Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-01-28

the United States is drawn from
certain official reports and &C.
casional addresses by Elihu
Root The survey covers the time lying be-
tween the Spanish-American war and the
present, period in which military and
colonial matters have stood as an in
creasingly urgent part of the national
program. 1t gives in explicit terms the
status Of the American army at the close
of this war. advancing from that point
by way of the steps taken for the re-
organization of the army, the creation
of general staff. the establishment of
a war college. the measures calculated
to increase the efficiency of the militia.
and the proposed plans for the expan-
sion and reorganization of West Point.
1t reviews concisely, also. the history
of the United States in Cuba, in the
Philippines and in Porto Rico. outlining,
by implication rather than by direct
statement. such obligations still
manifestly hold this country TO these
islands. In effect, though not by de-
sign, the book is a forceful and con-
vincing argument for an adequate pre-
paredness against foreign encroachment.
The character Of these articles is calcu-
lated to give them an immediate and
and very much alive. They are given,
as a rule as argument whose purpose
Is to carry conviction. The information
is exhaustive and unasSailable. The
opinions are authoritative The distinc
ton of the author and the nature of the
subject give the book a superlative
quality of usefulness to those making
a study of the subject with which it
deals. This is one of several volumes
that the editors are preparing from the
same source on various lines of national
and international Importance.
CANADA IN FLANDERS. By Sir Max
Aitken, NJ. P. New York: George H.
Doran Company.
There will be no more inspiring
story of the great war than the story
of the Canadian troops at Ypres, Neuve
Chapelle, Givenchy and Festubert. This
is the story that well as it may be
told till the future rounds it to it's
full measure of glory. Mr.. Aitken tells
here in surprisingly graphic and
forceful manner. This writer goes back
to the beginning Of the war. to the
amazing rapidity of the mobilization of
Canadian troops, to the swift crossing
of the sea, to the training on English
soil to the expedition into Flanders.
where Canada acquitted herself with
such valor, such efficiency of service.
Mr.. Aitken is a business man. His
writing method is a business method.
A perfect economy in the use of mate
rial strips this great war movement of
every superfiuous ounce of fat and
turns out a lean, sinewy, tense action,
that makes the story read like an epic.
The subject most surely deserves epic
treatment. There Is a fine body of
information here, too, concerning the
practical details of distributing the
Canadians in Flanders-details about
generally-a care that preserves them
physically fine and fit despite life in
trench mud. Maps and charts define, as
well as these may at present be defined,
the position of the Canadians around
Ypres and Neuve Chapelle, the actions
in which they took part the manner
in which they acquitted themselves. 1t
is stimulating story from start to
finish-a story to make one proud. The
greatest point of an incidental nature
in this narrative is the splendid hon.
ing Of Canada to the support of the
mother country support accorded so
grandly by all of her dependencies. A
preface by A. Bonar Law, and another
ter of Canada, give an additional touch
of value to this already exceptional
story.
George ]. Hagar New York: Har-
per & Bros.
The writer goes beneath the turmoil
in Mexico to write about the country it,
self. producing by this means a useful
book of less than a hundred pages con-
corning fundamental facts. The survey
places the great possibilities of the
country before one on the basis of cli-
mate, soil. mineral resources and the
general adaptability of this region to
various kinds of useful enterprise.
Upon this foundation the writer sets
the population OF Mexico. describing
racial traits and following out the
prime causes Of national weakness and