The London Welshman

Cyfeirierpob Gohebiaeth a fwriedir fn colofnau, The Editor"; pob ITysbysiad, The Adver- tising Manager"; a phob Archeb, The Manager," a'r oil Vr Swyddfa, 45, 46, 47, St. Martin's Lane, W.C. Bydd yn hyfrydwch gan y Golygvdd dderbyn gohebiaethau ac erthyglau i'w hystyried, olld nis gellir ymrwymo i ddychwelyd vsgrifau gwrthod- edig. 1 he Editor invites correspondence. All letters must be signed with the full name of the writer. and the address must also be given, not necessarily for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith.

Notes of the Week. j After Defeat, Disunion.—The stars in their course seem to be fighting against the Unionist Party. Returning to the House of Commons less than one-fourth of the whole number of that assembly, it has now began to tear itself to pieces. Should the process go on a little longer it will reduce itself into a state of impotency that will be bad for the country. A resolute and united Opposition is as necessary to keep public affairs in a healthy state as a progressive and strong Government, and the present Opposition would have been none too strong for the purpose even if a solid and compact body. But no sooner were the final results of the election known than an intrigue was set on foot to depose Mr. Balfour from the leadership if he did not agree to lead according to the dictates of Mr. Chamberlain. The attacks made upon him by those whom he might reckon as his i- followers in the columns of the Standard, the Morning Post, the Globe, and other Unionist organs have been most cruel. He is held responsible for all the misfortunes that have overtaken his party. It is said that Mr. Chamberlain does not desire the leadership, but if so, why does he not put a stop to what is called by the Daily Telegraph and other Balfourite journals, an unworthy intrigue ? Whatever may have been his faults as a leader, however much he may have used tactics in his attempt to keep his party from annihilation, Mr. Balfour has never turned his back upon his own declarations nor has he betrayed his own convictions. The crisis is an acute one whatever the outcome of it may be. At present it appears as if a split is inevitable, and that we shall see the leaders of two parties in deadly antagonism sitting upon the same Front Bench. And this to be the end of the great party which Lord Salisbury built up by many years, of sane and sound leadership Wales and Disestablishment.-Whatever may be the present intentions of the Government it is made clear that the Liberals and Noncon- formists of Wales have made up their minds to keep Welsh Disestablishment well to the front lest other measures of reform take precedence of it. Several of the Nonconformist bodies have already declared their views on the matter, and last Saturday the General Purposes Com- mittee of the Welsh National Liberal Council- the Council of'which the Right Honourable D. Lloyd-George is president-passed the following resolution with unanimity:—"That this Council rejoices at the result of the General Election, and finds to its gratification that Wales is one in its views on the great and important questions of the day, especially with regard to the Education Act and the Disestablishment of the Church of England in Wales. The Council presses this latter question to the notice of the Welsh representatives, and urges them to do all in their power to get the Government to introduce a Bill dealing with the same at the earliest possible moment." For our own part we have no doubt as to the intentions of the Government in the matter, though the Prime Minister, somehow or other, forgot to mention it in his speech at Wrexham. We also find some at least of the Church organs declaring that the present Parliament is certain to be called upon to make an attempt to separate Church and State in the Principality. By the way the Western Mail makes a very significant admission with regard to the matter. It states that on the eve of the election the Committee for Church Defence and Instruction issued many thousands of leaflets in Welsh bearing chiefly upon the Education Question and Dis- establishment, and bitterly complains that there has been no demand for them and that they are still at the printers, and then adds, Really, the clergy and other responsible churchmen ought to bestir themselves and give their active support to the efforts of those who take up the cause of the Church." If the safety of the Establishment depended upon the efforts of the parish clergy its life would not be worth five years purchase. If the facts be as the Mail says, does not that go far to prove the truth of the contention of the President of the Board of Trade that there is within the Church itself a growing conviction in favour of Disestablishment ? No other explanation seems adequate.

BOOKS FOR REVIEW. The Writer's and Artist's Year=Book, 1906. ADAM & CHARLES BLACK.—This useful book of reference should prove helpful to all literary and artistic aspirants who are looking forward to getting their work before the public. Helpful technical hints are given which might save many a rising genius from oblivion, and the man and woman who writes, and the art student, whether he or she lives anywhere between Land's End and John o'Groats, can submit their works from home for editor's and pub- lisher's consideration, if they take this book as their guide and counsellor.