Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-10-17
BOOK REVIEWS.
THE: OLD WORLD IN THE NEW: The
Significance of Past and Present I'M
migration tn the Aue ricnn He0nle,

THE OLD WORLD IN THE NEW: The
Significance of Past and Present I'M
migration to the American People.
BY Edward Alsworth Ross. Phi. D.,
LII. D.. professor of sociology in the
University of Wisconsin, author of
Changing America" etc. New
York: The Century Company.
EMANCIPATION as topic is a sort
of chemical agent whose reaction
is to separate into two opposing
groups such persons in the United
States as give to the subject any
consideration at all. On the one hand
are the idealists, the sentimentalists
and the purely mercenary. On the
other are the practical thinkers and
the expert Investigators The first
clamor for wide open door to admit
all the seeking discontents and unfor
Inmates of the old world The second
take position for Il more intelligent,
more truly patriotic, a more efii-
cicnt policy i'll the matter of immi-
grafton. The former make no reck-
onins with the future, with the conse-
Queuces of this invasion. The latter
count both the present and the future
cost OF every wave of this inundatlon,
in its economic. social. industrial and
political bearing upon the substance
of the national life. Mr.. Ross belongs
distinctly to the second class. This
volume is an admirably organized.
ably supported discussion of immigra-
tion in its ultimate meanings. as well
as i'll its obvious facts. The purpose
of the study is to point these facts and
these meanings upon the final essential
integrity of the United States, this
integrity was originally conceived and
projected one by one the body of i'm
m nj nt fll.. trTrr
countries is subjected to q searching
character test, to determine in what
degree its members are capable of be-
coming an organic part of the life of
this country What traits has the sum
of the experiences of the race. or ma
ton, transmitted to each of these
groups: And how will these
traits lead the group to react to the
everyday influences of the new con-
ditions: Upon occasions of national or
local stress. in what direction will the
latencies of the group impel it: This
author makes much of the causes un-
derlying emigration. The occupations
represented by each group are named
ana rated. The distribution of each
and its readiness and ability to melt
INTO the surrounding life are counted.
Its personal habits, thrift, sobriety
conformity, good nature-or their OPP
posites-recelve the attention that they
so obviously deserve. In this study,
the new immigration sourced in south
ern and southeastern Europe stands in
sharp and unhappy contrast to the
Older influx from northern and north
Western Europe The climax of Mr..
Ross study is reached with this con-
trast- The earlier immigration was to
an extent, but a belated arrival of the
original pioneering settlers. On the
other hand. the immigration now in
lorce Is made up of the swarming, fe-
cund, ignorant peasantry of the south
ana east of Europe, an alien. unassini-
Iaple eonglomerate of blood and race,
inn II infx
conditions of this country is set fortb
here, as is also its ultimate effect upon
the very fiber of the life of the Ameri-
can people: In this discussion the au-
tam. though with perfect unbias he
examines both sides of the yarious
points involved in this subject. The
manner OF Ar; Ross study is striking
~ IS a readable and popular presenta-
ton of d profoundly serious and i'm
portant matter AL
MAJOR PROPHETS ar, ToD.x
Edwin f. Slosson, NJ. s. phi n. aI
tnor OF Great American I-niyer
sitles.' etc. Boston: Little. Brown
IL CO. -" Ii
Maurice 2iaeterlinck. Henri Bergson.
Henri Poincare, Ellie Metchnikoff. Will
helm OSWALD and Ernst Haeckel are
they whom, by way of this volume Mr.
Slosson presents as among the ina ior
prophets of today" Prophets" at all
by virtue of the forward-Iookine con-
structlve significance of their work,
ana major in that each has left his
clear impress upon the body of modern
thought The purpose of this study is
to Introduce readers to this groun of
philosophic writer's. The author ac-
composites this purpose by sketchine
in outline the work of each. bv defining
its scope and character, by Indicating
something of the extent of it's in
fGence. Should this introduction waken
an interest in readers and stimulate
desire to push the acquaintance
here begun. Mr.. Slosson provides a
way by adding to each essay certain
directions and suggestions to further
this desire. These prophets reach the
field of philosophy by various routes.
Bergson comes out of psychology
into philosophy. Maeterlinck arrives
through his poetic and mystic inter
probation of life, animate and mani
mate. Metchnikoff is first great bac-
teriologist. and then director of the
Pasteur Institute. Poincare of the
French Academy is mathematician
and astronomer OSWALD of Leipzig
University is recipient of the Nobel
prize i'll chemistry. Haeckel is the
great biologist of Jena. SO. il appears
that science turns out to be d highway
TO philosophic thought and deduction.
Before writing these essays Mr.. Slos-
son visited each of these men. not FOR
the purpose of gathering additions to
their work, but rather, as he himself
saws ito convince myself that they are
flesh and blood instead of pen and ink.
The yividness of this personal contact
persists, giving to his study OF each
A live and intimate quality.
THE AGE OF MOTHER-POWER: The
Position of Women in Primitive So
ciety. BY e. Gasquoine Hartley, au-
thor of The Truth About Women,
etc New York: Dodd. Mead & Co.
The substance of Mrs. Gallichan's
study is an examination of the customs
OF early peoples for the sake of dem