Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-23
BOOK REVIEWS.


OUR WAsTEFtL NATION: the story.
of American Productivity and the
Abuse Of Our National Resources.
Bv Rudolf Cr0naU. Illustrated. New
York: Mitchell Kenncrley.
A MEXICAN wastefulness has be-
~ come tradition during the last
~ few years. with the consequence
of reaction toward conserva-
ton which has in turn produced
an already large and constantly growing
literature ON the subject. President
Roosevelt has characterized the problem
Of preventing the wasting of our national
resources as the weightiest now before
the nation. There will soon he held in
this city an international conference on
the subject. experimenting the two ma
fionaI conservation congresses already
held and designed to carry the propa-
ganda of economic saving throughout the
North American continent. Mr.. Cronaus
book treats of the entire subject in
manner to widen the popular interest IN
This most important question of the pres
Srvation of the forests, the economic eX-
traction of minerals and the maximum
use of water. His volume is con-
sienSation of all that has been established
during the last few years of inquiry INTO
these and other lines of WastefulnesS.
Mr.. Cronau goes further than most writ
loss Of value annually in the waSteful
met hOds of fishing and hunting. and one
of his most interesting chapters deals IN
the waste of human lives. He quotes fig
Gres complied by the interstate commerce
commission to show that in ten years.
from 1897 TO 1907. the number OF people
killed on steam railroads in the United
States increased from 6.43I to ll,S{9.
while the number injured increased IN
The same time from 81. ~ to 111.o16 Mr..
Cronau gives further statis les showing
the casualties in Fourth "f July 'celehra-
lions" Wei may the stranger he
amazed he says. lin the face OF sucn
appalling waste Of life and property. but
much more so at The apathy of the ma
ton and the officials. VIII" quietly stand
by and look idly at this dread feast OF
noise, fire, blood and death. ana seem
neither TO understand nor to care.
The volume is calculated To stimulate
10 their utmost endeayors all citizens who.
taking pride in the American common
wealth, seek to establish IL on business
like basis of conservation and Self-pres-
ervatlon.
PIONEERS AND MAKERS OF Ar
KANSAS. BY Josiah II. Shnn, AN.
author of History of the American
People" etc. Little Rock. Ark:
Genealogical and Historical Publish
ing Company.
Mr. Shinn. who with this volume starts
work which will be of interest not only
to citizens of Arkansas. but to all other
southerners, brings to his task a long tX-
perience in historical research He has
achieved distinction in many directions
being a member of the Imperial Russian
Geographical Society at st. Petersburg
and of the Imperial Russian Historical
Society. honorary member of the Penn
sylvana and West Virginia Historical So
CietieS and author of numerous works
dealing with historical and genealogical
AT Snnpripfpnl1nI b.
lie instruction in Arkansas for two terms
and as chief clerk of the office of seCre-
tdry of state In that commonwealth for
three terms he has an acquaintance with
the traditions and personalities of the
state which has enabled him to present
a work which makes strong appeal for
consideration in its conscientious thor
'CughneSs. He deVOteS the book 10 the
people who fashioned and builded state.
OF them he says: las men and women,
they performed a life's work, died and
Were buried. They cleared farms. made
roads and enacted laws. all for their own
comfort and well-being, the highest end
and aim of life. They seemed to know
that by the sweat of their brows they
should eat and that he who provided not
for his own had denied the faith and
was worse than an infidel.
In the circumstances in which Arkansas
was carved out of the frontier strong men
and women were developed. and in this
volume are told the stories OF some of
the most interesting and significant of
the careers which have contributed 10
the development OF commonwealth.
WHO'S WHO, 1909; an Annual Bio
graphical Dictionary. Sixty First
Year of Issue. London: Adam and
Charles Black. New York: The Mac
milan Company. Washington: Bren-
tano'S.
This most useful of books of reference
Is presented for the sixty-frst time indi-
eating by its steady growth the wider
interest shown by the public in the men
and women who have gained prominence
in their own spheres and whose work
is making for the stimulation of thought
and the advancement of knowledge
There are no marked differences between
Tins latest edition of Who's Who and
It's predecessor. II maintains the same
nigh standard of selection that has made
tie work a worldwide institution
IHlNtIPIES OF SUCCESSFUL
CHURCH ADVERTISING ~,
Charles Stelzle, author of Christi