LITERARY NOTES
LABOUR AND WAR
Helping To Dispel Illusions
COLLECTIVE PEACE SYSTÉM
THE REVIVAL OF
BUDDHISM
Pioneer Monk's Life Sketch
CEYLON REMINISCENCES
"Saranankara-The Last Sangha-
Raja of Ceylon" by Sir D.; Mr. Bjarne Brantoy's stimulat- ing book "Labour and War: The
B. Jayatilaka-Lankabhinava Press, Colombo. Price 50 cts. Theory of Labour, Action to Pre- vent War" provides, first, a use- At the request of several of his ful discussion. of the present friends, Sir D. B. Jayatilaka has state of the international ma-published in book form the bio- chinery for the prevention of war graphical sketch of Saranankara, and, secondly, a most realistic the last Sangha-Raja of Ceylon. account of the International or written 32 years ago and published ganisation of the Labour move-originally in the "Bucklbist", ment, industrial and political. "Modern history of Ceylon bas-nu
It is, as Professor Lisk! says name more worthy of honour and in his preface, the first "serious grateful remembrance than the one study of the international means which forms, the title of thle whereby organised Labour pro-sketch." says Sir D. B. Jayatilaka.
To appreciate the task. accom-| poses to hinder the drift to war,"
brief Me analysis of the organisation plished by Saranankara, a of international Labour is writ-study of the condition of his time ten from close experience-Mr. is necessary. His life covered more Brautoy was at one time on the than three-quarters of the eigh- staff of the Labour and Socialist teenth century which dawned upon International-und should help an unhappy Ceylon. The advent of to dispel illusions that effective the European marked the opening unity of action in a crisis can be of an era of disaster which cul- easily secured.
minuted in the ultimate downfall of Just as there is uncomfortable the Sinhalese kingdom. dubiety about the manner in "The ruthlessness of the Portu- the which the peace pledges of the guese were only second to Pact of Paris may be interpreted bigoted zeal which they displayed] by nations, so there is confusion towards their faith." continues Str The rule was in the manner in which Labour D. B. Jayatilaka. has attempted to translate into one long tyranny, emphasised by policy the pledges to oppose war the unscrupulous methods of that have been repeated at all its version they adopted. Persecution conferences, national and inter-and corruption were the powerful national since 1920. The field means they used for the propaga of anti-war propaganda," as Mr.tion of Christianity. Their prosely- ware apparently Braatoy says, "lends itself peculi-tising efforts
80WN
con-
arly well to the Labour adherent crowned with success; the seeds of with with little patience for problems hypocrisy which were.
rich of administration and considera-such assiduity brought in a 'tions of detail, but with a pro-harvest of 'converts. Influenced by pensity for the spoken word and fear or fust of gold; thousande de- the response of a visible audi-serted their ancestral faith and re- ceived baptism, and with it the much more tangible advantages of office and honour, at the hands of their Portuguese 'masters."
once.'
"
EXCELLENT BOOK ON
THE WAR
Wilfrid Ewart Tributed
THE CHINA MAIL, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1934
The new: $3,000,000 League of Natione palace in Geneva,
Scone during Teague sag-ion.
Maxim Litvinov
Most important of the business transacted at the new League of Nations assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, was the nomination and election of Soviet Russia to membership in.e world parlia ment of nations. Dictator Stalin and Foreign Minister Maxim Litvinov, partly because of tenseness with Nazi Germany and Japan, decided to join the league at last in order to ally public opinion on their side should war break out. In order to prevent humiliation for Russia, in the event candi. dacy being black-balled, France, England and Italy discreetly lined up votes so that the Soviet would find the welcome, mat unrolled.
Three Clever Young Authors
Buried Conflict Of Personalities
SURFACE DRAMA OF SITUATION
shail.
Heron". By Romilly, Cavan
MODERN PLAY İN MEDIEVAL DRESS
"Rose And Glove"
A play by Hugh Ross William- son, the editor of the "Book" man," comes from Chatto - and Windus. "Rose and Glove" is a
modern play in medieval dress
which has been written round the relationship between Piers Gaveston and Edward II.
Mr. Williamson is a good edi- tor and a good critic of books, and fiis play comes at a conven
AN EPIGRAMMATIST CEYLON'S PROBLEM'S
OF TO-DAY
REVIEWED
Leader Writer's Tribute Overstrained Note Of
To Hilaire Belloc
Horror
INTERESTING STUDY
Britain's Folly The Lesson of Cay.
Hilaire Belloc's study "Cromwell" comes from Cassell. Mr. Belloc is compared with Vol taire, and in Mr. Belloc's favour, by the writer of a fascinating leader in "The Times Literary Supplement" on "French Ep& Blackett, London. 5/-.
grams."
Mr. Belloc is an epigramma
lon. By J. G.' Wall. With o Foreword by The Rt. Hon. The Viscount Rothermere. Hurst
Mr. Wall handicaps himself by
ist of to-day who is not only appearing under the lurid patronage clever, and quick, too, but of Lord Rothermore. Any attempt nice regard for words and knows to compare the little island of Cey the value of workmanship This lon with the huge Empire of India is one of his epigrams;
must be dismissed as vain. "Of Three in One and One in Nevertheless, Mr. Wall has 'pro-
Three
[duced an interesting study of the My narrow mind would doubt-aifikculties of establishing repre-
sentative institutions in an Eastern - Till Beauty, Grace, and Kind- Colony, He is apt to overstate his
ness met
case, and his note of horror at the And all at once were Juliet" outset at criticism directed against Mr. Belloc's epigram is praised the Governor of the Colony strikes by the leader-writer as "master the cynical reader as overstrained. ly, Inshape as well as in music.
ing be
MOTTRAM'S SHORT STORIES
New Collection
After all, in these days whon journalistic ex-Prime Ministers have castigated the highest mjiitary commanders in the field, it is rather flate, in the day to object to`s Cin- galese politician's criticism of the Governor merely on the ground of" that Governor's distinguished war* service.
Mr. R. H. Mottram has writtet
Even veterans of the Great War, some short stories which Chatto when engaged on the task of govern will publish with the title of "The ing this postwar world, must expect Banquet:" This new collection, to be subject to the aame criticisms the publishers say, is not only as the ordinary civilian, administra thoroughly representative, but tor. includes some of the best and happiest of Mr. Mottram's short- er work.
REBECCA WESTS'
NEW BOOK ·
Short Novels In One Volume
Four
CONTENTIOUS BOOK
ON TENNIS
Englishmen At Zenith When Thirty-Two
Is it possible to start playing tennis too young? Not less a player than J. S. Olliff thinks that it is.
In his recent book, "The Ground- Miss Rebecca West one of a work of Lawn Tennis, which is few writers who do not write too one of Methuen's books, he says much, has written four short that an Englishuuan does not reach It was at this time that Saranan-
novels over the title of The his zenith until he is about thirty- tkora was born. The Buddhist
"At Sea" By Arthur_Calder-Mar-¡ The story centres upon Richardient time for reviewers.
Harsh Voice." Monks
two, 80, that it would be possible for Church was in a bad way.
Heron a pompous post, his three
These novels about men and someone taking up lawn tennis at lived idle lives. But Saranankara
elegant and admiring daughters MÖST TALKED ABOUT BOOK
women in this country and in the twenty-five, if he had sufficient am was determined to bring back his
"Porcelain People" By Shamus and their respective suitors. faith to its original purity in spite
Frazer.
of the girls escape from the appall The most discussed work of fiction United States illustrate the effect bition and perseverance, to become A visit to Hardy's Wessex is of the Influence with the Royal
The first three books listed above ing servitude of life in the Heronry, in Europe is Chatto and Windus's on their lives of "the harsh voice champion of the world."
Mr. Oli began when he was five descrised in the late Wilfrid family of the few idle monks who
hate.
years old.
મધ Ewart's "Scots Guard," which were content to lead the irreligious are all of them very clever, and Mr. with its finnicky intellectualism, Its description of Journey to the End we hear when money talks or
Calder-Marshall's is perhaps the bogus refinement, utter-divorcement of the Night. has come from Rich and Cowan lives they led.
cleverest. It was clever of him, to from realities, and its pose of good An excellent reviewer pays Wi- As a mere child he had shown a
begin with, to find a way of treat taste which, by affecting to despise frid Ewart the compliment of great love for learning, and though saying that everything he wrote education was then at a low ebb, he ing his theme at novel length in the merely genteel, erects a super- is worth reading.
had made himself proficient in the stead of as a short story; for the gentility of its own. The third and
Wilfrid Ewart "was one of the lay studies of the day. most remarkable writers on the He gradually got round him a subject of the War, and none of number of followers and soon his
robbed him of his position."
and
Two
plot of "At Sea," when outlined, youngest daughter remains, clasp seems typical short-story material. ing her bonds in final ectasy. *
A honeymoon couple take out a Miss Cavan handles this theme row-boat at an English seaside with a dry, icy detachment; the the many who came, after him name became popular in the Island place; they lose an oar are writing is excellent on the whole, as a great reformer. Ultimately adrift during a night of bad weathough, sometimes over-subtle. For the King himself recognised his
ther; in the morning they are res-instance: learning and Saranankara was cued, not much the worse for their given all possible help to further his experience. That is all that hapsimulation of essential darkness, the
He began very humbly at Ridi pens-outwardly. Vihare. He found that he could not
IMPORTANCE OF THE BOOK TRADE
mission.
"Brandishing light as a mere
unnatural moments paved the court: But it is not outward experience anew with insubstantial blocks, a grey and sepia dusk laid mosaically. The importance of the book find five true monks in Ceylon, then experience that the author is trade as a function of society is number necessary for the ordina-so much concerned with, except a No rain came, but leaves from all a frame-work to his characters in the formal shrubs, each erect on its tion ceremony. An ordination ward experience:-an experience a capital subject. "A Publisher Speaking" is the title of four ceremony was a vital need as
separato a wave of green and danger focusses into a hard clear-stealthy movement and hang tu a which his house of Faber and were willing to work for the re-ness, writes James Hilton in the papers by Mr. Geoffrey Faber could not ordain the monks who which the night of distress and eagre stance of mould, seemed to "Faber will bring out. Mr. Faber generation of their faith and coun-"Daily Telegraph." Mr. Calder-parched Independence of expect
speaks with authority.
he
ancy"
{try.
Marshall Ilumines his people from After several failures, Saranan-within, charting their mind-tracks
Anyone who can write like that! kara persuaded the King to send an in long staccato soliloquies that do should have had second thoughts
Such a1 embassy to Siam from where the succeed in getting beneath the about writing like that. TYPHOON SIGNALS. necessary number was brought over merely surface drama of situation quotation also suggests a verdlet and the first ordination conducted. into the buried conflict of per-upon the entire book-that it is, in
Signal Day Night Description
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1993, &W. (SW).
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That was the crowning glory of Saranankora's mission. The pre- sent position of Buddhism in Cey- lon is certainly, therefore, due to his unyielding efforts.
First Record Of Idiom
:་
sonalities.
Quality Of "Movingness”.
the most literal sense, an excessive- ly, clever frst novel
Successful Frolie
It is not a new technique' (Joyce was experimenting with it twenty Mr. Shamus Frazer showed his years ago), but Mr. Calder-Marahall style in his first book, "Acorned handles it skilfully and with res-Hog". His second, Porcelain Peo- much better. MEDICAL NOTES OF traint. Whether in such deep pie," seems to me
waters, the reader of "At Sea" will From the moment that collusion 1815-1816
not at times be at sea himself is between Meryn Wonder and Tenay another matter.
Fribble enables the latter to win But it is, at any rate, the work £200 in a seaside man-hunt.com- of a virile and ripening intelligence, petition (Mervyn being the man), a WHITE Typhoon dan "John Keats's Anatomical and unwilling to accept any but self-flow of gay sprightly, and entirely gerty Physiological Note Book" has made valuations: It excites, im irresponsible fun plays over, the been edited by Mr. Maurice presses, and stimulates. There is fashions and foibles of modern life. WHITE Que
Buxton Forman, and published one big thing, however, that it does expected
Whether Mr. Frazer is describing GREEN fra N. by the Oxford University. Press not do, and does not come near do
a church which summer visitors are. GREEN (WN)
and Mr. Milfored Kents attended ing: It does not move. Astley Cooper's anatomical and This quality of movingness is not invited to attend "In beach attire," GREEN Gals WHITE from 6W physiological lectures at Guy's mere sentiment: it is the point at a party of bright young thing, or Hospital in the winter of 1815 which an exhibition, however bril- an anarchist plan to foment revolu
tion by means of the musk.rat, he llant, becomes that larger thing, a In the notes of a lecture on the revelation; perhaps it is also the is incessantly amusing and inconse
quent nerves he speaks of "pins and final test by which greatness in a
"Porcelain People" is a clever needles" thirty years earlier than work of art is to be computed. the first record of this idiom in One pays a genuine tribute to At frolic, and as it does not aim to be the Oxford English Dictionary. Sea" in feeling such keen regret for anything more, it must be counted
(8-W).
expected
WHITE
GREEN GA
spasial GREEN from the N.C. WHITE (NE
WHITE dalupected WHITE the S. GREEN (ES)
GREEN
GREEN increa
GREEN
RED Wad GREEN L RED
1816...
“GREAT CONTEMPORARIES”
what it lacks
A Girl's First Novel "Horon," by Miss Romily Cayan, Mr. James Bridie is one of the is described by its publishers as "a writers of essays on forty eminent remarkably mature first novel by a
for men, from the Pope to Mr. Lloyd very young writer and this mea
strictly and George."Great Contemporaries" sured assessment
is a Cassell omnibus.
Isoberly Cicenrat
a complete success."
EM. DELAFIELD ON US.
The
Miss Delafield's book, rovincial Lady in America," is ublished by Macmillan
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