Evening star., 1916-08-20
Reviews of Books of Midsummer.

1000, 900 men, with conscription frankly
urged as the only dependable means OF
achieving this end. To provide edu-
Gated and efficient officers for the train
ing and commanding of this army the
writer argues for an expansion and re
organization of the military school Il
West Point The whole is an earnest
appeal for preparedness, as il is also -
carefully prepared discussion of the
means of preparedness by one whose
life has been spent in the study and
practice of military affairs.
THE END OF A CHAPTER. BY Shane
Leslie. New York: Charles Scrib-
ner's Sons. Washington: Woodward
Lothrop.
Irishman, Cambridge-man, soldier
man and writer. Shane Leslie, invaded
from war trench to hospital. there
finds time to review the close of many
chapters of English affairs that the
war has brought to abrupt and newt
able endings. These essays embody
that review. In recollections of Eton
and Cambridge, from which two school
generations are serving at the front,
the writer points to the vital changes
that the war Will make upon the whole
scope and direction of education in
England. From the same poignant
point of view and in something of the
spirit of farewell he goes over the poli-
tics of Great Britain. it's society, its
religion, its individualistic attitude to-
ward life in general, its policy toward
Ireland and its notions of kingship as
these are objectified in the Hanoverian
dynasty. Rather hopeful for the future
than disheartened by the present, is
this easy-thinking, brilliant-speaking
observer of the wind-up of many cher
ished but out-moded institutions OF
England. 1t is a brilliant summary
projected in animated pictures. illumi-
mating anecdotes and incisive ap-
praisals of England at the beginning of
what must needs be a new order of
rationaliSm.
PITTsBURGH: sketch of Its Early
Social Life. By Charles W. Dahlinger
New York: q. Z. Putnam's Sons
Old press files and local ordinances,
court records and early chronicles of
every sort constitute the reservoir upon
which Mr.. Dahlinger has drawn for this
picture of Pittsburgh soon after enter
ing upon its busting career as the
gateway of the west" 1t is a Vivid
sketch of the little burg in its extent
its celebrated spots. its notable person
alities, its customs and gradual
changes in the period between the
close of the French and Indian war a.d
the opening years of the last century.
Here and there the writer sets down
old roads and lanes. Identifying them,
where this may be done, with certain
crowded thoroughfares of the Smoky
city of today. AT this corner or at that
he RACES modern skyscraper and puts
In its place some locally celebrated
hostelry, or town house, or church.
Upon one occasion or another of that
remote day he evokes some striking and
persistent character, some forceful
group of citizens, to animate and stamp
events with the spirit and color of the
time. Politics was then but in it's bare
beginnings; economics. such. was not
in existence, so this is, in the main,
sketch of social custom and neighbor-
hood affairs. 1t is SO interesting, and
withal SO profitable a study, that one
hopes to have other cities and towns
contribute TO the social history Of the
country by constructing out of their
historic material pictures equal to this
one in authenticity. in local color and
ia draniatfr appeal