EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT The Roman Catholic clergy unquestionably exercise a rigid censorship over the morals of their flocks, with the effect of virtually driving out of the church vicious persons who will not confess, repent and strive to reform. Sur rounded by a general atmosphere of agnos ticism such incorrigibles, even though not technically excommunicated, very readily drift into theological indifference. "Vicious propensities draw them away from a church whose requirement of personal righteousness is imperative and uncompro mising. How much terrorizing restraint can be expected from the tradition of a Hell which the newspapers they read treat only as a subject of jest and which they cannot help realizing is discredited by the thinking classes? It is believed that the dim recollection of a theological belief in childhood is insufficient as a guaranty that one will cast off the influence of his habits of life and feel constrained to speak the truth because confronted by death." HEBREW LAW. " A Thousand Years of Hebrew Law," by Hugh Evander Willis. American Law Review (V. xli, p. 711). A brief review of the development from the time of Moses to the return of the captives from Babylon. HISTORY. "The Bench and Bar in the Silver Age of the Common Law," by John Maxcy Zane, Illinois Law Review (V. ii, p. 162). INTERNATIONAL LAW. " The Papacy as an International Power," by Hannis Taylor, American Law Review (V. xli, p. 720). A short review, concluding as follows: "There is a very large body of non-sec tarian Christians — statesmen, philosophers, jurists, men of letters — who arc anxious to see all possible moral support given to the most ancient of Christian organizations, con fronting the common enemy under the only spiritual chief clothed with any real authority. To that chief should be restored something of his ancient territorial independence, within limits large enough to insure the exercise of his high functions free from local governmental interference. But more important still, the pope should be invited to cooperate as of old, as an arbitrating factor, in the family of nations. A great mistake was made when he was not invited to appear by his representa
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tives in the First Hague Conference. As that mistake becomes more manifest, as time goes on, let us hope that it will be corrected." INTERNATIONAL LAW. " Problems of International Practice and Diplomacy," by Sir Thomas Barclay. Boston Book Company. This is a particularly timely and interesting work. The author attempts to discover rules which, if adopted, will improve the lawregulating intercourse between nations. The aim is therefore to set forth what should be the law, rather than to tell what it is. While the latter would be a most difficult under taking, the former is even more difficult. But notwithstanding the hopelessness of success fully solving the problem, the attempt is interesting. The chapter on " Extension of the Scope of Arbitration Treaties and the Jurisdiction of the Hague Court " discusses in a practical way the possibilities of progress in the most promising direction for the advance of the interests of universal peace. In his judgment, a treaty of arbitration should be " at the same time general, obligatory and automatic." The author is not correct in saying that "though States seem no longer reluctant to resort to The Hague Court, and public opinion has come to view it with increasing favor, and several important cases have already been submitted to it, no progress has been made towards compulsory arbitration as a pacific means of settling questions of vital interest as between any great powers." Because voluntary arbitration has not yet been super seded by compulsory arbitration, it does not follow that no progress has been made toward compulsory arbitration. The growth of pub lic opinion in favor of the peaceful settlement of international disputes, which growth has been fostered by voluntary arbitration, con stitutes substantial progress towards making possible the introduction and successful work ing of a scheme of compulsory arbitration. It is perhaps a little early to attempt any extended scheme of modifications in the procedure of the Hague Court as the Court has not yet been in operation long enough to fur nish us a basis of experience for determining what changes in procedure can be advan tageously made. The chapter dealing with this subject is therefore open to the objection
