the British Government's justification of the war is
so inadequate is because no British Government is ever so clever as
Bernard Shaw.

5. That even in the midst of the most horrible calamity known to human
history it pays to advertise.

Various patriots have various ways of serving their country. Some go to
the firing line to be shot and others stay at home to be a source of
innocent merriment to the survivors.

*"Shaw Empty of Good Sense"*

By Christabel Pankhurst.

Written for THE NEW YORK TIMES.

His reputation for perversity and contrariety is fully maintained by
George Bernard Shaw in the ineptly-named article, "Common Sense About
the War." At home in Britain we all know that it is Mr. Shaw's habit to
oppose where he might be expected to support, and vice versa. For
example, should he speak at a prohibition meeting he would most likely
extol strong drink, or if asked to defend the sale of liquor declare
dramatically for prohibition.

He sees himself as the critic of everything and everybody--the one and
only man who knows what to do and how to do it.

Mr. Shaw charges his compatriots with intellectual laziness, but they
are not so lazy as to leave him to do their thinking for them. That he
sometimes--and oftener in the past than now--says illuminating things is
true, but firm reliance cannot be placed upon his freakish mental
processes, exemplified in his writings about the war. He has played with
effect the part of jester to the British public, but when, as now, his
jests are empty of the kernel of good sense, the matter gets beyond a
joke.

The truth is that in face of this great and tragic reality of war the
men of mere words, the literary theorists, are in danger of missing
their way. Certainly women of deeds are more likely to see things aright
than are men of words, and it is as a woman of deeds that I, a
suffragette, make answer to my irresponsible compatriot, Mr. Bernard
Shaw. And yet not a compatriot, for Mr. Shaw disclaims those feelings of
loyalty and enthusiasm for the national cause that fill the mass of us
who live under the British flag!

"Until Home Rule emerges from its present suspended animation," says Mr.
Shaw, "I shall retain my Irish capacity for criticising England with
something of the detachment of a foreigner." Now, these words are not a
little surprising, because Mr. Shaw's interest in the Home Rule cause
has hitherto been of a most restrained and well-nigh secret