New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-04-17

IN survey OF inc puDISUCIS d.
Invites this spring. and Of their an
nouncements Of more new books yet
70 come, il is unavoidable 10 say a
word or two about the influence OF
the war upon the publishing bust
ness and the book trade. In gen
eral way it may be stated that both
publishers and booksellers dis
counted the possible effects Of the
struggle last autumn, the ones by
withholding a number Of their new
ventures from publication, the
others by careful buying. AS early
as the end OF December OF last year
the book market, thus studied and
managed. had found its new equl-
libriuw. which was neatly summed
UP by the manager Of ono OF New
York's largest retail bookstores in
the statement that individual pur-
chases had been smaller than during
the holiday season Of the preceding
year, but the total of sales far larger.
In other words, the prediction made
by The Tribune last November had
come true. New classes Of buyers
and readers OF books were created by
the financial and commercial I'M
certainties Of the early days Of the
war. They discovered in the book
shops the least expensive and most
satisfactory Of Injuries, which, one
hopes, will gradually become a nee
essary Of life as well. The reading
habit, once formed. IS rarely re-
linquished. 1t offers new delights.
new possibilities, TO the end of our
days.
The same close study Of the book
market in this country is perceptlble
in the publishers announcements for
spring and early summer. The
allegiance Of certain interests is re-
hected in their lists; on the other
hand, a ready recognition OF new ones
is no less clearly seen. AS the tall
season was marked by an immediate
supply Of books on all phases of the
war. so this spring season is not
able. first Of all, for an immediate
perception Of the supreme impor-
lance 10 America Of the lessons
taught by that war, both in the field
of national defence and in that OF
world politics.
NATIONAL DEFENCE.
Here, indeed, is a body OF new
books which no patriotic Americans
library should be without. 1t is the
duty Of all of us to read these books,
TO heed their warnings, to weigh
their plans and, having read, to eX-
ert our influence to the utmost that
we may be FIRST in peace through
being prepared for war, from what
ever direction the danger may
threaten. War insurance, as Mr..
Hudson Maxim has pointed out, is
national life insurance at the lowest
rate we can pay. Mr.. Howard d.
Wheeler has made il clear to us that
military preparedness and "miltar-
ism" are not convertible terms, as
its opponents maintain; and he has
proved that our military unprepared-
ness is no less costly to us than Ger
many's military efficiency has been
to her. In this new literature,
which is truly national and knows
neither politics nor party lines, no
phase of the shortcomings Of our
military and naval establishments
is overlooked, no source of danger
ignored. Alarmists are few among
these writers speaking whereof they
know, of conditions which have long
been familiar TO our military and
naval authorities-and TO those OF
foreign countrieS-but which the
mass of us, with our usual optimism
and faith i'll the incompatible
strength Of our hundred millions.
have thus far ignored as, at the
worst, only a very remote source OF
danger. We are learning now that
for us it is not a question OF ulu-
mate defeat, but OF the repulsion Of
hostile attack with a minimum OF
loss of American lives, American
property, American trade and
American wealth.
~ AMERICAN WORLD POLITICS.
No less important TO US are the
books devoted to the study Of our
Dosition In world notifies after the