Evening star., 1916-12-03

conclusive action and many indecisions
of character, about all the people con-
cerned get married, leading one to the
conclusion that this novel was intended
as social satire. Just missing this
and smudged, instead of eating into the
grain of the matter.
ETHICS OF DEMOCRACY. By Louis
+. Post. author of Taxation Of Land
Values" etc. Indianapolis: The
Bobbs-Merrill Company.
Obviously. an idealist is at work here
Indeed, the writer admits it. At the
same time he makes the unassailabie
claim that idealism is the foundation of
all progress and that. therefore, 1t
should be invited and entertained and
tested up to the full limit of its powers
to inform practical affairs. and to hft
them toward the vision outlined by us
own ultimate aims. Democracy is the
theme of this optimistic exposition
This, however, is not the changellng
democracy that the selfish expediencies
of politics and society and Industry
have set UP. On the contrary 1t is the
democracy whose essence is contained
In three words-"service for service
Upon this foundation the writer, by
way of these essays, not only develops
the principles that underlie the demo
also, as the standard of comparison to
the most conspicuous of our Industrial
economic and political institutions. This
tuxtaposition of the ethical standard OF
democracy and it's current practices in
various fields sets out. without need OF
comment. the striking shortage of
practical () democracy as an instru-
ment of social equity. Among the
poses of this discussion are Great
Fortunes" General Business Concen-
tration' and The Trust AS Natural
Evolution" He traces also the limits
to which the trust contributes toward
socialism and the effect of the single
tax upon the existence of the trust
There is an essay. too, on the laborer
and the wages system. and an ad-
mira bly, suggestive one on social evolu-
tion. Original in his method of ap-
proach. clean-cut and driving in argu-
ment, having the gift of words. es-
peciaily ready with words Of irouic wit,
Mr.. Post achieves brilliantly and provo
catively in this volume of essays.
POLITICS. BY Heinrich Won Treitsch-
ke. Translated from the German by
Blanche Dugdale and Torbep de
Billie. Introduction by the Rt. Hon
orable Arthur James Balfour. New
York: The Macmillan Company.
These two volumes of translation
from the German make definite and
complete exposition Of Treitschkes fun
damental doctrine that the end of the
state is power. The writer sets out with
an analysis of the state as an abstract
conception. Under this he places its
social foundations. in the family. the
tribe. the nation. He then outlines and
compares the various theories under
which states have organized as theocra-
cies. monarchies and democratic repub-
lies. This historic background he
f>y% nlah % -fy 4
of the German empire in it's constitu-
ton and it's destiny. The fourth and
last book deals with the administration
of the state, with Germany as the
power. A foreword to the American
edition by President Lowell of Harvard
defines the place of this discussion in
the minds of Americans and points out
prime interest here. The Introduction
by Mr.. Balfour sketches the life and ca
reer of Treitschke. and attempts to
gather up the most obvious Of the many
litical theory. This introduction is a
very interesting and informing sketch
Of Treitschke. Its breadth of view, its
ease OF attitude. its sense of proportion,
serve. not SO much to illuminate the
German writer, as to place him. and
give the reader a medium, so to speak.
for understanding him.
THE COMMON WEALTH OF NATIONS.
Part !. Edited by l.. Curtis. New
York: The Macmillan Company.
This is in sum. an inquiry into the
nature of citizenship in the British
empire and into the relations with one
another of the widely separated COM
munities that make up that empire.
For the purposes Of this inquiry groups
were formed, few years ago, in GER
tain centers Of the British doninions-
in Canada, Australia, New Zealand.