Stratagems and Spoils. By William Allen White. (C. Scribner's Sons.
6s. 6d.)—We must own that we do not feel clear as to what Mr. White means. Certainly the general upshot of these five stories of "Love and Politics" is that politicians have dirty hands. Then we look back at the preface. " Scantily informed people," we are told, talk much about corruption in politics, whereas, in reality, politicians are as honest in their business as lawyers, or bankers, or Professors are in theirs. Mr. White is far too shrewd not to be aware of the obvious retort—politics are not rightly a business; the politician elects to serve his country's interests, not his own. Probably this is what he means ; and all his apology is ironical. But then when a writer uses irony we ought not to have to say " probably " or "possibly." A minor difficulty is to b3 found in the technical terms. The book really ought tb have been furnished with a glossary. What with the argot of politics and of poker, American humour is sometimes very obscure.
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