New-York tribune., 1907-12-13
Literary Nesvs and Criticism.

WHICH on level ground is drawn more easily
iodoeo than empty; he proves that on every train
moving at sixty miles an hour there are
Hldiy parts moving backward at the rate of ten
hiiies an hour; he has constructed mysterious
spinner which rotates without apparent cause
ano continuously; he elucidates the behavior of
boomerangs; he exposes the fallacy of the once
profitable bent bicycle crank; he depicts very
Clearly the absurdity of perpetual motion; he
shows how ice can be left unmelted in a vessel
OF boiling water: and he wanders further on
through the realms OF physics, chemistry, physl-
oogy and psychology, sarnering here and there
those tricks of Nature best fitted TO amuse and
arouse ones interest. The volume is adorned
by numerous diagrams and Photographic illus
trations.
Under the title Of Essentials Of Economic
Theory, as Applied to Modern Problems Of In
dustry and Public Policy" (the Macmillan Com
pany), Professor John Bates Clark. of Columbia
University. undertakes to present the principles
of Economic Dynamics" or the laws of indus
trial progress By this last the writer means
the principles underlying and explaining the
changes actually occurring in population, capi-
tai technical methods, forms of organization
and so on. The well known tendency Of Pro-
fessor Clark toward abstract analysis is OBJ
vious in this study; there is a lack Of concrete
Illustrations. in spite OF the fact that the writer
is dealing constantly with strictly contemporary
problems such rate regulation fluctuations
in wages, monopoly, the boycott and so on
This shortcoming is less serious than it would
have beer in q work intended for beginners 1t
will be welcomed, no doubt, by advanced stu
dents fnasmuch it has enabled Professor
Clark TO condense within small volume an
astonishing wealth Of economic theorlzlng- Ihe
authors unusual acumen is visible throughout
,s1h c,rrr9c I'M Sh4rnpnS
previously expressed views. particularly those
touching capitaI and monopolies The fine dis
tinctions Professor Clark draws may arouse the
suspiciou that they are not all warranted hy
facts; but they cannot fail TO stimulate IN ms
readers strong desire for more accurate think
ing than is indulged in by some distinguished
economists
7, what form and to what extent should moral
training be introduced into the public schools!
That DISTINGUISHED educator DR.. Harris once
said of this problem: There is no topic con-
cerning which the suggestions made are more
Idle and r1npro1tabIe" The need OF sane dis
cuss,on by competent persons has called into
oxie+anca a little volume entitled Moral Train
ing in the Public Schools" (Ginn. Co-),
ouintet OF essays winning highest rank in open
.cornnetition for a $500 prize. While each essay
reflects the opinions OF independents thinker,
:, &c not difficult to find many common elements
in ALI five. The greatest unanimity appears
however. in the views of the writers about the
worth Of current practices. Teaching by formal
,recart punishment without full explanation
of its justification, undue avoidance OF moral
instruction because of the governments attitude
toward religion and other blunders are iumi-
nously criticised. In positive. constructive sug-
eesfions there is less agreement Nevertheless,
no essavist hesitates to affirm that moral train
ing must at once be widely extended IN PUBIC
schools and that its success there depends hrst
and last upon the character OF the teachers
themselves. The essayist winning first prize
advocates. as one detail in the campaign to free
the schools Of customs that interfere with moral
teaching the abolition of the competitive system
of grading. examining and promoting. The
arguments for this as well as for many other
racoynm endations thrown out by the various
writers. are well worth reading They serve TO
give one at least an idea of the wide difference
between conventional school morality and the
ethics of advanced thinkers.