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The Republics of Central and South America. By 0- Reginald Enock. (J. M. Dent and Sons. 10s. 6d. net.)—In this exceedingly useful volume Mr. Enock gives a concise but exhaustive analysis of the political, economic, and socio- logical conditions of the Latin-American republics. Though be successfully resists the temptation to be superficially picturesque, he is never dull. Indeed, the .balance which be maintains between the human and statistical elements of his subject is remarkable. His concluding chapter is a good example of this sanity of mind. He sees the republics as countries which have as yet hardly commenced the develop- ment of their resources, but stand at the parting of the ways still able to choose between a slow progress upon national lines and a rapid exploitation by means of foreign capital. At present they see "progress" in the latter alternative, and seem destined to embark upon the course which already has divided Europe and North America between the two armed camps of capital and labour. Mr. Enock pleads strongly for a saner choice. He points out that the republics are rich and young enough to continue self-supporting, that they have as yet practically no industrial and no. middle class, but are divided almost entirely between the plutocracy and the peasantry, and that the very large area of land still (in spite of the reckless concession-granting in the past) under State ownership makes a conservation of resources easy. South America can never, be urges, rival the older civilizations in art, commerce, or invention, but it is still young enough to attain that equilibrium of social life which older civilizations have lost in the hurry and competition of modern life, and to which we are all of us vainly endeavouring to return. That any of the republics are within measurable distance of achieving this end he does not for a moment pretend. He is too familiar with their moral and political condition to be so deceived. But changea, and developments happen rapidly in these countries. There is at least room for hope, and Mr. Enock's patient and thoughtful study should do something to help this hope towards fulfilment. The volume is, it should be added, illustrated with a number of useful maps and some excellent photographs.
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