The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-09-26


 his own weakness.
 Tho Winner" seems to us to possess the qualities of popularity in a high degree---a subject of interest to almost every American (for what American is not interested in motor cars?): a de- lightful love plot founded on physical attraction and natural sympathy. ad venture of new and different" kind; a style smooth and straight and rush ing. There Is no pause here, no return ing on the track and a growing speed from the opening to the end of the spectacular race "The Winner" deserves it's name. It is all of that.
 'I ACCUSE" (J'ACCUSE.) By German. George H. Doran Co,
 publishers. New York.
 T Accuse" (JAccuse) Is the book re- garding which everybody has been reading news stories cabled from Eu- rope.
 The book that is such an. information al event that the greatest Journalists eagerly print every clue as to its au- thorship.
 The book in which a German, a real German. who has been holding high rank in the government service, warns his countrymenN that they are insane victims of the imperial hypnotist.
 Because he loves his fatherand he dares tell it the truth.
 So perilous was his task that he had to write secretly, in Switzerland, and his manuscript was smuggled out-as you have been reading in the news dispatches.
 It is the sensation of the hour--a patri- otic Germans warning to Germany that she has gone mad It is the book that was snatched up chapter by chapter as 1t was written. and has kept the cable wires singing clear round the world.
 LIVING UP TO BILLY" By Elizabeth Gibbs. Frederick A. Stokes
 Publishers. New York.
 Nancy Lane. Nan as her friends called her, was a dancing girl in New York, and Living Up to Billy" is her story, told in her own colorful and ex- presslve way She had natural taste for goodness but it was due to Billy that she kept her head above water and real ized her own fine possibilities. Billy was her baby nephew and how he was thrust upon Srr, how he kept her up and going and lon the level' are told in these pages with much pathos. tenderness and a keen instinctive humor.
 The heart that beats within the dancer who entertains in the fashionable restau- rant Is shown to be sound and true. Nan loves her dancing and loves her baby nephew and these strong affections bring her in the end to her own romance. The mother in every woman will respond to this story Even the hearts of blase city folk will beat faster for it.
 Mrs. Cooper has given us a picture of the human side of the bright lights that Is at once sweet, refreshing story and a strong human document.
 BLOOD AND IRON" By John Hubert Grueusel. The Shakes
 peare Press. publishers IA East Twen-
 ty-eghth street. New York
 MT. Gruesel. the author of more than 100 biographies, has made this study of Bismarck the crowning effort of his fa- cile pen. Realizing that the reading pub lie are more anvious than ever before for authoritative and unbiased information as to the birth and growth of the German empire. and that this is best presented in study of the man who made that empire, and who unified the Fatherland. he presents this work. at this suspicious time. when the tremendous power and superb mechanism of the German war machine are startling the entire world.
 Bismarck. a man of blood and iron. built an empire on blood and iron, and only from this viewpoint can it's power be measured
 The forceful style of the writer Is best shown by the following quotations from the e~book: 'st s.e4,a M
 I've present him in part as a tyrant, a wild. intolerant spirit, working his own plans to be sure, but those plans in the end are to rebound to the good of the ma tion he long and unselfshly serves.
 We ask you to see him in his weak ness and We hope with some of his strength, always with his high purpose.
 We ask you to behold him as a man with all strong mans frailties and faults. We do not spare him. We want him black. now and then, deliberately. that you may know how very small oft imes are the very great; also to realize that if we are to wait for perfect human beings to front our reforms then those re- forms will never be made.
 Bismarck is too great man to be be- Titled by the glamour of spurious praise for spurious virtues. Tt was not necessary for him to cease to be human being in order to carry put his work. He remained, to the end, grossly human; for which gods be praised.
 He knew ho wto betray an enemy with a Judas kiss: how to smite him when he was down: how to dig pitfalls for his feet; how to ply him with champagne md learn his secrets: how to permit him 10 win money at cards, and then get him 10 sign papers; how to remember old ob- igations or to forget new favors how to read a document in moro than one way; now to turn historical parallels upside town; how to urge today what he refused | 10 entertain year ago: how Oput the oect face on losing situation, and how | 10 shuttle, cut and stack the cards, or | 1t times how to play in the open. He was not a humanitarian with con- options of world peace or world benevo- | ences He was for himself and his own | ends, which were tied to his political con- ,eption of a new Germany.
 And all his times he was helped out by | ,is extraordinary vital powers his ability o work all night like a horse week after week; go to bed at dawn and sleep till lfternoon then drive staff of secre- aries frantic with his insistent demands .The present review of German origins, trough Bismarckian genius. Is concerned | argely with the form of government e. ablished.
 '.The collective efficiency of the Bis idea, as worked out in the Ger nan constitution, promptly ascertains the vil'. of the people and carries out that will.
 "The Kaiser. through the chancellor. ,as the selection of all important public officials and as King of Prussia appoints administrative officials; and in urn, the various kings choose the vari- us public servants in their respective ,ingdoms All hold office during good ,ehavior, or for life: instantly responsive o the will of the Kaiser. or to the Bun 
 THIRTY" 3y Howard Vincent O O'Brien. Illustrated. Dodd. Mead & Co.,. Publishers. New