... EMRNPER COMMENTS Sudden Sunshine SPRING came suddenly, says an observer of modern phenomena; and so, I suppose, we may try to persuade ourselves that Winter will not last until July, as is usually the case. Certainly the observer aforesaid has had every reason for his optimism-- whatever the weather may be at the moment! Singing in the Spring Those jolly old songs that we used to sing before ...

... By CARBINE Newbury Cup WHEN you are marking down your likely horses for the Cesarewitch you will have to take into consideration the fact that the Newbury Autumn Cup is to be run on Saturday. This race fre quently has a bearing on the big Newmarket handicap. Last season, for example, Eagle's Pride ran well enough at Newbury to encourage his owner and trainer to be lieve that he would do ...

... . The River Clyde. A nd so that monument of British pluck and glory, the River Clyde whose name will always be linked with the most desperately glorious landing which the world has ever seen, has been sold under the hammer to the Spanish Government for a few paltry thousand pounds sic transit Economy is right, and it is the urgent duty of the Government to set an example, but surely this ...

... . The Coal Strike. It is to be hoped that by the time these lines are read Mr. Clynes' suggestion that a judicial public discussion should at once be arranged between the miners' leaders and the Government will have been acted upon, and the fullest publicity given to the arguments on both sides. We believe that the public in general are more bitterly opposed to the miners over this strike ...

... In France. GENERAL HAIG'S progress on the Western front con tinues to be most satisfac tory, and by the time these lines are read it is probable that Bapaume and possibly Peronne may have fallen before our victorious troops. The German papers may talk as much as they like about a strategical retirement, but that does not lessen the fact that the informa tion we get as to loss of material and ...

... Pictorial Politics,, 1917-1018. THE sands of 1917 are run ning out, and the high hopes of victory which the year brought in have, alas! not been realised, mainly through the weakness of Russia, who is still intoxicated and incapable through the freedom she up to the present has not proved herself able to enjoy or consolidate. Roumania and Serbia remain conquered, Northern Italy has been ...

... ., Stand and Deliver 1 THE miners' strike which is threat ening the country is another clear sign of the dangerous ex tent to which the extremists have attained the upper hand in the labour organisations. The miners' delegates curtly rejected the Government's clear and reasonable proposals without any explanation on the processes of thought and argument which prompted that re jection. This is, ...

... BY HENRY LONGHURST THE elderly committee appointed to select the British Ryder Cup team are to be congratulated on the commendably youthful vigour with which they have already set about their duties. Although the match is not to be played until June 26 and 27, they have already made twenty-two nominations --with the reservation, one is happy to notice, that if circumstances warrant, further ...

... PICTORIAL POLITICS. Science to Aid, MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN in his speech in the House of Commons last week, dis cussing the very serious economic position, argued that as there is no prospect of a reduction in the cost of labour to a pre-war basis, the country must rely upon some new methods of pro duction to bring about a fall in prices. This is a very true and very interesting statement. If ...

... PICTORIAL POLITICS. Independence Day. GThe 144th anniversary of America's Independence Day yet once more served to emphasise a fact which, perhaps, has never needed any illustration namely, that honourable foes, who have met and fought hard, can be good friends. The American War of Independence left no rancours behind it the revanche for Waterloo was likewise an amiable myth. In both cases the ...

... RACING NOTIONS By CARBINE A Real Grievance I AM bound to say I sympathise greatly with the bookmakers in their grievance on the subject of the taxation of bad debts. It is most inequitable that they should be called on to pay the betting tax on money which they cannot collect. The law has it that you cannot legally enforce the payment of gambling transactions, so the bookie is hit in two ...

... RACING NOTIONS By CARBINE Popular Priory Park I DO not remember ever to have been more confident regarding the issue of an important handicap than I was over Priory Park in the Royal Hunt Cup. I am glad to know that the sanguine selection of this horse made in these Notes last week turned out so happily. There was not a moment in the Hunt Cup when the supporters of Priory Park had any real ...