Evening star., 1937-07-17
By NC. X.

H. y AFA ~
Y Asst week the reviewer an
nounced that two quarterlies
had come in and would be ex-
~ amined In today's issue. They
were the Hungarian Quarterly, which
Is published in this country by Column
bia University Press. and the Round
Table, \ quarterly review Of the poll
tics OF the British Commonwealth.
Today 1t 10 necessary to add the
name OF still another quarterly publi-
cation to these two. 1t Is the large,
substantial journal OF negro Educa-
ton, = quarterly review Of problems
incident to the education Of Negroes,
published by the Bureau OF Educa-
tional Research Of Howard University.
The name journal" is misleading Is
applied to this magazine; 1t Is more
than 800 pages long and bigger than
most books.
THE Hungarian Quarterly offers the
most varied fare OF the three. 1t
contains articles on current af7airs IN
Europe, essays on history and the arts,
fiction and biography. 1t Is very well
written as 4 rule and eminently read
able.
In the present issue the leading
articles are given over to considera-
ton OF the need for reform In the
League Of Nations. There are two OF
these. The f,rst is by Lord Allen OF
Hurtwood. the second by Count
Stephen Bethlen. Lord Allen devotes
his argument TO showing how reform
Is needed in the League machinery
for dealing with minorities. Count
Bethlen's article discusses the manner
In which Hungary, which Is one OF
these minorities. has suffered from the
lack OF effective League protection.
Both articles are informative and per-
suasive.
Lord Allen brings out the fact,
which is rather startling. since the
League has frequently been referred
to a. q protector Of small nations. that
10 per cent Of the minority petitions
presented to 1t have been rejected as
without foundation, with only 4 small
number being deemed worthy OF ac-
ton by the Council. Count Bethlen
comments on the unfairness OF exclud-
Ing the small defeated states from
representation while the small states
which belong to the victorious group
and which owing to their territorial
aRgrandiHment rule over millions OF
alien minorities are always represent
ed there"
Reforms are proposed. Reforms are
proposed in the names OF equality,
justice, fairness and humanity" How
delightful to meet those old friends
in print once again! Yes, how posi-
lively quaint.
1T IS interesting to learn. Of course,
that there Is 50 much faith In the
Leagues power and influence. One
had supposed that developments OF
recent months had made its prestige
less than nominal If. however. there
Is a reason for excluding any one, 1t
would seem that there must be some
advantage in membership. For surely
only the worthless is freely dispensed.
in politics as elsewhere!
Another interesting article in the
Hungarian Quarterly is an interpre-
tation OF the recent Soviet trials by
the Countess OF Lstowel, Hungarian
who is by marriage Briton. She
contrasts the treatment OF politi-
cal prisoners under the Soviet with
that accorded like offenders under the
Tsariat regime, pointing out that. in
the latter case. the trial was the pris-
oner's opportunity to speak and that.
on trial, he was given latitude TO ex-
press his political theories literally.
no matter how opposed to Tsarism
they might be. She quotes several
stirring passages from speeches made
by Tsarist prisoners on trial for their
lives, notably that Of Vera Zassulitch
who shot general in 1878, and
Jeliabov, the murderer OF Alexander
II. Vera Zassulitch, incidentally, was
acquitted As the result of the elo-
quence OF her counsel in portraying
the wrongs which had led TO her crime.
lOAAys ShyS VIC ~oAhpSSs AASsoVS1,
the feature OF the political trial in
Russia is not the stirring defense OF
the prisoner, but the prisoners abject
confession OF all manner Of guilt. She
offers as her explanation the theory
Cranky rs = theory that the ac-
cused Old Bolsheviks were given choice
OF freedom or DEATH, freedom to be
allowed them il, by confessing such
monstrous mideeds as would be alb
horrent to the populace, they would
discredit themselves completely.
Only such 4 bribe, in her opinion,
could account for the wierd self-ac-
cusations uttered by the veteran COM
rades Of Trotsky and Lenin in the
recent trials. That such men would
have yielded to torture, which is
popularity regarded as the reason for
their confessions" she holds un-
thinkable. They could not be "dis-
posed Of 10 simply" she remarks.
THE Round Tables leading article
Is, appropriately. given to = dis
cussion of the kingship, for the coro-
nation has taken place since the last
issue went 70 press.