davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-17
The German Dream

All serious students of the war will feel
grateful to Alfred A. Knopf, a New York
publisher for bringing out translation of
Friedrich Naumanns "Mittel Europe" 1t
appears under the title of Central Europe"
Naumann is a member of the German
Reichstag. He Is a student of history and
political philosopher There will be little
disposition to criticize the statement of its
American publisher that it is far and away
the greatest book that has come out of the
war. 1t Is great because it unfolds the
dream Of Germany and sets forth the way
to make that dream a reality. Now. what is
the dream? 1t is a great central European
empire extending from the North Sea to
the Bosphorus with Berlin as its capital
This empire would have access to the
oceans on the northwest and to the great
plains Of Asiatic Turkey of the southeast
1t would have room to expand its commerce
and to spread its population. Naumann
explains all this in detail, shows how II Is
necessary for the Germanic peoples. IL they
are to retain their place in the world and
develop their civilization in their own way.
He predicts that when this war ends they
will dig two great trenches running north
west and southeast across the face of
| Europe that shall serve as the ancient
Chinese walls in guarding the frontiers of
| this new empire from aggression from
| Russia on the one hand and from France
and England on the other. The trench has
! succeeded the fort and this war has demon
strateu lts Value III invasion Is to be pre-
| vented. Naumann Is not content with ex-
| planning what Germany Is dreaming Of He
| goes into an elaborate discussion of the
economic military and legal problems that
| must be solved before the central empire
can be soidified, entering into the subject
with the thoroughness characteristic of the
| German scholar Yet he foresees the diff
| culties in the way of the plan SO clearly
that he says 1t will take a generation at
| least to put 1t into effect. and then 1t can
| be done only IL the statesmen of the coun-
tries are broadminded enough to adopt a
policy of racial and religious federation to
| which they have hitherto been strangers
This book is one which no student of inter-
| national affairs can afford to leave unread
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-17
A Novel Out of the War

Fact and fiction deftly combined give this
novel an interest that Is bound to stir the
Imagination Of the least impressble reader.
The author himself participant in stirring
scenes Of the battle front, has sought to
breathe into his book the spirit Of fighting
France. La Patrie' is the keynote OF a
vivid and engrossing story of the war or
the nations. From the early days of that
momentous month, August 1914, with their
atmosphere filled with the electric current
Of a people aroused to their peril and op-
portunity. to the victory crowned action at
the Marine few weeks later, which saw
Won Kluck'N shattered forces In panic
flight, the Author Of Ordeal by Fire" gives
an inspiring narrative Of the glorious
achievements Of his hero and the girl who
remained true In the crucible heated by the
flame of war. The author contributes to the
continuously growing stack of literature
which the present gigantic conflict in Eu-
rope-a destroyer of beauty and ideals
was bound to produce, not merely sum-
mary of campaign sketches, but what may
be designated as literary pictures. strong
warm. precise and illuminated by the "love
story" that permeates the pages Of very
readable book.
ORDEAL BY FIRE. BY Marcel Berger. ser
geant in the French army Translated ny
Mrs Cecil Cortes. New York: c. +. Put-
nams Sons.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-17
People Who Are Folks

The old Texan whose son was going to
New York had the right idea when he
said boy, don't you he afraid of any
body. You will find that people in the
big city are just folks the same as they
are here"
This seems to be the theory on which
Rupert Hughes has built his latest book
I'm a Little Town." 1t Is a collection OF
thirteen stories and poem The action
of all of them takes place In small towns
in the Middle West. This Is the excuse for
publishing them together in single volume
II he never was a satirist before. Mr..
Hughes has proved that he has the gift,
for these stories lay bare the human foibles
and weaknesses with merciless precision.
Yet they do not leave one discouraged.
There is at the bottom In every man ana
woman q stratum Of genuineness. MT.
Hughes bores through the upper strata TIL
MS drill touches the foundation and brings
IN evidence of the sound stuff on which
human society rests. Although the char
acters live, move and have their being IN
small towns, their like live In crowded
apartment houses and in the small dwellings
Of the workers in the large cities. The
clerk in Kensington and the business man
who sleeps in Germantown or in one OF the
idain Line villas can recognize himself IN
,he people whom the author mas IN Car
tnage or Waupoos.
IN A LITTLE TOWN By Rupert Hughes. New
york: Harper Brothers.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-17
Another "Rebecca"

A story devoid of problems" and hap
p,lv so. unless 1t be the way by which the
samd between the Crawford brothers. Ala
hama planters, may be solved, and the
middle pasture" lovely tract lying pe-
tween their adjoining properties and the
cause of their estrangement because each
believed himself entitled to its possession,
made to contribute to their mutual enjoy
ment of life 1t is solved, too, In the pleas
ATTEST manner, as Is related by the young
daughter of one of the brothers, who tells
the tale of '"The Middle Pasture deilgh!. .
ful tomboy of a girl, with all the charm or
Youthful, well-bred dainty femininity. Lit
tle Beatrice Crawford, whose anxiety TOT
the happiness Of all the dwellers round
about pine Grove, the scene OF the narra-
tive. and especially her concern over the
love affair of her cousin Katherine ana
Doctor Phil, keeps her In constant state
of palpitation, figures extensively IN
series of amazing surprises for her ratner
and uncle and the entire Crawford outht,
10 aay nothing of numerous pleasant neigh
bors and one rather rascally old drugstore
proprietor, whose Vaccinations are prought
TO nauRht. The readers interest Is Kept on
tiptoe throughout the story, which In It's
freshness and naturalness Is reminiscent
of "Rebecca Of Sunnybrook Farm" which
ia not to say that Miss Bilbro borrowed any
of her ideas from that charming tale, but
has tactfully kept her story on the same
high plane and set 1t In similarly whole
some atmosphere.
THE MIDDLE PASTURE; BY Mathilde Bilbro.
Boston: Small, Maynard Co.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-17
Thrills for the Asking

Here, truly enough. we find mystery OF
the sort calculated to make the student OF
notice. even as It will send delightful
shiver through the sensitive nerves Of the
deyotee of the modern ghost story. Trans
migration, metempsychosis what you WILL
fit through the pages Of Mr. Marsh's pc
cnliar novel In the form Of an indescribable.
supernatural creature. the maieyolent pur,
nose Of which Is to make the lives of all
the other characters Of the tale about as
urcomfortable as may well be imagined
and the especial object Of whose hatred ,i,Is Is
s.s,as,nan. who had the misfortune In the
Ssvs Of his youth to put to death an
Egyptian damsel. This tragedy re R took place &C.
so"s .snrv idttle did Lessingham know
,Is wn.n hi he stransled the creature who had
untold misery x csro Sn's tsss seidS: tSs
nun - thourht hs had slaughtered was
!. rsaiity Z daughter Of I:is," who had
Y. fSsnity os trnnsfesRiny esEnel3 inse z
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-17
THE TRUTH ABOUT RUSSIA:
THE EVOLUTION OF DEMOCRACY
The Giant Empire Is Waking From Its Sleep and
Stretching Itself-The Process Described
by Petrograd Professor

one State the vast territory oyer which
ne ruled, and the new institutions which
ne created were primarily for the pur.
pose OF training men to serve the State.
Modern Russia dates from the time Of,
Catnerine the Great, who conceived the
idea OF training the people for their own
good. Her plans were visionary and they
were most imperfectly executed but she
started the work. Professor Kornilov
tells what progress has been made in a
hundred years In the political economic
ana intellectual evolution of the people.
That evolution is in progress Is the dis.
tnsuishing fact which stands out Of the
record. 1t has not been so rapid as many
enthusiasts would desire. Some of them
have broken their heads in attempting to
hasten 1t. primarily for the reason that
they could not understand that 1t takes
generations to train q people for self-gov.
ernment as we know II. They wanted to
transplant into Russia a system for
which the ground had not been pre-.
pared. The war. however, has broken up
the soil in two and a half years more
rapidly than twenty-five years of peace
could have done. 1t has made the people
think. 1t has interested the masses in
the problems of government and has
aroused their leaders to the necessity Of
asserting themselves, II Russia is to be
true to its best interests. This is the
meaning Of the revolution that has taken
place this week.
The authors discussion throughout Is
conducted in an admirable temper. It Is
In strong contrast to that shown by the
translator, who contributes four conclud-
Ing chapter, bringing the history from
the accession of the present Gar to 1916.
scholar that the history Of the last TWEEN.
ty-five years cannot be written with the
same perspective as that Of the previous
three-quarters of a century, and prov es
1t by his extremely nonjudlcial discus.
sion Of the events of she period about
which he writes.
The history ought to find a place in
every public library and in the libraries
Of those who are interested in the prog
ress Of the world. II read in connection
with Wallace's Russia an accurate un
derstanding Of conditions in the empire
can be formed, an empire which is like
a giant, just awaking from his sleep and
stretching himself before arising and
showing his strength and greatness tc
| the dwarfs about him.
GEORGE w. DOUGLAS.
thoritative and detailed history of Russia
from the age of Catherine the Great to the
present BY Alexander Kornilov, professor al
the olitcchnicum Of Peter the Great ir
/ Petroarad. Translated by Alexander s. Kaun
New York: Alfred A. Knopf
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-17
Not Such a Gay Life

1.-THE Gay Life" is not as gay as its title
would make It. It. is rather sad here and
there, and the author. who has reputation
as a dramatist. theatrical manager. critic,
actor and producer and as editor of THE
SKETCH" must have written his book in
more or less of rush. 1t is theatrical
tale.
But even at that there is merit Of kind
here. There is depicted the honest effort Of
the men and women of the provincial stage.
They are unknown outside their circum-
scribed world, but in that world they live
royalty. Jilly Nipchin makes her tiny world
whizz round and with her about there just
has to be lots of living and lots of loving
and plenty Of hearty laughs. Jilly arrives
also Much can be forgiven In this book
because of the optimistic way In which the
author has handled his poor plot and mate
rial.
THE GAY LIFE. Keble Howard John Lane
Company. New York.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-17
"Homely Humor" Fiction

This is a delightful bit of light fiction.
something between the glad" books ana
the quaint character" books which have
been popular during recent years. There
is an Irresistible optimism in 1t and .
plenitude Of homely humor. A couple who
have no children, but long for q few. have
their yearnings superabundantly supplied
by tho bunch Of new neighbors next door
Just like steps Of q stair. as It is some-
times put. Very wide and sometimes very
trying experience in juvenility Ii gained
through many laugh-maling episodes. The
author 10 known for her "Amarilly-cf.the-
Alley" Tony Sarg's illustrations are capt.
tai.
OUR NExT-pooR NE1oHBoRs. BY Belle X.
Maniates. Little. Brown D Co.. Boston.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-17

by Doubleday. Page & Co. Doctor Hall finds
little Of an ideal conception of Jesus In the
paintings that We are accustomed to see.
Most pictures Of Jesus during the last
century give him distinctly feminine
look" says Doctor Hall. THE beard is
usually, though not always, light, exposing
the upper part Of the chin, and It's scanti-
ness with the usually very copious hair of
the scalp and the feminine features. some-
times almost suggest a bearded lady"
Little Brown & Co. will publish the fol-
lowing books on March "a: "The Hornets
Nest" by Mrs. Wilson Woodrow; Joan and
the Babies and l." by Cosmo Hamilton
"The Menace of Japan" by Frederick Nc
Cormick; Mental Conflicts and Miscon-
duct by Dr. William Healy; Psychology
of Special Abilities and Disabilities" by
DR.. Augusta Bronner: two new volumes in
the Bedtime Story Book Series, Paddy
the Beaver and Poor Mrs. Quack," by
Thornton w. Burgess and THE boy Scouts
on Crusade" by Leslie w. Qulrk.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-17
Mrs. Barr's New Novel

1t has been a good many years ago since
Mrs. Barr made her big success with "A
Bow of orange Ribbon" but her septua-
genarian pen is still sprightly and skillful.
Her new novel deals with Yorkshire mining
life. which affords the environment for the
romance of her charming and sympathetic
heroine. The dramatic element is furnished
by a strike and the efforts Of the girl to
organize the women to protect the interests
Of their children The mellowed ideals of
life and principles of tolerant conduct de-
veloped through the authors prolonged ca
reer supply the eminenty human philosophy
that is an integral part of the story. II
Is not a "preachy" novel, however, bus one
that can be read with enjoyment for the
plot and characterization.
JOAN. BY Amelia E. Barr. d. Appleton 4
Co., New York.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-17
Helps for Housekeepers

Jane Prince in her Letters to q Young
Housekeeper" has accomplished the impos-
sible in making q book on household efi-
cheney not only enlightening, but interesting
and very readable.
Such a deadly thing as . budget, for in.
stance, she explains in such a chatty. inti-
mate way that one Is not conscious Of wad-
ing through pages of housekeeping lore.
In dealing with the servant question she not
only enumerates the duties Of a maid, but
in an informal chat to the young mistress
gives sound. practical suggestions toward
proper and considerate treatment Of domes-
tics.
She discusses every phase Of dinner giving,
from the quite informal family affair to the
larger, more formal dinner. and all this
with pertinent side remarks which settle
problems one usually faces. but doesn't find
in the ordinary book Of this kind.
Among the subjects taken up and ably
handled are Economy in the Household"
The Budget" Servants" Maid Of All
Work." weekly Cleaning" Family Meals"
Duties Of Servants and Behind the
Scenes at Dinner" A boon to the spring
bride.
Hoyshton. Mifnin Company. Boston ana New
Salads, Sandwiches and Chafing Dish
Recipes" by Marion Harris Neil. is. as its
name implies. a collection Of tried and not
found-wanting recipes filling a decided need.
This little volume of practical instructions,
with its clear Photographic illustrations.
will appeal to the ever-increasing number
| Of women who live almost entirely on the
picnic plan in small apartments, often
| provided only with a chafing dish and an
| electric toaster. as we'll as to tho house.
keeper who delights in preparing and serv-
| ing novel delicacies.
The recipes are presented in q clear, con-
| else manner. with table Of ingredients at
| the head of each, which obviates confusion
| in preliminary preparations.
David Mckay: Philadelphia.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-17
"Sapper's" Second Book

A young English officer left the blood
stained fields of war-stricken Europe and
returned to his native England, there to
write book of stories OF the titanic strug-
gle across the Atlantic. Those who have
enjoyed the pages of Michael Cassidy.
Sergeant" will be pleasantly surprised to
discover that the same author. who goes
no further toward revealing his identity
than to sign his work "Sapper." which is a
title Tommy Atkins gives to a young Of
ficer of the English artillery, has published
a new book of war stories. The volume
may be divided into two distinct classes
those stories that are purely fiction, having
a background which moves with realistic
accuracy, and the other class which reveals
how the war has torn and twisted the
finer sentiments Of life and how the struggle
Of nations has been making real men and
women of tawdry and shriveling beings.
Here and there throughout tho volume the
ssRaas Eilt aad fsl9t glssms q hymos; sssS
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-17
PROFESSOR OF SURGERY
IN SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
George w. Criles "Man-An Adaptive Mechan-
ism" Uses an Unworkable Hypothesis
for His Theories

nate the net result of many trials Of Inter-
acting. perfecting mechanisms evoked by
natures emergencies, and accepted. suf-
fered or cast OF as they have proved use
full, harmful or ineffective In the combat.
but all working In common. In sickness or
In health. toward q more complete adapta-
tion to environment
As late as ten years ago German scien-
lists performed the last sacred rites over
the theory of the famous English scientist.
While q large number OF scientists still
cling to the theory of evolution, which
was first enunciated by the Greeks and
later by st. Augustine, there 10 virtually no
unanimity with regard to the system OF
evolution which they profess to believe.
The real scientists, those keen investiga-
tors who refuse to accept a theory until
II has fairly passed beyond the stage OF
hypothetic guessing. have disregarded the
so-called Natural Selection and the Strug-
gle for Existence" In the final analysis
there are no scientific facts on which the
hypothesis can be even slightly supported.
OF what value then, is a thesis built on
such q premise? Why try to prove that
emotions, ambitions and ideals are the con-
sequence Of a condition which IL not be-
lieved ever to have existed? The thesis
cannot be proved without accounting for
free will, and to prove free will to be the
result Of the now discarded struggle is
to throw the whole discussion into absurd
ity. inasmuch as free will Is necessary be-
fore an Investigator can begin to think on
the subject at all
Science has suffered too much from the
''popularizers." 1t is easy to wave aside
discussion by an airy appeal to one or the
other features Of the lamented Darwinism
but Is this scientific? The great mass OF
readers have neither the time nor the abil-
ity to satisfy itself Of the truth or falsity
or doctrines built upon grounds whieh to
them are dim and mysterious "Populariz-
ers' had, and even yet have, a fertile
ground to work. The great pity Is that
they can sow seeds Of fallacious teaching 81
! Unfortunately.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-17

Professor Lewisohn, Of Ohio Il
versity, has written Z very ~
monograph for the general ree04
doubtless one that will be Of n
value, at least to the scholar ana epC
since he has appended commentn1
ing and evaluating his sources
nately the progress of his narrative
freed from the Interruptions Of 81 ~
This Is anything but q Prussianly 4
method Of procedure, but II II ct13z
makes for reliability. Many OF tfe ~
In Professor Lewisohn's list are juoe l.
names-to the American reader. but ~
owners have played q more or 1o1
portant role in the development &k
Continental drama and novel their
are worthy Of study. OF course. Schpl
Hauptmann. Hofmannsthal and othsS1I
toned and considered are known By
achievements. The author. whose bod
the modern drama has been widely Pr
by the authorities, has written q dec>(
enlightening essay In philosophical
esthetic criticism in his consideration q
German literature Of our own era. y
THE SPIRIT OF MODERN GERMAN LIE
TURE. BY Ludwig Lewisohn. b.
Huebsch New York. aitt&,
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-17

Sy,uERE is probably no country in the
Il u,orld about which Americans think
.hsv know 30 much or, Of which they are
,.ai,v so ignorant as they are about
Russia.
Most of our impressions have been OBJ
.s,ned from political exiles, from agi.
Gators who have escaped from Siberia
and from sensational writer's willing to
turn an honest penny by writing Of the
horrors in country where we have been
taught to look for them. America has
lived 80 long aloof from the rest Of the
vorld its own interests have been so alb.
sorbing and its political theories and
practices are in the main so enlightened
that the natural tendency has been to
,udee other nations by our own stand
ards. We cannot conceive of social con.
ditions in which our theories Of govern.
ment are not Immediately applicable.
when we took over the Philippines in the
sxisencies Of the Spanish war lot Of
smiable persons at once demanded that
ve set UP the New England town meet.
ing system in those oriental islands. and
thew quoted our Declaration Of Independ.
snce in justification of their wild dream.
They did not know then. and many of
them do not yet know. that the Philip
mines as a mass are as unable to under
stand American governmental theories
and practices as the children in a kinder
sarten are to read cuneiform inscriptions
on ancient Babylonian tablets.
So we blandly have been denouncing
the ruling powers in Russia because they
aid not forthwith consent to the establish
msnt of representative institutions based
ON our models. Aren't the Russians
PEOPLE, and oughtn't the people to rule?