SOME BOOKS OF THE WEEK.
[Holies in this column does not necessarily preclude subsequent reviete.1 THE JuNE MAGAZINES.—The Nineteenth Century gives promin- ence to an able article on "Our Foreign Policy" by Mr. Ormsby Gore, who is mainly concerned with the grave problems that confront us in the East and in the Pacific. He shows how the remote little island of Yap "has already raised issues of foreign policy of tremendous magnitude," since the Allies have given the mandate for it to Japan and the Council of the League has confirmed the mandate" in terms which completely disregarded any American rights or interests." Yap is to be administered as part of Japan, and therefore no alien may be emirloyed in the cable station for which alone Yap is noted. Mr. Ormsby Gore, by the way, does not consider the possibility of removing the foreign cables, formerly worked by a German company, to some other island ; the expense would be trivial in proportion to the political advantage. He urges that the questions affected by the Japanese Alliance, especially the future of China, should be discussed frankly and openly with the Dominions and with America. Mr. Maxwell H. H. Macartney describes the situation "In Central Europe To-day," and suggests that under the lead of the Czechs the small states are beginning to co-operate in rebuilding the economic system which was destroyed with the fall of the Hapsburgs. Lord Askwith criticizes the Inter- national Labour Office severely, on the ground that it is Under- taking propaganda, especially in connexion with the white lead industry, instead of collecting facts. Mr. Reynell Wreford and Mr. Hyndman answer in the negative the question, "Are We Constitutionally Governed'? " Mr. Hyndman pleads for " P.R.," the "Initiative," and the Referendum, and com- pulsory voting. Lord Ashfield contributes a most interesting article on "The Problem of the Fare," with special reference to the London Tubes and omnibuses and to the New York services which, he says, are dearer. Every citizen, he says, travels on the average over 400 times in the year. The differential fare adopted here has, he thinks, helped to save the "submerged towns" like Kensington and Lewisham from being lost in the immensity of London. Sir F. A. Bosanquet, • Farewell. By P. W. Harvey. London : Eddgwick and Jackson. (5g. net.] writing on "Laws of Marriage and Divorce," criticizes unfavour- ably Lord Buckmaster's Divorce Bill, and suggests that adultery would be less common if the guilty persons were, as in France and Germany, forbidden to marry. Lord Sydenham discusses "A Great Lesson of the Naval War "—namely, that an inferior battle-fleet operating in its home waters is much strengthened by the development of the sub- marine and the mine against a superior battle-fleet operating from a distant base. Miss Rose M. Bradley has an amusing article on "The Housewife a Hundred Years Ago." —In the Fortnightly Mr. Frederic Harrison, who as a boy of seven saw Queen Victoria's Coronation procession, pays a hand- some tribute to Mr. Lytton Strachey's reading of the characters of the Qued and Prince Albert. The Exhibition of 1851 was, he says, the Prince's own idea, and it gave a great stimulus to industry and art. Of the Queen's early political career Mr. Harrison says that "it proves the danger of entrusting high political functions to a woman and the wisdom of the people who invented the Salle law." Mr. H. G. Wells, under the title of "History for Everybody," commends his own Outline of History, and makes a characteristic onslaught on his critics, especially Mr. Gomme. Mr. Maxwell H. H. Macartney has an admirable and informing article on "The Hapsburg Easter Egg "—the attempt of the ex-Emperor-King Karl to regain the Hungarian throne. The Austrian Monarchists did not lift a finger to help him ; the Magyar Monarchists, Mr. Macartney assures us, were really taken by surprise. The ex-Emperor, it seems, was recognized when he took the train at Strasburg, and the French Mission in Vienna was warned of his intention to visit Vienna where he stayed for some days. Mr. J. A. Marriott gives a lucid account of the disastrous effect of State control upon the railways. Mr. Archibald Hurd discusses the new naval problem, "From North Sea to Pacific," advocating the creation of an Imperial Service Squadron to supplement the Dominion Navies. Mr. H. Charles Woods describes "The Internal Situation in Bulgaria " ; he doubts the wisdom of the policy of the Peasants' Party now in power under M. Stambolisky. Mr. Lewis Melville celebrates the centenary of J. J. Whyte- Melville, who was born on June 19th, 1821. M. Martial Teneo, the librarian to the Paris Opera, contributes a curious and in- teresting study of " Napoleon as Operatic Director," based on the archives in his keeping. The Emperor supervised the Opera with the greatest care ; he attached importance to the demeanour of the audience, and strove to maintain the high standard of the performances.—In the Contemporary Sir Paul Vinogradoff, the eminent Russian historian, has a noteworthy article on "Russia at the Cross-roads." He repudiates the suggestion that the Bolsheviks are coming to their senses. He ridicules their claim to have done something for education. He looks for a gradual revolt of the army against the despots. "Salvation will not come from the emigrants nor from the Allies. It can only be expected from an elemental crisis in an illness which is bound to be a protracted and an agonizing one." Professor J. W. Gregory contributes an important article on "The Future of Oil-Supply." While he does not accept the pessimistic forecasts of some American authorities, he points out that there is not oil enough in the world for it to be used as the primary fuel. The normal production of coal is about fifteen times as great as that of oil. Therefore oil should be used carefully. "Irreplaceable mineral oil should not be cast under the boilers of tramp steamers or petrol used for purposes for which a refuse-burning Diesel engine is available." "The future supply of mineral oils should be carefully investigated before the mercantile marine of the world is run on oil." Lord Gainford, in a temperate and instructive article on "-The Coal Problem," presents the coal- owners' case for district settlements, pointing out how widely local products and local customs differ. The owners, he says, have done all that they could do. He blames the Government for abolishing State control before August, thus upsetting the negotiations between the owners and the miners ; but the publics might reply that the negotiations showed no signs of coming to a positive result. Mr. R. H. Tawney, on the other hand, states the case for the miners' leaders, insisting on the "National Wages Pool," and suggesting—in defiance of many well-known facts— that the miners' leaders really want to increase the output of coal, through the reorganization of the industry. Dr. J. Scott Lidgett writes on "Some Issues of London Government," stating the case of his Progressive Party for the next County Council elections, and deploring the extravagance of the Labour Party. M. Pierre Renaudel, the French Socialist leader, describes the attitude of the Socialists towards Germany in respect of reparation, but it may be doubted whether many Frenchmen agree with him in desiring German workmen to rebuild the towns and villages that they destroyed. Signor Prezzolini gives an interesting account of the Faseisti in Italy, who have suppressed the Bolsheviks by violence while the Government looked on apathetically.—In the Nationa1 Review Mr. Masse has a caustic article on Mr. Lansing's memoirs of the Peace Conference. Lady Denman gives a useful description of "The Women's Institute Movement," which has already done much for the villages, and will do more in the near future. The late Lord Edward Cecil's personal reminiscences of Lord Kitchener are pleasant reading. The late Major Robin Grey's lucid statement of "The Problem of Upper Silesia" is timely ; the author was firmly convinced that the Germans had incited the Poles to rise in order to put them in the wrong, and that the plebiscite was unskillfully planned inasmuch as it was taken in too large an area, including some obviously German districts. Mr. E. P. Hewitt writes on "Trade Union Law and Suggested Amend- ments," including a proviso that no strike should be declared until the Union concerned had taken a "genuine secret ballot," and another proviso that political strikes should be declared unlawful.—Blackwood's continues its interesting sketches of police work among the Sinn Fein rebels in Ireland. "Tales of the Ma'adan " give a remarkable picture of a political officer's life among the wild marsh tribes of Southern Mesopotamia. "Our Goats" is a whimsical article which will entertain those who keep goats ; "a goat," says the writer, "appeals to me as being by far the most self-dependent of all domestic animals."
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