The Detroit times., 1915-09-21

Kuno Francke, OF Harvard univer-
| sity, has given us q significant book
at this time, called "A German Amer
leans Confession of Faith" and, IL
we are at all fair minded. We will
realize that, seen from his stand
point. Germany is fighting war for
what she honestly deems highest
and best. not only for herself. but
for all the world. II we concede the
premise that she was forced into
It," we will be Obliged TO concede
many more things. However that
may oe. Kupo Francke has stanchly
stated his loyalty to this country as
an American citizen. even TO the ex-
tent Of facing. squsfely, our posi-.
tion ia regard to the shipment Of
arms and ammunition, for which he
does not hold the government re-
sponsible.
The strongest impression one re-
ceives from the book is that the
American and the German stand
upon two lines. which are running
In such a way that they will never
converge America has been pre-
eminently the land OF the individual;
the man who was hedged about by
tradition, convention and cramping
laws elsewhere. could here breathe
freely and live his life according to
his own beliefs. It's early history
was made by English. French and
Dutch, who came here TO enjoy the
privileges Of a greater freedom.
Though little OF this opportunity 10
left. the same idea IL part Of Us to-
day. and will cnly die out after long
ages Of disapp ointed struggle.
Germany. since the Napoleonic
wars devastated that country and
almost annihilated II, has set aside
the individual and taken as its unit
the state. This is its ideal Of free
dom and opportunity. and so firmly
Ia II fixed In his consciousness that
ne Is clad to die for IT,
Kuho Francke believes that all
Europe was jealous OF the remark
able progress made by Germany In
the last 40 years. and had set itself
the task OF crushing 1t. France was
still smarting under her defeat in
the Franco-Prussian war, England
was alarmed by Geimany's growing
navy and expansive commerce. Rus
sia wae resentful of the setback re-
ceived st the Berlin congress in her
march 20 ConstaEtinople. On the
other hand. there was Germany.
keen. active, vital. eager for all
forms Of enterprise, yet nemmed In
by obstacles at every turn.
The one grave fault In that coun-
| try. he concedes. is "the arrogance
and overbearing of the military and
/ bureaucratic class" and this, he
feels. will be swept away when the
war is over.
d. w. Huebsch, publisher. New
York: soc.
II y1 can endure to see life
stripped bare to the very soul: II you
are brave enough not to quail at the
sordidness. dishonesty. cruelty,
hypocrisy and pathos Of life; IL you
can divorce It all from yourself and
stand free and clear while you say.
This IN only about some people far
away. whom never knew" then.
perhaps. you can read It and eat a
comfortable dinner afterwards,
smoke your cigar and 90 TO bed and
sleep.
spoon River Anthology" is it's
title and Il is by Edward Lee Mas
ters, man who must have felt
more In his lifetime than II usually
felt by a whole community; a cos.
mic man who might have lived
many lives and passed through
many experiences before this one,
SO kcenly does he know the human
soul.
Each person who has died In the
town OF Spoon River tells his life,
without gloss, from his grave; just
rs he has been, with no excuses. no
sentinentality. no mawkishness.
The pathos. the tragedy. the irony
OF life are all here, set down In lofty,
unaffected and spontaneous blank
verse.
Macmillan. New York, publisher;
1925.
That crooks have feelings and
loves and aspirations the same as
the rest Of us. and that there Is
only n thin barrier OF circumstance
between them and the rest OF US,
is made very plain in the little
story, Living up to Billy" Billy ~
baby hve years old. and his moth
or goes to Jail at the beginning Of
the story, his father having been in.
voluntarily detained behind the bars
some time before. Billy falls to the
care of young aunt who makes her
living dancing in third-rste cafes.
ea