SOME BOOKS OF THE WEEK.
[Tinder this heading we notice such Books of the week as hare not lawn reserved for rewew in other Jenne.] Absolutism in Croatia. By R. W. Seton-Watson. (Constable and Co. 2s. net.)—The writing of " Scotus 'Plater" is familiar to our readers, and, indeed, a portion of this actual volume appeared in our correspondence columns. The larger part of it, however, is a translation of a supplementary chapter added to the German edition of his last book, "Corruption and Reform in Hungary." It is occupied principally with an account of the conduct of the elections to the Croatian Diet which were held in December 1911, and with the subsequent suspension of the Constitution by the Ban, Mr. Cuvaj. Mr. Seton-Watson puts his case with the greatest ability, and it will require much evidence upon the other side if his indictment of the Magyar oppression of Croatia is to be refuted. Mr. Cuvaj's press decree of April 3rd, 1912, which is printed in full in an appendix, is a truly surprising document. Not only does it require that every issue of a daily paper must be laid before the police two hours before publication, but also that if any portions of the matter are suppressed "the confiscated portions are to be filled up with fresh matter and may not be left empty ; in other words, the newspapers are to be published without any traces, signs, or indications from which it could be gathered that the first edition had been confiscated." A vigorous application of this decree has already, according to Mr. Seton-Watson, almost reduced the entire Croatian press to silence, for there are only two papers supporting the Government in all Croatia. More generally, the great effect which Mr. Seton- Watson declares to have been produced by Mr. Cuvaj's regime is the welding together of practically the whole nation in its opposi- tion to the Magyar administration.
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