The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-05-07
MASTER sKYLARK. OR WILL


 By Edgar White Burrill. CA play in five
 acts; dramatization of John Bennett s
 novel of the same name). Illustrated by
 Reginald Birch. The Century Co.,, pub
 fishers New York
 This play, reproducing Shakespeare's S birthplace and the scenes of his achieve ments in London, and introducing him as character, is of special interest in this year of 1916 when Shakespeare ter centenaries are being widely celebrated in America
 The play opens in Stratfo -on Avon showing Nick Atwood, a youthful cousin of Shakespeare's dissatisfied with the monotony of his home-life. Then comes company of strolling players, who kid nap the boy because of his voice. After number of adventures along the Eng fish countryside Nick reaches London and becomes famous choir-singer While there he meets his kinsman William Shakespeare who brings about reunion of Nick Atwood and his Stratford rela- tives.
 A love interest is supplied by the daugh- ter or the master player who had man aged the kidnapping of the sweet-voiced boy.
 Master Skylark' introduces as dram aus personae, in addition to Shakespeare. Sen Jonson, Thomas Haywood, Queen Elizabeth and other famous historical figures of England's golden age of the drama. 'o
 THE WRITING ON THE WALL by ETC Fisher Wood Illustrated, The
 century Co.,, publishers New York
 An examination of the military unpre- paredness of the United Statss. a vigorous exhortation to Americans to stand in de- Iehse or their ideals, and a careful con- 5t.uctVe programme of military reform. Els experiences as an American attache III war-swept Europe convinced the au- thor that the nations have entered upon an era or cold-blooded aggression and that the United States alone stands ,,nnro. tected amid a gang of calculating inter national obbers,'' refusing to arm her sel1- lie shows how, on the principle that practice makes perfect" a mere fra ment or any European army after the wa r VIII be more formidable than the entire army preceding it, how easily we could pc invaded and reduced, and how com placent, inefficient and unpa atriotic ws r. III the midst of our peril
 MT Woods remedies are concrata ana clearly presented. He advocates an qua aptdtlon or the Australian and SWiss systems of universal military service or use Tn defensive cause only. tba appointment Of trained secretaries of war ana marine and the general sub i.utioh or expert opinion and au- tnoflty Tor the prevailing haphazard political jobbery, the abolition of small army posts and political navy wards. the standardization and proper nav ment or militia. the manufactur;ne ana asseHoing or adequate equipment and ammunition and other Indispensable 1 and practicable military reforms Ihe writing on the Wall' is a hool, | or peculiar importance because 1t is. A 4ff ~4 ! It IS well Known that many prominent American officers have been eager to ! get before the public their sense of l the gravity of our military situation ana their expert ideas with regard to military reform: but it has been i'm : possible Tor them to do so, according to army etiquette. except through the agency or lay spokesman MT. Woods
 Noteoook Of an Attache" displayed ao remarkable grasp of technical | military questions that some of the | most important officers in our army 1 ana navy immediately took him into .nelr confidence, feeling that he could De trusted to handle expert material eiscreetly, and made him their unof- 1,ciai spokesman. Every one of MT i" oou statements in this book has naa tne fuil approval of these officers ana has been verified by them. The result is, so far as possible. an. ex | pi ession or the army and navy them
 eNes on subjects vital both to them | and the nation
 l rric Fisher Wood of New York is graduate of Yale 1910. As a studen, oi architecture he had just entered the II beaux Arts in Paris, having held fourth
 place in the list of 100 candidates fot admission. when the war storm burst
 MT. Wood placed himself at the serv- ice of the American embassy and for