The Spectator

The Spectator at war: American friendship

From ‘The American Note to Germany‘, The Spectator, 31 July 1915: German submarine methods cannot possibly continue on their past lines without sooner or later sacrificing another American life. The German submarines could no doubt continue, on a small scale, to sink merchantmen bringing supplies to Britain if they made full inquiries as to the

The Spectator at war: The struggle in Russia

From ‘The Struggle in Russia‘, The Spectator, 31 July 1915: We must not write more than a few lines, but we cannot do less, in admiration of the Russian endurance, doggedness, and skill. If we indulged our inclination in this respect, we should write an article about nothing else. All our sympathy and deep respect

In defence of Boris Johnson’s water cannon

The spat between Boris Johnson and Theresa May over the acquisition of three second hand ones from the German police has the air of a dormitory water pistol fight that has left an unprepared Johnson standing in dripping pyjamas. It has become a received wisdom that the incident raises questions about Johnson’s fitness for high

The Spectator at war: Coal and its problems

From ‘Coal and its Problems‘, The Spectator, 24 July 1915: The high price of domestic coal, though undoubtedly an immediate injury to the country, will prove an ultimate benefit. Politicians never seem capable of understanding that high prices if left alone kill themselves, first by reducing consumption, and secondly by stimulating production. The only condition

The Spectator at war: Germania contra mundum

From ‘Germania contra mundum’, by Lord Cromer, The Spectator, 24 July 1915: What, therefore, are we and our Allies fighting for? Without attempting to deal fully with the considerations which may be adduced in connexion with each separate branch of this subject, it may perhaps be as well to make a catalogue— and possibly an

The Spectator at war: The ugliness of pacifism

From ‘The Pacificist Vision’, The Spectator, 24 July 1915: It must not be supposed that the majority of Americans are pacificists, but there are enough pacificists to force a strong tide of feeling through the country. In the West an advanced pacificisin—what seems to us, when we reflect on the probable results, a hopelessly unthinking

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