SOME BOOKS OF THE WEEK.
[Notice i71 MIS totems does not nectstarily Nal.* snbatquent tetion,1 THE NOVEMBER MAGAZINES.—The Nineteenth Century has a valuable article on "Time National Wage Position" by Sir Lynden Macassey. He explains how State interference during the war upset all the old methods of fixing wages, and he suggests a practical method of determining wages by finding out, first, what wages an industry can bear and, secondly, what wages are paid in similar industries. '' High rates of wages do not necessarily mean high earnings; they may mean no earnings and no work." Mrs. Webster contributes an interesting article on " Women and Civilization " ; her dogmatic theory of marriage between " primitive " and " cultivated " persons is highly disputable. Mr. G. A. B. Dewar defends the Treaty of Ver- sailles as "The Safeguard of Europe." Sir Thomas Barclay writes on "H. Millerand and his Programme " ; the new Presi- dent, it appears, aims at decentralization, contrary to the ruling tendency of French administration. Sir 0"Moore Creagb, a former Commander-in-Chief in India, commends "The Report of the Army in India Committee," but expresses grave doubts as to whether Mr. Montagu will allow the recommendations to be carried out. He recalls an incident of 1898, during the first rising of the "Mail Mullah," when an Austrian steamer arrived at Aden, carrying an Austrian " scientific " expedition to Somaliland. Ho refused them permission to land, and found out later that the steamer was loaded with munitions for the Mullah, under the charge of a German-Turkish agent and some German officers. Sir O'Moore Creagh emphasizes the fact that the martial 'soca in India are in a very small minority—perhaps a twelfth—and that the other races are " unwarlike hy creed and habit." Dr. Haden Guest, the secretary of the recent Labour delegation to Russia, writes on Bolshevism," admitting that the Moscow Communists are a little faction ruling by vio- lence, and that tho educational reforms of which so much has been heard exist for the most part only on paper. Mr. Moreton Frewert has an article on "The Structure of Empire Finance," drawing attention to the Peace River region in North-Western Canada as a typical district which might be developed with the help of a British Government guarantee.—In the Forfaighffy Sir George Aston asks some searching questions about "India and Empire Defence," in connexion with the Report of the Army in India Committee ; in particular, he asks whether, in Bacon's words, "the natural subjects of the Crown or State bear a sufficient proportion to the stronger subjects that they govern," and whether the time has not come to take stock of our military obligations in a world-wide Empire. Mr. V. W. Germaine gives an interesting summary of "A German Expert Narrative of the Battle of Jutland," on which the Admiralty might, if it would, make some comment. Professor Holland Rose's "Plea for the Further Study of Naval History" deserves attention ; it reinforces indirectly the demand for an official accowat of Jutland, for, unless the facts are accurately stated, the true lessons of that battle most he obscured. "An Adminis- trator," writing on Ireland, says with some truth that the disorders are due to "the reckless negligence of English states- men who, having undertaken to rule Ireland, have not ruled it," and to the inefficiency of the administrative system which works in watertight compartments. Mr. Marriott discusses the prob- lem of the executive in Greta Britain, America, and France. Mr. John Pollock says that the Tsar was murdered because he would not fall in with a German scheme, under which lie was to abdicate in favour of his son, who was then to sign the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk and resume the throne of his ancestors under German protection. Mr. Pollock may be right ; in June, 191P, the Germans seemed to have Russia at their mercy.---In ha Contemporary Mr. A. G. Gardiner, writing on "Anglo-American Issues," suggests that, on the analogy of the agreement by which neither country keeps armed vessels in the Great Lakes, Great Britain should propose to America "to pool the naval resources of the two nations and to dedicate them, not to any selfish national interest merely, but to the League of Nations and the enduring peace of the world." American comments on this singular scheme will probably surprise Mr. Gardiner. Mr. D. H. Loch has a thoughtful paper on "Austria Revisited." Mr. J. A. Hobson, writing on "The New Industrial Revolution," contends that the Syndicalists are entirely wrong in assuming that economic issues will tend to absorb more and more of the attention of the community. He looks forward to a time when "economics will be the servant, not the master, of humanity "- a pleasanter Utopia than that of Mr. Sidney Webb or Lenin. Sir Cyril Cobb describes "London's Scheme of Education." Mrs. Ada Wallas discusses Lord Halifax's Advice to a Daughter, acknowledging its charm and wisdom but denouncing its treat- ment of marriage as "simply poisonous," because Lord Halifax insisted on the wife's submissiveness. Some useful documents relating to the recent strikes in Italy are printed at length.— In the National Review Colonel Rowan Robinson's article on "Work and Thrift in War" is timely. There is another side to his contention that the hard work of the German soldier in constructing deep dug-outs saved life ; much of the work was really done by the forced labour of French and Belgian civilians, and the soldiers who spent much of their time in dug-outs were apt to lose their fighting spirit and to surrender too readily. Still, his complaints of the prevalent slackness are well founded. Mr. J. 0. P. Bland, writing on "Poking Revisited," thinks that China has changed very little after all. Signor Enrico Corradini has an optimistic article on "Italy and the National Idea." Mr. E. Alfred Jones writes well on " Pepys as an Art Collector and Critic." Miss A. H. Singleton's "The Ghosts of Rayn- ham " is a collection of seemingly well authenticated ghost stories handed down in the Tovmsbend Black- wood's " Ganpat" continues his thrilling account of the last Mahaud campaign on the North-West Frontier. Miss Ethel Smyth completes her exceedingly clever "Recollections of the Empress Eugenic" !— " She was fond of pointing out that no nation is less given to prolonged sojourn beside the domestic hearth than the English. You are always somewhere else,' she said, et voila le pewle qui ne se lease pas de chanter a tout propos ‘"ome sweet 'onto." " "I never saw the Empress more utterly adorable with anyone than she was with Mrs. Pankburst." Miss Smyth's estimate of the Empress's complex character is by far the most satisfying that we have ever read. 'Can anything transcend the dignity of that long iron silence ? Can the world ever forget that supreme spectacle of one who knew how to fall ? " Lord Lansdowne contributes a most interesting paper on "A Canadian River," the Cascapedia, where he had some rare sport with the salmon in 1884-87 during his term of office as Governor-General at Ottawa.—The London Mercury opens a most entertaining number with two hitherto unpublished poems by Swinbume and a clever, humorous poem, "Miss Thompson Goes Shopping," by Mr. Martin Armstrong. Miss Ethel Smyth's "Two Glimpses of Queen Victoria" is a pleasant and lively reminiscence ; the Queen, thanks to the Empress Eugenie, gave her no small encouragement in producing her first important composition. Mr. Belloc deals faithfully, and at length, with Mr. Wells as an historian.
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