to work. Germany must once and for
all be ousted from this market. There need be no difficulty in obtaining
samples, and we look to British industry and enterprise to do the rest.

We are not sure that neutrals should be allowed into this thing. An
exception might be made in the case of Italy, but, apart from her, we
should limit the exotic features in our programmes to the works of our
allies in the field. It might give a needed fillip to the national music
of Japan.

* * * * *

How it strikes our Contemporaries.

"Yesterday's eclipse of the sun was itself eclipsed by the world
shadow. Shortly after noon a large inky blot obscured nearly
three-quarters of the sun's surface and a violet haze hung over
London, but very few people were heeding the phenomenon in the sky.
The hawkers, even, were too busy selling patriotic favours to offer
smoked glasses."--_Daily Mail._

"Londoners did not permit the war to eclipse the eclipse. The
hawkers' cry, 'Smoked glass a penny,' was heard everywhere, and
there was a ready sale for the pieces of glass which enabled one to
view the darkening of the sun." _Daily Mirror._

The allies should come to a better agreement than this.

* * * * *

"Spies Output Down Again," says a contemporary, and we were just going
to congratulate the authorities when we discovered that it referred to a
Petroleum Company.

* * * * *

THE FATAL GIFT.

People say to me sometimes, "Oh, _you_ know Woolman, don't you?" I
acknowledge that I do, and, after the silence that always ensues, I add,
"If you want to say anything against him, please go on." You can almost
hear the sigh of relief that goes up. "I thought he was a friend of
yours," they say cheerfully. "But, of course, if----" and then they
begin.

I think it is time I explained my supposed friendship for Ernest
Merrowby Woolman--confound him.

The affair began in a taxicab two years ago. Andrew had been dining with
me that night; we walked out to the cab-rank together; I told the driver
where to go, and Andrew stepped in, waved good-bye to me from the
window, and sat down suddenly upon something hard. He drew it from
beneath him, and found it was an extremely massive (and quite new)
silver cigar-case. He put it in his pocket with the intention of giving
it to the driver when he got out, but quite naturally for