The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-12-10
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Africa.


 in the colonial empires maintained by Britain, France, Italy and Spain in the Black Con tinent are of such great significance 1n world affairs that conferences between the colonial offices of the various countries have been held with rather nervous frequency of late. Narlous reasons are ascribed to the seething discontent by the imperialist governments, but beneath it all runs the current of a growing under standing of the political doctrine ot self determination for small nations on the part of the natives. Those, who have ascribed to themselves the task of combating this urge toward independence see fit to describe the currents as those of "pernicious nationalism." Nationalism in a subject race seems to be the crime of crimes. These subject races must first be educated and civilized before they can count on more direct participation in thelr own affairs. With such sophist explanations the imperialist nations maintain thelr rlght for continued exploitation. For every one knows for instance that Great Britain is not so vtally interested in the spiritual and eco homie welfare of the Egyptians or the Su- danese as well in the control of both banks of the Suez canal. Spain would not care rap how the Riff tribes behaved among them selves, but takes great pains to protect her own interests in North Africa. The same with France and Italy. All these occupa tional performances are carried out Tn the name of civilization. But there IS nttle mulah born every minute Some day there will be one with the fiery appeal ot Moham- med's fanaticism and the Crescent will once more sweep away the banners or the cross'
 Peace and Beer in Bavaria.
 At the hour sacred to the beer drinkers the halls and "kneipfes" of Munich are tax ing on all the ear-marks of the pre-war good feeling and geniaity: The steins are Illleo Bayarian capital is famous and literally Thousands of tourists crowd the city to take bart in the wholly informal functions down in the caves. "In fact says a writer Ill Le Petit Parsien, "the people Of Munlch are happy in their freedom" The good bavarians prandiose schemes of pan-Germanism ana they are glad that the days of Won kahr Hitler and the street fighting engineered by Ludendorff belong to the past And wlth tne advent of peace there is notable return to art. The French writer, who understands the German language apparently, says that ols cussions will more often lead to the reVval of the Wagnerian opera at Bayreuth for ln stance than to the days of Kaiser Wilhelm great>Fictories, which produced nothlng put chaos in the end. Grown Prince Rupprecht however has kept the title. lie struts around in a uniform covered with decorations, holds court and reviews veteran reunions Nothing against that in Bavaria. The people do not care q great deal for politics. Rupprecht IS a good fellow as long as he does not go too far, they reason. As to that the reichs police is still on the job and President Evert keeps a watchful eye.
 World Citizenship.
 Hove of country is the most sublime eX perence of a human soul" says New York preacher. This fits in with the philosophy that holds it beautiful and becoming to die for ones fatherland" But at the risk of raising a howl we would submit it to be more beautiful and even more sublime to love the whole of humanity above any particular section of it. Of course we have been taught to look upon our own land as the me plus ultra" and possibly it is. Yet this sentiment breeds a feeling of disdain for other lands and other peoples. And this disdain in turn some times only present in the subconscious state, is the originator and forerunner of provincial ism, hatred and suspicion and all its ugly cohorts. To clear away the mlsts ot ms understanding to have broader vision of hu- manity, to graduate from 'mainstreetism" that seems ill reality the most sublime ex perience of the human soul and more satls- factory in the end also, for 1t does not allow of the possibility of doing that beautiful and becoming thing" to die for ones fatherland Homer Nodded, Hugo SnOred
 Professor Conway maintains that "the key to knowledge is the study of foreign Ian guages" There can be little doubt that a knowledge of the tongues of others opens up the wondrOus treasure houses of world liter lature, immense collections of folklore and de- scriptions and dissertations the customs and habits of other races. Yet Victor Hugo doubted the value of knowing a foreign Ian guage As man of letters he thought it distra 2ted from the knowledge and correct usage of his own language. On one occasion The even regretted having acquired command of the Spanish language. Objections to Hugo's assertion are too great in number to allow of enumeration. Perhaps it sounds presumptlVe to disagree with an immortal! An, but we find our consolation and courage this time in the tongde of ancient Hellas. Homer ad- mitted that he nodded at times. Is 1t not possible then that Hugo sometimes snored! determines the position of only.
 There may be room for argument in con nection with the number of audience in the twentieth sentence. However, ''The Right Word" prefers the Use of plural verb Yesterdays Error. Wroup'. nI ikn' fpnrrpct in tha two 1nS