Slat or Saxon. By W. B. Foulke. (G. P. Putnam's
Sons.) —Mr. Foulke's little book is in reality an appeal to his American kinsmen to join forces with England when the hour should strike for the final conflict between Slav and Saxon, which be regards as inevitable. He flouts Mr. Gladstone and other English states- men and publicists who have held that a rapprochement is poe- sible between England and Russia. Moreover, Mr. Foulke is plainly of opinion that, despite the doctrine of the survival of the fittest, the British Empire (unaided by America) might be no match for the Russian. He points to the loose tie of friendship connecting rather than weld ing us to Australia, Canada, and South Africa, which he describes as practically independent friendly States. Opposed to this loosely knit confederation we have the solid autocracy of Russia, which he regards not only as the most powerful military Empire in the world, but as able to withstand the disintegrating forces that have weakened, and may prove fatal to, the more highly civilised nations of Western Europe,—notably France. From this standpoint Mr. Foulke very ably, though briefly, traces the history of Russia as an ever- growing, steadily aggressive Empire, whose entire autocratic system of Church and State is one that leads to the conquest and absorption of weaker, even if more civilised, nations. "England," writes Mr. Foulke, "once stood at our side in defending the Western Empire against the encroachments of the 'Holy Alliance! Let us be ready to now do our part for the protection of . Our common civilisation. The mere existence of an Anglo-American Alliance will go far to remove the dangers against which it
is directed." Without being altogether so f alarmist as the author in regard to the designs of Russia, we heartily endorse his sentiments as to the necessity for the lasting friendship between England and America ; and, that friendship assured, we think that the Anglo-Saxon, with his passion for freedom and progress, and his love of truth and justice, need not fear even the all-conquering Slay. Meanwhile this is a strangely suggestive book to appear just when the Peace Conference was sitting at the Hague.
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