Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-07-26

mic and Political Relations. BY |, $. Bloch.
s lat by r. M onT g tss anS s ntrn
g anf Gu by Edwin D. Mead boston; I'nn
M Bloch. who died at the beginning Of
the current year. was regarded by many
Europeans as the inspiration Of the peace
conference at The Hague. Born poor Pol
ish Jew. he educated himself and rose from
the ranks of the peddlers to be one of the
richest of Poles. a banker. railroad owner
and philanthropist. Through his close
study of national finances he was led to
conceive the enormous cost of modern war,
and even of peace establishments, and so
began a detailed study of war in all Of its
phases. He acquainted himself with every
special line. collected statistics on all con-
ceivable subjects related in the remotest de-
gree to the theme of war, and so prepared
himself for the production of his great six
volume work, THE Future of War; which
sets forth in elaborate manner the reasons
Why he believed war between great nations
. be today impossible. This apparent par
'dox is explained at length in the volume
which the translator has now given to Eng
ESh readers, being an abridgement of the
six volumes into single small one which
offers all that the average reader would
care to CLEAN from the more ponderous
work. Indeed. the conversation between the
author and Mr.. Stead states the case with
general sufflciency
NJ. Bloch's conception was that modern
war means have been so vastly improved,
have become so deadly, call for such enor-
nous armies as to cause the cost Of war
in lives and money to he practically pro-
hibftive. He had in mind of course a great
conflict between great peoples. such as the
iong-fOrecaSted European war, in which not
single states but alliances of states would
be involved, with millions of men in the
field on each side. with all industries
checked, with governments put to their
last resources merely to maintain the forces
IN the field, while the people at home would
starve for the lack of nouTiShment. the war
which would perhaps involve the vital
forces of all civilization and which in NJ
Bloch's view. would be suicidal for all con-
cerned for the reason that 1t could not
possibly be conclusive, but would lead to
mutual determination.
Inc specific reason arguments advanced
by the author are ingenious and plausible.
Ihey appealed strongly enough to a board
or RUSSIAN experts who read the work at
the command of the car to evoke a rec
ommen dation that the book be placed in the
hands of all staff officers. The penetrative
power of modern and ancient bullets. the
range of rifles, the qualities of smokeless
powder, the efficiency of certain colorS in
concealing troops from the enemy, the rap
fdity of fire, the function of the bayonet
and many other matters are discussed with
scientific precision which has, of course
aroused the criticisms of experts, but 1t Is
noteworthy that for every technical OBJ
lection there has arisen corresponding
technical defense of the books Statements
But far beyond the range of the soldiers
Investigations NJ. Bloch has gone to prove
that the economic condition of nations will
prove determining factor in time of war;
and this has called forth elaborate tables
and diagrams. which add materially TO the
readers knowledge of the sociological state
of the European countries.
THE Future of War is a remarkable
production and it has already had a
marked effect upon the European mind. 1t
did not lead to disarmament, nor did the
author expect that it would. But it has d.
rected mems thoughts into a channel of
profitable investigation, and has sounded a
warning note against the follies of the ar
bitrament of arms under modern condi-
lions, which cannot be passed unheeded.
THOSE BLACK DIAMOND MEN; a Tale of the
anthrax Valley. BY William Futhey Gibbons.
New York: Fleming II. Revell Company.
These are short stories, in which certain
characters reappear sufficiently often to per-
nit the book to be considered almost con-
secutively. But each tale is a distinct mar
ration, disclosing one and another phase Of
the life of the hard-coal miner, who is now
nationally in evidence in consequence of
the great anthracite strike in Pennsylvania
The stories are well written, with much
feeling and the assured touch of one IA
miliar with every detail of the miners life.
A distinct literary quality pervades them
and makes the book of value beyond its
sociological Importance in teaching one
part of the world how that other part lives
that supplies it with fuel.
TALES OF DESTINY. BY Elizabeth G. Jordan,
author of Tales of the Cloister" etc. New
York: Harper Brothers.
Miss Jordan. editor of Harper's Bazaar,
is a New York newspaper woman of wide
experience. who has already revealed her
powers of description in a book of short
stories. Tales of the City Room" which
afford an accurate glimpse of the interior
of great metropolitan journal. Her touch
is always firm, her characters are distinct
her command of the pathos or the humor
or the tragedy of the situation assured
These stories are written in a minor-key
They do not all lend happily" They make
the reader think, however, and there is
always a bright center to the thought I'm
the Case of Dora Riser is a story of the
effort of young woman journalist TO give
a house-bound old Jewish woman of the
East Side carriage drive through New
York, which she had not seen save within
the confines of the block on which she
lived for nearly thirty years, The drive
was taken, but throughout Dora Riser
Wept for fear she would not return to her
squald room, where she was a pensioner
on the bounty of others. Contentment,
after ALL is but relative quality. 1t is
noteworthy that Dora Risser's refusal to
rise to the sublimity of the occasion did
not prevent the young woman journalist
from compiling and printing most "teary'
story.
WORLDS PEOPLE. By Julien Gordon tIrs Van
Hrnaseiaer CrdSerl. author or The Wage of
Character," etc. New York: ]. f. Taylor 4
Co. Washington: Woodward L I-othrop
1t is not a particularly pleasant world"
of which Mrs Cruger writes in these
stories, nor are its people of the incest or
the most delectabie sort. They have fol-
bles which would mark their world as de-
cidedly off color. They include drunkards
society women with queer methods young
plungerS, divorces, rakeS and that sort
OF course, there are others. good people,
upright. clever and wholesome, but these
do not sound the dominant note in the
collection. There is an air of art:ficiaIity
and vice about the stories which not even
their smartness can purify.
Books Received.
\ MANUAL OF INSTRUCTION IN THE PRINCE
lies OF PROMPT AID TO THE INJURED:
including Chapter Hygiene and the Drill
Regulations for the Hospital Corps lisa:
Designed for Civil and Military Use By Alyab
II Doty. MD. Health Officer of the Port OF