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Press, Volume LI, Issue 15396, 29 September 1915, Page 6

A favourite occupation of some bookish Englishmen is the consultation of the works of the masters of English literature for sentiments appropjiato to tho time. The right way to do it i s to open tho volume at random, and seize tho passago that is found at tho opening. The oracles, thus treated, aro in most cases dumb. Persistent devotees, however, of the Sore or Sors Virgiliana, or whatever it may be, are frequently rewarded by excellent tinds. finch a find was sent on to "The Times'' by a correspondent who stumbled upon this speech by King Henry V. in Shakespearo's play: Shall not thou and I, between S. Denis and S. Goorge, compound a boy half French, half English, that anal! go io Conniantinople and take tho Turk by the beard? This wan cited as a case of prevision: Shakespeare not only foresaw an AngloFrench Entente, but even an alliance in arms. A correspondent calls attention to Theobald's remark that Shakespeare was here guilty of an anachronism — Constantinople wa* not taken by tho Turks till 1+33. Of course the thing to conclude is that one may find in any great English writer, if one is diligent a quotation "which is so apt to the occasion as to appear to be.a case of prevision. This is mere chance, but it is always pleasant to meet such passages. There is no harm in the fancy —which is purely fancy—that Shakespeare foresaw the Dardanelles operations. Anyway, ho would have had something worth saying to say about them.

The news from the Western theatre this week is the best wc have had for months. Everybody is expressing relief at a victory after the long period of deadlock in the west and our Ally's retreat in the East. But just because of the circumstances that make it so welcome we 6hould be careful not to think less of the task ahead. As English critics point out in to-day's messages, these attacks are only the opening move* in a game which mny con-

tinuo for days and woeks. Our gains aro not yet marked enough to show clearly on an ordinary school atlas map. Colonel Maude, an officer of high reputation, thinks that with luck the Allies should drive the Germans back to the Rhine in two months. We seem to remember, however, that the same ColoneJ Maude said ranch the same kind of thing last year. The war has been exceedingly unkind to experts, and the opinion of even the greatest is not firm enough to base specific hopes upon. "We feel sure, however, that there will bo no great tendency to exaggerate the importance of theso victories —at least that far fewer people will bo inclined to do so than -was the case six months ago. The British have had their lesson. The spring fighting taught them how formidable was the strength of the Gorman lines, and how tremendous the task of driving the enemy back to his frontier. Only a small minority can believe that victory is near. It should be the business of everybody concerned to convert that minority.

No great importance need be attached to tho unfortunate little incident in the Hou*o of Representatives yesterday, which ended in the suspension of Mr T. M. Wilford. Mr Wilford defied tho Speaker, with no better excuse than that of every member who similarly rebels against the authority of the Chair. Having done so, ho.raised the issuo between the Speaker's authority and n private member's right to bohave as ho thinks lit, and upon that issuo thero should have been no two opinions in the House. As Sir Joseph Ward said, in supportinc the Prime Minister, tho duty of the Houso was quite clear. Seventeen members, however, chose to vote for the abolition of tho authority of the Speaker, and they cannot have been ignorant that that was what they wore doing. Amongst them were several members who in tho past havo made rather a point of resisting authority in a similar fashion, believing, wo can only suppose, that mero contumacy is honourable independence. It is a grievous pity that so many members should see no better way of being independent than that.

While they will bo quito clear a« to the -wronghcadedness of the minority, most people will find it very hard to understand how even Mr Wilford could describe as a ''dirty answer" Mr Allen's perfectly innocent and straightforward reply to a question regarding the cost of the new hospital ship. Mr Allen merely said, what he lias said before, that he would be loth to refuso to patriotic and generous people tho right to subscribe to the cost of equipping tho ship. Some of his defenders appear to have suggested that the fault lay with Mr Allen's "harsh and uncompromising" manner of answering questions. The fact is, that these members, for reasons which aro all to Mr Allen's credit, are specially hostile to tho Minister. Tho incident, as .wo have said, need not bo considered important, but it would not have happened had tho minority behaved themselves.