SOME BOOKS OF THE WEEK.
[Notice in this column does not necessarily preclude subsequent revise.] Disloyalty : the Blight of Pacifism. By Harold Owen. (Hurst and Blaekett. fig. net.)—Mr. Owen is concerned with the political Pacificists, who are not conscious traitors, but who, from party spite or insensibility to Prussian crimes or an egotistic desire to differ at all costs from the majority of their fellow-citizens, try to persuade themselves and others that the Germans are a much-maligned people with whom it would be quite easy to make some sort of peace. He deals very faithfully with these people. His numerous quotations from the Daily News and the Nation and from other sources give effective support to his argument. It is true that these Pacificists are really a very insignificant minority, and that probably no Pacificist candidate would have the remotest chance of winning a seat in Great Britain or in Ulster. Nevertheless, they disturb the national unity at home, and they produce a false impression abroad, especially in Germany. Our Pacificist Press, of course, unwittingly encourages the enemy to hold on, in the belief that wo are becoming war-weary. Hence Mr. Owen's exposure serves a useful purpose. He points out, very truly, that the Pacificists have grossly mis- represented President Wilson's resolute war policy of " force, force to the uttermost," and that the extreme Labour men have abused the President for venturing to differ from them, while at the same time asking America to subscribe to the Labour Party as the only one which sought to attain the President's war aims. Let us add that Mr. Owen, or his printer, has sadly misquoted Moliere's " VOUS l'avez voulu, George Dandin " which appears
Tu l'as voulu, Denton "
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