement which can be construed as an attack on the policies of the present Government, and is again one of those ventures into politics which are so greatly to be deplored. This journal was not unaware that Dr. Temple is a very learned man, a perusal of the information which the Dean quotes from Crockford clearly proves that and the direction to which his studies have been bent—if it is permitted to say so a highly specialized one, arts, literature and divinity, with a number of honorary degrees embracing other subjects. It is true that Dr. Temple is a member of the House of Lords and of His Majesty's Most Hon. Privy Council, but that indicates no additional qualifications, being positions which he fiis because he happens to be Archbishop of York. Dr. Temple is probably as highly a qualified cleric as Lord Nuffield is as a motor magnate, but is it to be believed for one moment that the excellent qualifications of the one renders him able to perform the functions of the other? Dean Trivett makes. the allegation"that this journal has "not hesitated to arrange the sentences (in the United Press despatch referred to) to suit your own convenience." If he will again peruse the comment in question he will perceive that there has been no arrangement of sentences and that they have been quoted in exactly the same order as they appeared in the original despatch, There is, it is true, in the second) quotation a typographical error easily discoverable grammatically, consisting of the dropping of one letter. It must be remembered that with a man in his position there can be no differentiation between Dr. Temple and the Archbishop of York; and ib is still the contention of this journal that these adventures into politics by the Established Church are to be regretted, especially at a time like this when high morality has given place to the most sordid of expedients. If it is to- be suggested that the British should be sacrificed on the altar of principles this journal most emphatically dissents. There are still domestic problems which confront the Church which require attention, such as slums on Church properties, and the underpayment of clergy, with which its leaders would be better engaged, but these political pontifical tions do little good and are apt to arouse resentment.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.