University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1916-07-25
The New Books
.The Things Men Fight For"

II is almost return visit from DR..
II. II. Powers to have his new volume.
The Things Men Fight For" The
chapters are. in considerable degree,
the lectures delivered at the Univer-
sity of Missouri.
Probably no other book dealing with
the war and its sources has made so
dispassionate and unbiased a study
Of conditions and causes as does this
| volume. says the New York Times Its
author has been Professor of Econ
omics in several American colleges
| and universities. has studied, lived,
| and travelled much in European coun-
tries. has written several interpretive
volumes of art criticism, and has been
for some years President of the Bu-
reau OF University Travel. For such
diSpassiOnate survey he seems to be
well fitted both by a native judicial
quality of mind and by the fact of
residence or travel in every one of the I
countries at war. He takes up the
case of each one of the belligerents /
and studies it as il looks to its own .
nationals. Every nation involved" /
he declares. has a case Not one .
could have done differently without
violating all traditional standards of
prudence and patriotism. Not one
would have acted differently form any
other if it had been in that others
place. Nor could one of them have
acted differently without the danger,
almost the certainty of disaster"
And yet Mr.. Powers is not quite log
ical in this fatalistic attitude in which
he insists upon the "ineXorable des-
tiny which has brought about the
world war. since, toward the end of
the book, he cOnfesses to faith in the ,
that nothing need be that
ought not 10 be. And nowhere does
he consider the dawning but poten- !
tally tremendous force of interna-
lonaiism, or stop 10 question what its !
effect might be upon the ineXorable-
ness of national destiny. His account
md discussion of the forces. both ma
erial and spiritual. that swept each
'f the countries at war into the con
iict. its national needs. aspirations
md desires, are Illuminating and make
IN important addition to war litera-
ure. But his outlook in his survey
# possible causes and preventiyes of
vars in the future is conditioned by y
he ideas of the world that was before
he bursting of this epOchal conflict.
n his discussion of commerce and the -
art that it plays in nations pro
ress and in the precipitation Of war.
Or instance. he sees commerce ONLY
1 its old-time light of the ordinary -
'ade intercourse between nations. ! '.
nd not at all as the dominating fig p
re OF unparalleled finance that is has 90
acOme. "'
lie looks more 10 political disinte-
ratonS and reintegrations .produc-
g finally larger and fewer and more VA
nations as a probable i'm "a
'rtant force in human affairs. leading ~
fewer and fewer wars in the far '''
slant future. His patience is slight
+ most Of the remedies in which the -
icifiStS put their trust. and particu- N'
rly he has no confidence in that one
which nearly all kinds and degrees "O
believers in the possible prevention P'
war have faith-the democratfzing
the nations. Because. he declares. IL
iodern peoples are more belliyerent ln'
an their Governments, for their ,''
sslons are less restrained by knowI- '"s
ge of difficulties" 'C'
THE Mcmillan Company. New NC
'rk; cloth; $S2 pages: $I.5oD reS
Bo
Niccourian J,,,s;,,,,.,