Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-03-27
AMONG THE BOOKS
MARTIAL VOLUMES
HOT FROM THE PRESS
Three Books That Tell You All About
War and How It Is Waged.

war ana How 1t Is Waged.
Inc speed Of Zeppelin, the draught
Of dreadnought, the range of a peri
scope the propulsive force of 42-centi-
metre gun-these are some of the daily
queries brought out by reading of tho
current war news, Answers to them and
multitude OF cognate questions called
duth Oy the news columns are found I'm
Modern Warfare" Hearst International
..lorary company, New York; by Henry
smith Williams, NJ D., III. d.. and Ed
ward Huntington Williams. NJ D. tho
one editor-ln-chlef Of the Historians
History of the World" and the other an
associate editor OF the 10th edition of the
Encyclopedia Britannica.
Despite these somewhat formidabI
descriptions the compilers of this season.
aple and useful work have not made
Hbstruse the chapters which deal with
the development of modern methods and
mechanisms of warfare and define the
military terms which crop out in every
story OF the present struggle As a mat
Ter OF tact, the authors are chiefly noted
as ready collectors of books on timely
topics, which are not so erudite as read
able.
Inc present work Is not scholarly. but
u glves an Intelligent idea OF the subject.
predigested for the readers who want
facts concisely stated and quickly get
at-able.' The tet stresses the develop.
ment of arms rather TO the exclusion OF
the aerial and submarine sides OF mode in
military technique
Although A. Hilliard Atteridge views
exclusively From an English standpoint
his considerable subject, his book ''The
German Army in War" (McBride. Mast
q Co. New York;, contains a great deal
10 interest and inform the general reader
The authors angles OF vision vary from
the offensive to the defensive powers of
the Kaiser's great war machine its evo-
luton is traced from the disaster OF Jena,
after which Scharnhorst and Gneisenau
reorganized the Prussian army, through
the Danish. Austrian and Franco-Prus-
sian wars, impressed with such names as
Clausewitz, Won Room, Moltke and Bis
marck, to its uneXampled efficiency in
the present unpleasantness. Parallel with
the treatment of the historical develop
ment of the German army Is concise
and careful account of the practical work.
ing of the system. 1t is well informed
and evidently flrst-hand
Mr.. AtterIdge is described on the slip
cover of the book as a writer qualified to
give comprehensive and striking ac-
count of the German army, and his text,
barring few obvious inaccuracies of
dates and partisan statements (due to
national bias) admirably achieves it's pur-
poses of an exposition of the Prussan
hegemony and consequent Germanic mill
tarism and of a description of the or
ganiZation of its armies and defenses.
The operations of Germany's army and
the ambitions of its dominant mlitarstlc
caste have had no clearer explanation
than is given in this book.
OF pertinent concern TO Amercans-now
that the military maelstrom of Europe
has proved not merely the possibility
but tine actually, Of war, despite Hague
tribunals Lake Mohonk conferences,
Andrew Carnegie, Norman Angel. Ed
win d. Mead and that arch-proponent of
disarmament. Nicholas, Car of all the
War" CCharles Scribner's Sons, New
York;. by Robert w Neeser.
Mr.. Neeser's thesis Isl "If ever the
navy of the United States needed the
support of the American people. it is at
the present moment" He calls upon cit
liens to force action toward meeting the
needs of the naval arm of the service.
Yet mis- is not a belligerent book, but n
sane and sensible though imperative de-
mand for safety first" applied to the
American naval program. He sees Sc
curity only in complete preparation and
efficacy in time OF peace.
He pleads for an up-to-date, progress
sive policy which Will not be satlsned
with the glories of single great battle
ships. such as the recently launched
Pennsylvania, but which insists on
thoroughly organized navy, modernly and
fully equipped with every accessory
Power on the sea means a large handi-
cap toward the goal of victory in the
next war-and the next war may not be
as far off for us as once we thought be-
fore Europe forgot civilization and
plunged into the present inferno. So long
az Britannia ruled the waves, the right
little, tight little island had nauEht to
fear. So long as the United States, with
its Infinitely extended coast line, has an
efficient and adequate navy, 1t need not
feel anxiety
These are the considerations urged by
Mr.. Neeser in his discussion OF our diplo-
matte situation, naval and military prepa-
ration, requirements. policy. organization
and administration. He has written
thoughtful and thought-compelling book.