The latest development in connection with the International Brotherhood
movement is the establishment of a College of Correct Cosmopolitan
Pronunciation. The need of such an institution has long been clamant, and
the visit of the Ukrainian choir has brought matters to a crisis. At their
concert last week several strong women wept like men at their inability to
pronounce the title of one of the most beautiful items on the programme--
"Shtchedryk." Again, as Mr. SMILLIE must have bitterly reflected, how can
we possibly render justice to the cause of Bolshevism so long as we are
unable to pronounce the names of its leaders correctly? The same remark
applies to the Russian Ballet; the Yugo-Slav handbell-ringers; the
vegetarian Indian-club swingers from the Karakoram Himalayas; the
polyphonic gong-players from North Borneo; the synthetic quarter-tone
quartette from San Domingo; the anthropophagous back-chat comedians from
the Solomon Islands; not to mention a host of other interesting companies,
troupes, corroborees and pow-wows which are now in our midst for the
purpose of cementing the confraternity of nations.
Suitable premises for the College have been secured in the heart of Mayfair
and a competent staff of instructors has already been appointed, who, with
the aid of gramophones, will be able to train the students to perfection in
the requisite command of the most explosive gutturals, labials and
sibilants. Doctor Prtnkeivitchsvtnshchitzky will be the director of the
College; Dr. SETON WATSON and Mr. WICKHAM STEED have kindly undertaken to
supervise the Yugo-Slav section, and the list of patrons and patronesses
includes the names of the Prince of Prinkipo; Madame KARSAVINA, so long a
victim of the mispronunciation of her melodious surname; Dr. DOUGLAS HYDE,
the famous Irish scholar; Prenk-Bib-Doda, the Albanian chieftain; Sir
RABINDRANATH TAGORE; Lord PARMOOR; Sir THOMAS BEECHAM and the Dowager Begum
of BHOPAL.
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[Illustration: MORE ADVENTURES OF A POST-WAR SPORTSMAN.