SOME BOOKS OF THE WEEK.
[Notice in this column does not necessarily preclude subsequent review.]
THE OcroBER QuArrrEarIEs.—The Edinburgh Review gives prominence to a well-informed and candid article by Mr. J. 0. P. Bland on " The Future of Manchuria," in which he declares that " nothing short of compulsion by greatly superior force will ever induce the rulers of Japan to abandon their position of economic and political ascendancy in Manchuria and Mon- golia," and that we have no reason for persuading them to do so. Japan should, he thinks, be asked to define the sphere in which she claims special rights and to be content elsewhere with the trading opportunities afforded to all nations. Professor Peter Struve, the learned Russian economist, discusses "The Russian Communistic Experiment," which. he says, has proved that the abolition of private property involves the suppression of human liberty. Sir Lynden Macassey, writing on " Labour and the League of Nations," subjects the International Labour Office to severe criticism, on the ground that it is ill organized and that it is unduly influenced by Socialists. Mr. Bernard Holland has a suggestive article on " The Government of London," in view of the appointment of a Royal Commission. He thinks that the problem of local government might be solved either by entrusting the large municipalities and the chief county councils with a considerable measure of autonomy, or by dividing the country into equal administrative areas and giving the local bodies comparative freedom to manage their own affairs, so that the central departments might be greatly reduced. The question deserves far more consideration than it has yet received. Professor J. W. Cobb has an interesting paper on " Coal and Smoke," showing how the new Gas Regulation Act has benefited the industry and discussing the expediency of permitting coal gas to be diluted with the poisonous carbon monoxide. Mr. Marriott, in an historical review of " The Party System and Parliamentary Government," indicates his belief that the existence of well-defined parties is necessary to the right working of our Constitution, and that we are suffering from the temporary collapse of the party system. Mr. C. Ernest Fayle discusses " The Ship-Money Fleets " of Charles L, pointing out—what is often forgotten—that the ship-money was all spent on the fleet which England needed and that the Opposition simply challenged the King's right to impose unusual taxes by an exercise of the prero- gative for fear lest he should dispense with Parliament altogether. Professor J. A. Strahan, in an article on Byron in England," vigorously defends the poet against the charges made by his wife and repeated by the late Lord Lovelace in Astarte. Professor H. Stuart Jones has a capital article, temperate and informing, on " The Classics in Education." Greek thought, as he shows, is still as valuable to us as ever it was, though " purely linguistio study is not and should not be the main object of classical education."—In the Quarterly Review Mr. Dune Stuart relates " How the ' Adoration of the Lamb' was saved " by Canon Van der Gheyn, of Ghent, from the rude hands of the German invaders. Van Eyck's picture was said to have been sent to England ; the Canon had a letter from the Belgian Minister of Science ordering him to send it. But the picture was, is
fact, hidden in a safe place in Ghent. The Germans made repeated efforts to find it, but were foiled by the tactful Canon, who had the pleasure of restoring the altar-piece to its place on November 29th, 1918. Poetic justice has since required the Germans to surrender the shutters of the altar-piece, which had been sold to Berlin in 1816. Mr. C. R. Haines has an interesting paper on " Recent Shakespearean Research," which is far from being exhausted. Mr. F. A. Edwards discusses " The Air Raids on London." The material effect, as he shows, was small. He does not consider the moral effect, which was very considerable. If the enemy had had any knowledge of the English temperament he would have left London severely alone, instead of stirring its people up to fierce anger. The raids were invaluable propaganda in the British cause. Mr. J. Ellis Barker has an instructive article on " The American Telephone and its Lesson," namely, that private enterprise can and does give an infinitely better service than our Post Office ever has done or, we fear, ever will do. Mr. C. E. Lawrence has an outspoken article on " The Fiction Market " ; " we want a restored standard," he says, but it is to be feared that " best-sellers " in any generation since novels were first written have been open to much the same criticism as he applies to popular favourites of to-day. Sir James G. Frazer writes charmingly on " Roman Life in the Time of Pliny the Younger," with illus- trations, of course, from Pliny's fascinating letters. Dr. E. J. Dillon reviews the memoirs of Count Witte and M. Isvolsky, and singles out the late Tsar as the main cause of Russia's collapse. Professor Popovic and Dr. Jovanovic give an inter- esting account of " The Triune Kingdom," or Great Serbia, since the armistice. They state that Serbia has received nothing by way of reparation for her terrible losses ; prices are high and capital is scarce. Nevertheless, they look forward hopefully, though there are " difficulties inherent in the for- mation of a new State out of various elements, which, though they have a common aim—that of unity—have various ideas and different methods of work."
Previous page
