Evening star., 1915-03-21
BOOK REVIEWS.

specific and amplified demon
stration of the general unpreparedness
of this country to repel foreign attack,
or to discourage plans of foreign inVa-
sion The distinct purpose of Mr.
Wheeler's study is to bring this fact
urgently before all the people of the
United States. rather than to de-
Jiberate few. 1t is, therefore. a popu-
lar discussion. a concrete study. that
is like a moving picture in its direct
appeal. The writer merely states the
literal strength of our army and navy,
in men. and arms. and training. He
then assumes an attack on New York
and other sensitive and critical points
on our long and open double coast. He
makes a drama of this situation, work.
ing 1t out step by step. much as mas
ter players visualize and play their
games of chess before a move has been
made. With what has been learned of
actual warfare within the past few
months, as this warfare has, in partic-
ular. affected the unsuspecting coun-
try of Belgium and certain open, unfor-
titled spots in east England, the far
Hung effects of this assumed attack on
New York strike one as being quite be-
lievable. 1t is pure speculation, to be
sure. but it is speculation that stands
squarely on certain fundamental facts
and conditions. With an equal carrying
force of statement and argument, Mr..
Wheeler discusses the fallacy and
even the wickedness OF our theory as
to the value of an aroused citizen
ship in time of war, and Of our prac-
tice of turning civilian into a soldier
by whipping him into a uniform. AL
ways IL mistaken theory. he points out
Its uniorglvable weakness now when
war has become an exact and compli
Gated science and soldering proIes-
sion. Tie laughs-if one may call it
laus hlng-at our sentimental cuddling
o. the retich of anti militarism. And,
very generally. in terms that are big
and round and packed with SOUND
meaning and good sense, Mr.. Wheeler
calls this country to account for an
unspe; ks,bly unpatriotic and ignorant
attitude of security in time OF immi-
nent menace. Whether one does, or
does not. agree with this book. ne will
read it with AN absorbed attention and
a mind keenly aroused to the subject.
IN \ MOMENT OF TINE. BY Reginald
Wright Kaufman. author of THE
Way of Peace" etc. New York:
Moffat, Yard II Co.
Mr. Kaufman. quoting some one else,
says, Il am pro-Belgian; l should be
ashamed to be anything else" And
this book is u record of the events that
caused Mr.. Kaufman to move out of
the cool and tempered regions of neu-
trality into the blazing arena of cham,
plonsnip ior Belgium. THESE are the
things that he saw the bread-line
of belgium, as Davis and Powell have
given what they saw on the fring-line.
There Is first swift, bright sketch
of the lovely, smiling land. Tnen quick
Iy, very quickly, he imposes upon this
picture OF the war storm, the tenn
pest and devastation that only few
months ago swept overwhelmingly
across the unsuspecting country. And
after this there are little pictures, some
OF them mere glimpses, OF human mis-
cry and hOpeleSSneSS. Nothing but u
little cnild, lost and crying; nothing
but a broken man. MANNED and help
less. nothing but starvation and naked
ness. ana cold and disease. and an aw-
ful inconsistencies in ravaged and
homeless world That is all, And the
pictures are struck off. QUICK and hot,
as those of Davis and Powell are 1t
Is these quick pictures, these face-to-
face and fiercely pitiful pictures, that
the housed and led and clothed and
sheltered must have, in order to make
all the people, every man. woman and
child, declare aga INST war. OF its kind
ana in its intent this is an incompar-
able book, tnat one should read, first
for his own sake, and for the added
reason that the proceeds from this
book go over to the relief of the Bel
Sians-
fEPPER. By Holworthy Hall, author
Of Henry OF Navarro, Ohio" etc.
New ork: The Century Company.
These are stories of college life, and
Pepper, otherwise James Pepper Nc
Henry. is their hero. Like most other
heroes of fiction, this one also is
composite. the cream of half a dozen
good fellows SKINNED off and churned
into Pepper. Now the SURPRISING arts
krk-rS tor bar
are bent. in a quite whole-hearted way,
toward precautlon against braIn-fag.
surrounded by group Of devoted fol-
lowers. Pepper mas consecrated him
sell, and incidentally them, to the task,
so to speak. of holding the merely in
teilectuai aspect of Harvard to a prop
eriy subordinate place in the scheme of
undergraduate existence. And these
stories serve to Indicate some OF the
ways in which q student body, provid-
ed II like TINS one be both determined
and ingenious, may secure for itself a
comfortable and acceptable rule against
undue mental rack while taking on an
education. They serve moreover to
round UP in this four-year fieid pretty
much the fun sum OF undergraduate
tradition. Team rivalries. with spec
tacuiar surprise accompaniments, ami
mate these stories. In them tos
finances soar and plunge alternately
under the exciting strain Of trying to
make ends meet that are hopeiessly
echoes of wassai and rout And the
devastating track of the college wild
pw also makes wide swath across
the scene. In all of these adventures
Pepper, the MachIavelli of this band
and the very devil of a fellow besides,
shines supreme. You will like Pepper.
To lie sure. he spends too much money.
Then he smokes some, drinks "A bIt and
hating Il liar. lies for friend in need.
But Pepper is constitutionally the
side of the underdog. giving him many
secret boost toward the top. And he
is, in equal instinct. on the decent and
c.ean side of events These are some
OF the reasons why you will enjoy Pep
per. You will like the stories too for
they are brim fun of life, and a lusIy,
nlauful swaSSer. and the rushing tide
OF youth.
PATRICIA. By Edith Henrietta Fow-
Ier. author Of The Young Pretend
ers- etc. New York: q. Z. Putnam $
Sons.
Ones first impression of Patricia is
not altogether pleasing. For. under
circumstances whose nature is calcu-
lated 10 bring out any grain of latent
softness that one may have hidden
away within his depths. Patricia is
both hippant and hard We are meet
ing her now at the death of her father
the kindly man and brilliant writer
whom his children. Patricia and her
brother, love devoIedly-so they tell
U.s. inclined toward charity upon this
trying occasion, we ascrIbe Patricia 5
unfortunate manner to II grief that il
ashamed to snow itself and SO takes
hiding under tDts Hippant and even jo-
cose pose. As We grow to be better ac.
quainted with Patricia. she proves &c