NOTES AND COMMENTS

COMPULSORY TRAINING Of 220,018 militiamen who registered throughout Britain on June 3 under the Military Training Act, only 1.7 per cent—3775 —stated that they were conscientious objectors, notes the Sunday Times. The figure is regarded by the Ministry of Labour as extremely good. There are approximately 300,000 men in the age group 20-21, and it is estimated that about 50,000 are already in the Services, or are exempted from registration. Soma men attended just before being married, others drove to Labour Exchanges from the cliurcb after their weddings. One leit his bride in a car outside while ho went in to register.

ROOT OF BRITISH SUCCESS Somo great words written at the crisis of 'lie Great War (1917) may at another solemn moment be recalled, says the historian, Sir John Marriott, in his new book, "The Evolution of the British Empire and Commonwealth." This writer says: "The root of the success of the British has not been their material or military hut their moral strength; and it is the moral quality in the British Empire which has confounded its domestic critics and its foreign foes. Unity is a form of selfishness unless it is spontaneous, and British Empire means a sacrifice of self. It is a communion of service which makes the British Empire one, and will make a Commonwealth of nations; and we achieve atonement by bearing one another's burdens and understanding one another's minds." An Englishman, Sir John remarks, would fain believe that the words are true. RURAL BIAS IN SCHOOLS The best attempt that I know of to impart the rural bias to schoolchildren is being made in a secondary school at Burford, in Oxfordshire, writes Sir W. Beach Thomas. Parallel forms are arranged for all boys between 14 and 16, which is the usual leaving age. Tho boys may choose to which side they will belong. Ono stresses craftsmanship, tho other letters. Tho craftsmen learn such subjects as biology; and learn enough chemistry to be ablo to analyse soils. They do a great deal with their hands; .and it is, I think, a wellestablished fact that nothing is so valuable for success on the land as a degree of engineering skill. I examined a poultry shed or tu;o and a byre that the boys had made, and they seemed to bo excellent examples of the carpenter's work. The Oxfordshire schools in general teach a good deal of craftsmanship to both boys and girls; and it is delightful to watch them at work in metal as well as in wood or leather or stuff; but this experiment at Burford is more definitely proven work, and is likely perhaps to be accepted as a model.

HOW TO TEST A PLAY There is one test of a play every playgoer can apply: watch during the intervals how you behave with your friends, or rather how your mind is behaving, writes the veteran dramatic critic, Mr. Desmond MacCarthy, in the Listener. If you find yourself talking with interested animation about things in general, tho play is probably not worth much. If, again, you find yourself eagerly sharing with others your impressions of the act just over, and you notice that when the first curtainbell rings everyone chucks away justlighted cigarettes aud makes briskly for their seats, then, probably, the play will bo a success and is good of its kind. Everybody has been at least thinking of what he lifts just seen and is anxious to know what is going to happen next. But if, during the intervals, you find yourself hoping that no one will speak to you, and slinking away with a polite wan smile * from anyone you know, then, because those are symptoms that you are still heaving with emotion or want to focus something (perhaps you don't know what), I then tho play may bo one of real consequence. During the intervals of "Mourning Becomes Electra" and tho Saint Denis performance of "The Three Sisters" I would have gladly "cut" any friend. SCOTS IN DANZIG Tho so widely accepted suggestion that Danzig is an almost wholly German city, although it has received some measuro of confirmation from no less a person than Colonel Beck, docs less than justice to the Scottish element, writes a correspondent to the Sunday Times. We have it on more than one sound authority that in tho 17th century tho population of Danzig was largely, if not preponderantly, of Scottish origin, and the Scottish proportion was then tending to increase. In "A Particular Description of Danzig by an English Merchant lately resident there," published in London in 1734, it is stated that "a better half of tho families are of Scotch extraction." Elsewhere tho proportion is given as above one-third. At that timo the number of Scotsmen in Prussia was surprisingly great. In' the middle of the century it probably exceeded 50,000 aud included tho leader of Frederick tho Great's armies, the gallant Field-Marshal Keith, and his brother, tho Earl Marischal, who was Frederick's closest friend and .confidant. The Great Town Gate of Danzig is called tho Douglas Gate, with tho Douglas arms upon it. A Douglas served Danzig well against the Poles at tho turn of tho 15th century, but perhaps the most outstanding service rendered by Scots to Danzig occurred on the accession of Stephen IV. to tho Polish throne. Although nominally under Polish rule, Danzig persisted (tho analogy is interesting) in claiming allegiance to the German Emperor. Stephen laid siege and it might have gone ill with Danzig but for 700 Scotsmen who hurried to the defence. They were commanded by Colonel William Stuart, "a handsome and imposing warrior of lloyal blood." says a German chronicler, and among their captains were John Crawford, John Tomson, Alexander Murray, William Pentoun and one Gourlay. There is record also of a Sorgoaut-Major Anstruther, of a Reverend Patrick Groig, chaplain, and others. Their defence was so elfectivo that tho Polish king raised tho siege, paid an indemnity of 200,000 gulden and made an. apology