Evening star., 1917-03-25
Reviews of New Books


and his lyric power a play of rare
meaning and exquisite charm is sure TO
follow. And ii does follow in the
Cycle of Spring" where the poetic i'm
agination of the author and the prac-
tical wisdom of his philosophy shine
out naturally and spontaneously from
this Dlaytime of life. An Interesting
incident in connection with this play is
that it was performed in the courtyard
of Tagore's home in Calcutta by the
boys and masters ef the school at Boil
pur. A touch of vivid reality that adds
an external touch of interest to the
charm Of the little drama itself.
OPEN THAT DOOR. BY Robert SturgIs
lngersoll Phila delphia: J. Il. Lip
pincott Company.
Nine essays on general subjects come
together here in the spirit of this title
The open door of unprejudice. Of free
thinking. OF independent outlook, is
the medium of communication here
These are. in the main, essays on liter
ature and history. but they are never
theless wholly distinct from the COM
mon run of essays on these subjects. The
history, the poetry, the fiction, the men of
letters. are III every case here brought
close to what men are doing and trying
to do today. and by their practical po-
tency in these daily doings litera-
Ture aud writer's measured and summed.
Naturally. one finds only free men i'll
this book men who were not afraid of
their own thoughts--aor of the findings
OF the world. Specially fine is the essay
ON w Whitman. But Whitman is OF the
very essence of this outlook. Almost
equally good are the others. That they
are not quite good lies in the sub
iect itself rather than in the dealings
of this writer. All together 4 refresh
inent and stimulation.
IEACJE ,rO ENEoRrl, pL,.cE p,,
Robert Goldsmith. New York: The
Macmillan Company.
This practical and carefully prepared
study is based on the assumption that
the time has arrived for the United
States TO choose between military pre-
pareduess comparable TO that already
achieved by European nations and u
league OF the nations whose direct pur-
pose is to enforce peace whenever war
threatens Forcefully the writer crys-
tallizes The fact that since the begin
ming of the present war the world has
not only walked up. but that it ha also
moved forward in its thinking. No
ger is league of the nations looked
upon a utopian dream. as something
so contrary to human nature as to be
outside the limits of sensible considera-
ton. Rather is combination, co-opera-
tion, the instrument of the age in every
department of activity, save in that of
international politics. And only one
step more is needed to include this
also in O. world scheme of Intelligent
and humane deliberation. The book is
not merely the exposition of a. theory,
1t is, besides, a book of practical sug-
sestions, of definite plans by which
a league of the nations may be proInot-
ed An introduction by President
Lowell Of Harvard outlines the purpose
of this study. OF it Mr.. Taft says also:
On q serious subject the author has
written d book in popular vein that
ought TO be read by every man and
woman who wants to see his country.
in this crisis of civilization. choose the
course that will make the world a safer
and better place for us and for our
childrens children
OUR NExT-DOOR NEIGHBORS. By
Belle kanaris Maniates, author of
..Amarilly of Clothes-Line Alley"
etc illustrations by Tony Sars.
Boston: Little, Brown 4 Co.
Another rollicking story hN Belle
Kanaris Maniates. This time ii is a
nair of newly-weds who hnd them
selves at once so oyerrun by the house
fnl of neXt-door children. whose par
euts are both absorbed III up-lift move
ments, that the young couple, as time
goes on, have no opportunity to lament
over their own childless state. Fun and
laughter follow this familiar theme of
children neglected while their parents
are out rescuing the world at large.
And tho pictures that face one at every
page or two are of a quality that simply
makes the smile burst into the out
and -out laugh Of enjoyment. A par
tN<aAiaxla u.halesoMs SSuSa e LuWpG .