Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-08

AN AFFAIR OF DISHONOR. BY Will
liam De Morgan, author of Alice
For-Short." etc. New York: Henry
Holt & Co.
- DING back to the restoration
gives Mr.. De Morgan time and
space and circumstance to look
around bit and move on up
in the leisurely way that he
loves. the way, too, in which his read
ers delight to have him move. Here
In his own good time he creates and
brings out fesh-and- blood human beings.
two OF whom, at least, one may see any
day in the present. The man is brute.
Moreover he is a villain. Worse than
both, he is conceited fool. The woman
IS beautiful intimately personal, lmml-
nent. In addition, she possesses the Ia
n1ilar feminine qualities and powers OF
loving straight through outrage ana
abuse. with spasms of remuneration FOL
lowed by an excess Of devotion. Lest
readers see themselves in these human
exposures. Mr.. De Morgan frequently
gives gentle reminder that those were
other days than ours. thus, so far as he
is concerned, letting the reader out from
personal completely in the matter. Sc
duction. duels. murder. the plague. sor-
Gerry. remote manors fit for abductions
and like circumstances of those other
days. take service with this writer in the
development of another remarkable story,
Welding another palm OF artistic Victory
to this late master hand in the use OF
fine and tempered tools of rare work
manship.
THE FUTURE OF TRADES UNIONISM
AND CAPITALISM IN DEMOC-
RACV. BY Charles w. Eliot, LII. D..
president-emeritus of Harvard Unl-
for 1909. New York: G. p. Putnam's
Sons
In two clear quiet lectures that any
bodv can understand. DIR. Eliot makes a
tally between trades unionism and cap
italism on the one hand and democracy
in it's spirit and aim on the other. The
degree in which either trades unionism or
capitalism fails at present to measure
I'D to the democratic ideal constitutes Its
future, provided that both it and denoc-
racy are to continue. The conclusive
word Of this double message is that
selfish individualism, expressed IN mo-
nopoly of any sort-spiritual as we'll as
material-must give way to the altruisuc
collectivism of the future Inc nrst
lecture traces the history of the trade
union, in its resistance to oppression, Its
rise to power and the high level of UNI
selfish effort toward general betterment
for the workingmah. Then follows us
ish and monopolistic spirit, expressed IN
the demand for special privilege, In the
boycott, the union label. and other IN
ventions of the present autocratic perloo.
Democracy declares for disentangle-
rlent from these sef-seeking alliances II
trades unionism is to save itself to per-
petuity and usefulness. The second lee
ture, in like manner. records the rise OF
capitalism in combination made to resist
the extortionate claims of labor Grown
conscious of its power through this ad-
venture, it passes into gigantic eco
nomic means, aggressive, often tyranHshs.
It's task for the future is to get better
understanding of the workingman's con-
dition, larger sympathy with 1t.
broader view Of the essentials OF lnGus-
trial productivity, more Scientlhc grasp
OF ameljorative measures, a finer patriot
ism These lectures, simple. candid. dis
passionate. dealing with the large inn
port OF two great issues as well as with
the mere facts of these, might with profit
pass into general circulation as means
Of common information
GOVERNMENT OWNERSHIP OF
RAILWAYS: Considered as the Next
Great Step In American Progress.
BY Anthony Van Wagenen. New
York: G. p. Putnam's Sons.
Out Of respect for the sheer industry
that goes into the making of book. one
reluctantly admits that this volume does
not cover a completely convincing discus
sion. 1t may, possibly. sum as persua-
sion. but certainly not as proof. Its
method offers a sharp and disappointing
contrast to the calm dispassion of the sci
entiac mind; that leaves the issue with
the invincible logic of unbiased compar-
ison. One comes out from this reading
cudgeled with unsupported statements that
nothing In the world Is so wholly good as
government ownership or railways, MOTH
ing 80 wholly bad as private ownership
The author asserts that government own
ership is an inherent function of govern
ment, that it Is already assumed as such
land and the United States), that it bears
no relation at all to any phase of social
ism, that it has nothing to do with states
rights, that the arguments against x are
all unsound, and so on. He spends time on
q discussion of the various sorts of saving
that would attend government ownership
and the great increase Of efficiency that
would enSue. 1t appears TO mere desultOry
would have been better. While the gov
eminent is great and splendid institu-
ton. one of which every American is
justly proud, it has not yet demonstrated
sion on private ownership the author cites
the carrying of the mails as the sort Of
thing that the government will do, but
that private enterprise will not That
point. too under a scrutiny of the net re-
suits Of government mail service. is an
unfortunate point. Not even the most
forward Of progressives is hunting for
the panacea of general bankruptcy. The
railway is a business, subject to business
Law. not sentiment, above all law. So
the author goes on. with 80 pages Of or
derby and not uninteresting matter that
constitute q mllennial pean for the gov
eminent ownership of railways.
GREAT CITIES IN AMERICAN: Their
Problem and Their GovernmeAt. BY
Delos F. Wilcox, Phi. D.. author Of
The City Government" etc. New
York: The Macmillan Company.
The career OF each Of half a dozen great
cities is here offered to the student of
municipal life. No single type serves to
cover this heid, 50 varied are the sources,
the settlement, the plan and growth Of
American cities Washington. the only
one OF It's kind in the world: New York.
the great American melting pot: Chi
cago, the newest of the worlds great
cities: st Louis. German-American; Bos-
ton, 1rish-American, and Philadelphia, out
OF consideration not here descriptively
named. constitute the subjects OF this
complete. careful, up-to-date study, in
which the social and political aspects
nj For ,,,,l-