William Morris, hitherto known only as an artist and
literary man, addressed his now famous letter to "The
London Daily News," under the caption: "England and
the Turks."   After scathing the authors of the Bulgarian
massacres and the party in England which, for political
and commercialreasons, was ready to condone them,
Morris declared that the Tories, in case they precipitated
the country into defending the Turks, would find only
shame in victory. He ended by an appeal to the working
men, recognizing them, for the first time, as an organized
body struggling toward clearer light and higher ground.
For a final sarcasm, he begged to inscribe himself, in
company with Gladstone, Freeman the, historian, and all
other men whom he esteemed, as "an hysterical senti-
mentalist."
                         The war-party persisted in its
efforts, and to meet the political crisis, the Eastern Question
Association was formed by the friends of neutrality and
peace. For a meeting caled in the interests of this
organization, in January 1878, Morris composed a song
in support of the object of the meeting, and beginning
with the words: "Wake, London Lads."     Collaborating
with the patriot-poet, Burne-Jones, the artist designed a
platform ticket bearing a vignette entitled:  Blind War.
It is interesting to know that both these unusual souvenirs
are extant; being preserved in a volume of documents
bearing upon the Eastern Question.
                         Morris had now in middle life
shown himself keenly sensitive to the problems of modern
civilization. Through a deep study of mediaeval art and
citizenship, he had come to be a Socialist in the true
sense: not a propagandist and a destructive agent, but
rather one who regarded his fellow-beings in some degree
  as companions, and who ceased not to advocate equity,
lgood-will and kindness. In defining the Socialism  of
Morris, a well-known American critic has said: "It
grew out of his love of art, which inflamed him to bring


WILLIAM MORISIBI


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