Cylchgronau Cymru

The Editor does not necessarily identify himself with the opinions of contributors to the Welsh Outlook." Editorial responsibility is limited to the views expressed in the Notes of the Month," and in the unsigned article mimed iately following. •The Prime Minister and his Eastern Policy. have deserved well of the country and of civilised Christendom in refusing to be stampeded by the pro- Moslem crusade, in connection with which Mr. Montague played such an indiscreet and unconstitu- tional part this month. Nor can we at all understand the forgetfulness, if not the betrayal, of Gladstonian principles on the part of the Independent Liberals by their silence on the subject in Press and Parliament. In saying this, let it be clearly understood that we have the profoundest sympathy with the largely suc- cessful attempt made by Lord Reading and the late Secretary of State to introduce self-government into India, but we most strongly protest against any proposal that will involve the tolerance of Moslem rule over Christian populations, either in Europe or in Asia, and especially against the continuance of Ottoman domination anywhere in Europe. All experience has shown that the Mohammedqan ruler is incapable of giving equal rights to his Mohammedan and Christian subjects so long as he accepts the religion of the Koran. It is significant beyond words that the only one-Akhbar-who gave anything resembling religious equality to his non-Mohammedan subjects, ceased to be a Mahommedan himself. To speak of the Sultan of Turkey as Caliph is to recognise the principle of church establishment in its very worst form, and it is to the honour of Mr. Lloyd George that in this matter he has stuck to fundamental principles. The Caliphate agitation is, to a large extent, a disgusting and fraudu- lent trick engineered by fanatics who desire the con- tinuance of the corrupt rule of the Turk for their own ends. By all means give the Mohammedans the Since the above Note was written we have one of those strange compromises so characteristic of Paris conferences, which in many respects is a Tory sorry piece of work. THE WELSH OUTLOOK We have often in our columns strongly criticised the foreign policy of the Prime Minister, but to-day it is our duty and pleasure to stand by him. There can be no doubt that Mr. Lloyd George and Lord Curzon NOTES OF THE MONTH APRIL, 1922. fullest freedom, but nowhere the power to oppress Christians. Indeed, we have always declared that the Government was to blame for not turning him out of Constantinople, bag and baggage, at the end of the war, and installing the League of Nations there. To give to the blood-stained government of the Sultans privileges that would not be granted to any Christian body would be a vile betrayal of Christianity and Liberalism. Who would suggest that England should go to war to re-establish the Pope's temporal authority in order to maintain its hold over Catholic Ireland ? This, in effect, is the suggestion made by the pro-Moslems. What India, Mohammedan India, wants is more freedom, and we need not fear that adherence to principle will deprive us of the respect of any reasonable community. Anyway, the Prime Minister deserves on this question the whole-hearted support of the Welsh churches in his firm stand against one of the most suspicious agitations of modem times. Wales and the League of Nations. Welsh. Henry Richard, the member for Merthyr Tydfil, and a son of the humble Tregaron manse, had a continental reputation as the Apostle of Peace. It is not very long since we published an account of his travels and wanderings on behalf of the wonderful gospel of the brotherhood of nations and of men. Nor did he stand alone in our little land. "S.R." and Gwilym Hiraethog were a little less known outside their country, but they were just as devoted to and inspired by the ideal as Henry Richard himself. It is possible that in this dark European hour Wales may in a very striking manner remember the passion of these great leaders and of hundreds of their country- men who followed them, and its life become possessed with the greatest vision of all times,-that which in our generation has embodied itself in the League of Nations. When we contemplate the history of the The cause of World Peace has always been near to the hearts of Welshmen, and fifty or sixty years ago some of the doughtiest cham- pions of that great ideal were