The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-01

University. (rhe Macmillan Co.)
 This book was originally prepared in the form of lectures which were delivered at the Sorbonne in the winter of 1906-07 as the Harvard lectures on the Hyde founda- ton. Since then it has been entirely re- cast, and the author in his book has striven to preserve in discussing his sub ject a neutral rather than specifically American attitude.
 The author tells us that % years ago the expression, world power" was un- known in wide discussion. That the idea that one people should control the known world is ancient enough, its most salient expression being found in imperial Rome, and equally imperial China, and that it is not extinct even now. As MT. Coolidge says, we may today condemn all mere lust of domination and hope that, as civil ization progresses, the stronger peoples will more and more regard the weaker ones as having rights as sacred as their own, but complete equality has never ex- isted and can never exist, between states of greatly unequal strength.
 MT. Coolidge discusses in his introduce ton history on the subject of past dom- nation of greater power over a weaker How the holy Roman empire, still first in dignity; France after she had recov- cred from the 100-years war and had broken the might of her great feudal nobles; England in the firm hand of Henry VII: the newly formed kingdom Of Spain had finally ended Moorish rule in the peninsular-all these held a posi- ton unlike their neighbors. Politically they were on another plane; they were not merely leaders; they were spokesmen, the directors of the whole community of nations 11nou fhe lxy70mn' earth
 Mir. Coolidge traces history of the world powers, showing how the balance of pow CT has shifted back and forth, right up to the present time, when at the begin ming of Americas awakening to a world power dignity, to the astonishment of all, including herself, America suddenly accepted the role of a power holding col- onies. Already her extraordinary eco homie progress was bringing her more and more to the front; but though the annexation of Hawaii could be foreseen, no one was prepared for that of Porto Rico and the Philippines, or for the real, if unexpressed, protectorate over Cuba and Panama.
 It was in the course of the discussions provoked by this succession of startling events, added to that of Japan, who in her war with China in 1894 and her conflict with Russia 10 years later, had brought attention to her position among the na- tions, that political writers in formulat- ing the principles of the new state of af- fairs, began to employ an expression which has now passed into common use world powers;" that Is to say, powers which are directly interested in all parts of the world and whose voices must be listened to everywhere. The term, MT. Coolidge says, is not scientifically exact; for each of the so-called world powers has spheres in which it's interests are vitally important, and others in which they are comparatively small, if not inferior, to those of less powerful states Thus Rus sia can hardly claim to be consulted much about South American questions, and the United States takes no part as yet in 8 matter so strictly European as the set- clement of the affairs of the Ottoman en- pire. Nevertheless, both Russia and the United States are certainly world powers in the ordinary acceptance of the term. China, on the other hand Is not, although she is third in size among the states of the world, and has the largest, perhaps, as well as the hardest-working popula- ton.
 Of the five world powers the British em- pire stands easily first in area and still more so in population, for in numbers it exceeds any two of it's rivals. Russia comes next in size with territory of a little less than S,5O0,00O square miles, in- cuding Khiva and Bokhara, but not northern Manchuria. Third among world powers comes Greater France, with an area of perhaps 4500,000 square miles and some 4,500,000 inhabitants. Her territory, like that of Great Britain, is dispersed over the world, but more than half of 1t is in solid, if irregular shaped, block in northern Africa, and her share of the Sa- hara alone accounts for about 2OO0,O square miles.
 The United States is slightly below France in territory and population with an area, not including Cuba and Panama 3,700, 900 square miles and 93 00O, 900 inhabi- tants On the other hand 1t has con siderably larger white element than France, about 75,O00,0O0; the birth rate MT. Coolidge says is, not as a rule. in the United States, very high, but the annual immigration has now risen to over million and quarter. The colored popu- lation, of some eighteen and a half mill lion. is made up of 100000 negroes and mulattoes, nearly S.000,oO0 Filipinos and the rest Indians, Japanese, Chinese, Ha- waians, etc.
 Then comes fifth, Greater Germany, &C., cording to MT. Coolidge, with little over a. million and a quarter square miles (scarcely more than q tenth of the area of the British empire), which with her population Of 7o,UO0, 900, out Of which more than 60,0O00O0 are white, is superior as to white population to both Great Britain and France.
 MT. Coolidge says that a. recent writer has declared that, whereas the nineteenth century has been the age of nationalism, the twentieth century will be that of na- tional imperialism. MT. Coolidge thinks that, though this rather sweeping pro- phecy takes too little account of the tendencies in another direction. especially those of a socialistic nature and though 1t looks too far ahead, it. is near the truth when applied to the international policies of the present, which have not been seriously affected by the progress of modern ultra-democracy. Indeed, in cer- tain questions Mir. Coolidge says, as for instance in the dispute over the admis- sion of Asiatics into the United States, the feeling of the laboring classes, so far from being the influence in favor of peace which 1t is often declared to be, is one Of the chief difficulties in the situ- alton.
 If, then, the political destinies of the globe are to be determined more and more by few great nations, 1t is desir- able, MT. Coolidge strongly insists, that we in the United States should know as much as possible about them and should try to understand the circumstances another. The United States may be q world in Itself but it is also a part of a larger world. There is no doubt that its power for good and for evil is very great How that power is to be used is of consequence to all humanity.
 It is MT. Coolidge's hope that through his interesting, authoritative book, he