Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-11-16
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
THE AMERICAN JEW AS PATRIOT, SOLDIER
AND CITIZEN By Simon Wolf Edited by
Louis Edward Levy. Philadelphia: The Levy
type Company

AND CITIZEN: By Simon Wolf. Edited by
type Company.
Mr.. VOLTS work as author, or rather
compiler. is one of philanthropy, for his
pecuniary motive in collatirg this interest
Ing volume of Jewish personal history has
been to aid the Orphans Home Of the
Order Of B'nai Birth at Atlanta, Of which
he has long been the directing spirit and
official head in his capacity as chairman Of
the board Of control. The literary motive
was ito enforce recognition Of the Jewish
people as a militant factor in the upbuilding
Of tho state, and Of Judaism as a primal
force In the furtherance of civilization" to
quote from Mr.. Levy's preface. Mr.. VOLTS
attention to the subject of the part taken
by his co-religionsts in the American wars
was challenged by a controversy precfp-
itated In 1891 by articles appearing in the
North American Review, one Of which de-
clared that the American Jewish citizens
were not entitled to credit for any consid-
cradle participation in the civil war. This
led to exhaustive researches by Mr.. Wolf
in defense of his race, and the result is
that he effectually dsproves this charge,
for the present volume contains long ros-
ter Of Jewish soldiers who served in the
wars Of 1776 1912, 1915 and 1861, as well as
IN the regular army and navy of the United
states. These records, Mr.. Wolf states,
are incomplete, but are as full as persistent
searching can make them, and represent
labor of more than four years. In addition
to this feature. the volume contains many
chapters of real interest to Jewish well
as to other readers. bearing on various
phases of Jewish life in public lines A
sketch Of Haym Solomon Is given, showing
that this patriotic Hebrew played promi-
nent part in the organization of the nation
There are also several documents bearing
on the work Of the Jewish people during
the formative period of the Union, and,
coming down to later times. one of the most
valuable chapters Is called a page from the
is argued and plainly indicated that the
mysterious man who, by his offer of $5.0OO,-
600 in gold to the American minister in
London, Charles Francis Adams, enabled
that official to prevent the departure of
two cruisers from an English port to aid
the southern confederacy. was himself
Hebrew. The name of this man has never
been divulged Later chapters deal with
such subjects as Jewish patriotism in civil
life, Jews in the Latin-American settle
ment and In the armies of Europe, and the
concluding pages of the book are devoted
to consideration Of the action of the Rus
sian government discriminating against the
Hebrews
Mr.. Wolf is we'll known as a powerful
writer, but this volume gives him little op-
portuntty for original work, as he has I'M
dertaken only the task of assembling scat
tered fragments Of history pertaining to
the American Jews. The material Is handled
Will anu keen literary appreciation
OF It's worth. and the volume is valuable as
contribution to American historical liter
AZURE. AS indicated in the beginning of
this note, Mr.. VOLTS aim in this compila-
ton has been to aid the noble institution
over which he pIesdes, and to this end the
entire proceeds of the publication are to be
devoted to the funds of that establishment.
MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT IN CONTINENTAL
EUROPE By Albert Shaw, author of "Munc-
ipal Government in Great Britain" New
York: The Century Co.
There is general awakening of interest
among Americans in the subject Of mul.ici-
pal REFORM and the cities of the old world
are now attracting attention from students
of this subject as never before. In Amer
lea the conditions all so modern that
tine would-be reformer must look abroad
for comparative information in order to
learn the lessen of the centuries of expert
ence through which those cities and their
rulers have passed Many valuable lessons
have thus been drawn from London, Paris,
Berlin. Glasgow and other progressive mu-
inequalities, and DR.. Albert Shaw's studies
in this connection have filled want that
has been felt in this country. His work
has been evidenced from time to time by
magazine articles, and his work on "Munic-
ipal Govern ment in Great Britain is al
ready passing into the third edition. The
present volume is supplemental to his ear
lier work. He gives the foremost place to
Paris, which he calls 1.-The typical modern
Astounding influence upon the outward
forms of other European communities Dr.
Shaw has Tade particular study of such
statistics as relate to the conditions that
directly affect life IT. these great centerS
Marginal notes and an exhaustive index
make the book of unusual value to writer's
upon these subjects. In one of the most
important features of the work are appen-
dices containing the Paris and Berlin budg-
cts for 1884 and the French municipal CODE
items that seldom find their way into cur
rent English literature.
FROM THE BLACK SEA THROUGH PERSIA
AND INDIA. By Edwin Lord Weeks. Illus
h aaa by the Aa1s3G New York Harper
The present trouble in Turkey may not
extend into the region covered by these
travels, but the conditions of life in Persia
are much the same in the realm of the
sultan. SO that the earlier pages of this
beautifully illustrated volume will be of
very timely interest in view of the compli-
cations around the Bosphorus. Yet of itself
the work is Interesting. anG needs no pass
ing event to give ii a high place in the Ii
braries of all who love such literature.
PEcILE WE PASS. Stories of Life Among the
Masses of New York City, By Julian Ralph.
Ilust rated New York: Harper Brothers.
Washington: Woodward & Lothrop.
Mr.. Ralph's work in the est and in for
eign lands for the magazines and the news
papers has been of such a character as to
make his present attention to purely do
nestle details a rather refreshing surprise.
These homely tales of homely life in
great city are told with evident familiarity
with the conditions that surround the
work-a-day folks who people Mr.. Ralph's
stories.
JUDE THE OBSCURE, BY Thomas Hardy, author
of Tess of the D'Urberyflles,'' .'Life's Little
Irmies,' Far From the Maldng Crowd