SOME BOOKS OF THE WEEK.
Praia in Usis agusen does not usausarily pmolude subsequent respiesc] THE Merlon Meoazwres.—In the Nineteenth Century Captain Coote, a Coalition Liberal Member, propounds the question, " What is a Liberal t " and finds some difficulty in giving a positive answer. " It has never been the virtue of the Liberal Party to pay much attention to facts, and it is quite time that Liberals did so." He thinks, somewhat optimistically, that " the Liberal Party has shed its cranks," and that the main problems before it are administrative, since legislation has done all that it can do. Mr. Austin Hopkinson supplies, as a pendant, " A Basis for a Conservative Party "—" men not measures," no Tariff Reform or other illusions, but a policy based on unselfish service and discipline. Mr. Hopkinson scouts " the false standard of Victorian Liberalism, the idea that nations are great if they are rich." Mr. St. Loe Strachey contributes, in " Itow to Work the Poll of the People," a summary of Lord Balfour's Bill of 1911, an account of the actual working of the Referendum in Switzerland since 1874, and a reply to the Liberal Party objection that " the Referendum retards progress "—as if the people must not be allowed to move at its own pace hi the direction of reform. Mr. W. R. Smith, a Labour Member sitting for a partly rural constituency, writes vigorously on " Labour and Land." Unlike most Labour leaders, he recognizes the vital importance of the Policy of the Plough, but he wants also to " nationalize " the land and thus to ruin the whole farming industry. Mr. Freeman Murray defends the policy of " Australia for the White Man," pointing out that in Northern Queensland the white settlers flourish and that the development of the Northern Territory is retarded for lack of a railway. Sir Francis Piggott discusses American naval policy, with special reference to the question of " armed neutrality " in time of war and the so-called " freedom of the seas." General F. G. Stone describes the.constitution of " The Army in War and Peace." Miss Aimee Dora Bright has an interesting article on " The Romney Marsh and its Flock," and Mr. Stephen Wheeler has found an excellent subject in " Landor'e Llanthony."—The .Fortnightly opens with a strong denunciation of the Independent Liberal caucus by Mr. C. A. McCurdy in an article entitled " Coalition, Caucus, and Common Sense." Mr. J. A. R. Marriott examines " The Problem of 'Unemployment," and points out that the Labour cry for " the right to work " ignores the disastrous experiment in Paris in 1848 when the Provisional Government recognized " the right to work " with lamentable consequences for all concerned, Mr. C. Nabokoff writes well on " Concessions as a New Method of Bolshevik Warfare," showing that the Bolsheviks hope to attract and then despoil the foolish foreign capitalist. Captain Frothingham, of the United States Navy, explains " The American Naval Building Programme " ; it was, he says, fixed in 1916, and embodied the American belief in big battleships and the supremacy of the big gun—a belief which has been strengthened by the war. " There has never been a threat against any nation in our consistent policy of providing a naval defence." Sir Charles Walston writes on " America and the League of Nations," emphasizing the impor- tance of America's decision. " Politicus " discusses, with facts and figures, the question " Can and Will Germany Pay ? " An unnamed writer explains clearly the position in Mesopotamia, and urges that Sir Percy Cox should be given time to develop his new policy. Mr. J. G. Allen has a useful article on "Rates and Taxes " ; he contends that the limit of exemption from Income Tax is placed too high. Mr. Beresford Chan- cellar rightly draws attention to " Smollett as a Traveller it is just two hundred years since Smollett was born at Bonhill, Dumbartonshire, close to Loch Lomond.— The Contemporary Review prints an article by Professor Hans -Delbriick entitled " Did the Kaiser want the War ? " and a reply to it by Mr. J. W. Headlam-Morley. Professor Delbriick's contention is that. Germany did not want war, but she thought that Russia meant to fight a year or two later, and therefore she precipitated the struggle before Russia was ready. " Ger- many knew that Austria's action in Serbia was dangerous and might cause war, but she believed the danger was not great and that it must be incurred in order to avoid the evil of an inevitable world war in the future." Mr. Headlam-Morley disposes of these sophistries in a temperate and well documented Artiel% We may note. that Mr. Headlam.Morley is incorrect
in supposing that the Austrian Red Book, in three volumes, and Herr Kautaky's revelations from the German Foreign Office have not been published in English ; both books have been reviewed in the Spectator. Mr. T. Okamoto, writing on " American-Japanese Issues and the Anglo-Japanese Alliance," says that " there is nothing which can cause an outbreak of hostilities between Japan and America." " What Japan wants is co-operation with America "—in China. " The co-operation between Japan and the United States is a logical outcome of the Anglo-Japanese Treaty." " In my opinion," says Mr. Okamoto, " the continuation of the treaty is the only way of assuring peace in the Far East." He adds that, though Japan resents the discrimination practised against Japanese settlers in California, she would not make it a cause of quarrel. Dr.
J. W. Evans, discussing " Scientific Research and the Universi- ties," urges that the Department of Scientific Research should assist the universities besides endowing special research workers concerned with certain industrial problems. Dr. Seton Watson gives an interesting account of the present position of the Czecho-Slovak Republic. Lady Crewe pays a graceful tribute to the late Miss Mary Maoarthur (Mrs. Anderson).
—In the National Review the Duke of Northumberland analyses " The Gospel Aocording to Mr. Thomas," and exposes some of the loose thinking and hopeless inconsistencies which may be found in Mr. Thomas's recent book. Labour policy as stated by Mr. Thomas is, the Duke says, " one of the most barefaced impostures ever foisted on the publio." Mr. John Holt Schooling says that " A Shilling in the Pound " represents the British share of the German indemnity on the terms pro- pounded in Paris ; the present value of the British share, including the export tax, is about £1,000,000,000—or a twentieth part of what we spent on the war. Mr. H. W. Wilson recalls " Napoleon's Death—a Century Ago at Longwood," on May 5th, 1821. " Scrutator " states at some length " The Case of General Lanrezac," whose strategic foresight in the first weeks of the war has been justified by events, although at the time he was distrusted by Marshal Joffre and Lord French and was deprived of his command. Mr. James Edmond, late editor of the Sydney Bulletin, contributes another racy article on the Irish politicians in Australia under the title of " Irish Parliamentary Govern- ment—The World's First Sample." Mr. Seton Gordon's admirable account of " The Great Grey Seal " deserves reading. —Bkschwood'e continues " A Study in Green," illustrating Shin Fein rebel tactics in Ireland. Major Lindsay Baahford, describing a tour " In the Little New Countries," gives an encouraging account of Lettland and Esthonia, where the people are working hard and trying to restore their ravaged lands. He comments on the tragic aspect of the old curiosity shops, crammed with the treasures of quiet country houses whose owners have been robbed or have been forced by poverty to sell. " In these regions the era of great estates has closed as abruptly as one shuts a door in passing from one room to another."
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