Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-11-25
PRISON REFORM BACKED
BYPOWERFUL NEW BOOK
Society's Misfits," by Madeline
q. Doty, Makes Strong
Documentary Appeal
OTHER NEW NoNFICT1oN
The Possible Peace" Strictly
Neutral Yearbook at
Last
RsoCIEEI,s MIsrIrs. ~ Madsllne 2

Doty. The Century Company. New York.
irobably no one who reads this book
VIII VIII ever be able quite to forget It's content
lhe words hardened criminal" Convict"
reformatory" and prison" will never have
exactly the same meaning as they had be.
foro. This collection OF popular studies OF
prisons and rcformatoriss possesses all the
fascination OF fiction and carries all the
conviction OF truth
Miss Doty's aim is to convince society
that II Is paying dearly for its incredibly
cruel and inhuman treatment of its out
casts, particularly the juvenile offender who
~ committed to reformatory. and from
which class two.thirds OF our adult con-
victs spring. She presents her case in
direct, legal fashion. making no statements
lDi proven by personal experience or abun.
uant written testimony. One can under
stand her deep sincerity OF purpose after
reading the first chapter. Maggie Martin,
S53' which describes her life OF one week
as voluntary prisoner in the woman's
prison ht Auburn, n. Y. She was unknown
to all her attendants and fellow prisoners.
and the treatment accorded her makes II all
100 apparent how our present prison system
sends out its inmates worse than when they
went In But. impossible as II may be to
make good citizens of those now In prison.
all unite. prisoners and reformers alike. in
the cry OF Help us to save the kldsv
The author appeals particularly to all
women, who alone, she thinks, with their
natural mother love, can so easily change
this evil condition. Above ali Miss Doty
pleads for the entrance OF human love and
anectlon into the lives of these little out
casts. since love Is the most powerful In.
stTumcnt for good that is known. But one
needs TO read the book fully to understand
the bitter need OF the little unloved ones.
II Is interesting to note that like most
reformers Miss Doty points the way to
splendid constructive work. yet fails to
ElnF ahA
eliminating the causes which send the child
to the reformatory In the first instance.
Her concern is limited to the prevention
OF adult crime through the real reform of
the delinquent child.
A Neutral at Last
THE POSSIBLE PEACE. ny Roland Hugins
inc Century Company. New York.
One of the very few consistently neutral
discussions OF the European conflict and
It's causes which can be found among the
great mass Of recent war publications Is
contained in The Possible Peace" by Ro-
land Huglns When in the foreword the
author states that he is an actual neu-
trail the reader Is apt to observe that the
same claim has been advanced groundlessly
by hundred other recent writer's. Yet an
exhaustive analysis of the entire fifteen
chapters in the book reveals nothing to dis
lodge Mr.. Hugins from his unique niche.
Despite the name OF his book Mr.. Higgins
admits that he Is not prepared to offer any
sovereign remedy or any infallible program
for abolishing wars. Neither does he be-
lieve that the present war because OF its
horrors will bring us nearer to permanent
peace and for this reason he makes n warm
plea for preparedness. The three main
proposals for n lasting peace which have
been advanced from time to time are
analysed by Mr.. Hugins and the fallacies
OF each revealed. These proposals he groups
as follows: world court, where interna-
tional disputes can be arbitrated; an in
ternational police force, carrying out the
mandates of a League to Enforce Peace or
a Federal Council where laws can be made
and the grievances of nations removed by
legislation. Perhaps the most noteworthy
contribution to peace literature in the book
Is a clear presentation OF the steep difficult
ties that must be surmounted before any
thing approaching a permanent peace can
be realized.
DecameTon and Mars
TOLD IN A FRENCH GARDEN. BY Mildred
AdrIch. Small. Maynard Co, Boston
The Decameron and the war" The old
is not outmoded go long as the new adapts
its formularies. The author of "A Hilltop
on the Marne" has taken the framework
(but not the temperamenD of Boccacclo
for the structure of her new book. Some
time in August, 1914 somewhere in France,
a group of friends is gathered-a lawyer
a critic, journalist. a dlvorcee. trained
nurse, a sculptor. a musician are of the
party which Is established at the old
chateau. They discuss the seven arts, they
debate everything but the taboo topic OF
impending war. That way lies fracture OF
friendships, To pass the goomingly hang
ing time they fall to telling stories. and In
a garden, too, for further resemblance TO
the Decameron There is variety OF
mood and variety of individual accent In
the stories, which are amusing, touching.
clever, in turn.
A Racial Passing
THE PASSING OF A GREAT RACE. BY
Madison Grant. Charles seribners Sons
New York.
A distinct contribution to European his
tory is Madison Grants The Passing of a
Great Race" Tho thesis is essentially a
new and original recasting OF history on a
modern scientific basis. II is a narrative
of European history In terms OF race, the
hereditary history OF Europe. The perma-
nency OF physical characters, both In re-
lation to the melting pot" Of America and
to the changes in race preponderance In
Europe resulting from the war Is brilliantly