Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-02-25
Reviews of New Books

into the world of International rela-
lions. 1t is desirable and profitable Tor
American readers to find out how It
was that this safe and closely guarded
seclusion gave way to the relative
complexity and instability of 1nterna- :
tionalism. The purpose of this study
is to give just this line of information.
From the full body of United States
history the author separates this
theme. in order to make clear ana
exclusive exposition of the origin and
development of this issue of lnterna- :
tionalism. giving from point to point
underlying the foreign policy of the
United States. The writer goes back
to what he calls the prenatal infiu-
ences that operated against seclusion,
subtly and through the blood. Ihese
influences are found in the various
effects of European exploration and
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, English, French
and Dutch influences. From this inter-
esting and potential point the writer
advances by way of the numerous
times and circumstances in which the
United States was forced into foreign
contacts and nterchanges-by way
of wars. affairs in the east, the attl-
tude of Europe in the civil war, the
Spanish American war. the Panama
canal. questions with Latin America the
present great catastrophe and the
astonishing applications of science to
method of access and communication.
United States has moved out into the
world. The writer makes a straight
line of exposition that sets this big
theme out boldly before one. More
that attracts attention and holds ones
interest throughout this two-volume
study. A book of extraordinary excel
1ence In every respect.
UPSIDONIA. BY Archibald Marshall
author of "Watermeads." etc. New
York: Dodd, Mead & Co.
To view a subject from every avail
able point of view is, says the scien-
fist. the only possible way of coming
into anything like a fair acquaintance
with that subject. One assumes that
this genial investigator has at some
other time exhausted the usual ap-
proaches to his subject. Be that as 1T
may, to meet his present purpose. he
turns a whole community 'upsidown'
in a most enjoyable bit of fooling. cal
culated to show what might plausibly
happen If the common conditions ex-
listing there were reversed from heel to
head. Who. in the right-side-up state
of affairs, ever saw q man, not pos
sessed of a sou and yet ineXhaustlply
rich? Or Il ragamuffin receiving gem
poverty, while the rich and well-to-do
grow subservient and apologize as
they grow rich? That Is the way OF
things in "Upsidonia," where any num-
Der of Carnegies are. with great OIL
gence. trying to get rid of such wealth
as they may have had the misfortune
to possess. and where any number OF
other people are behaving IN character
to the general role OF topsy-turVy.
Grayely plausible in all of its partlcu-
lars, save the fundamental one, the
whimsical story moves along in an en-
joya BILE humor, out OF when simpses
of the most substantial sort Of Qhiloso-
ply flash. An impossible situation is
here made to yield lifelike characters
and n store of sound comment that is
none the less substantial because it
comes in the manner OF play. Ihe BOOK
is delicious vehicle for Keen and
waywise insight
THE MIDDLE GROUP OF AMERICAN
HISTORIANS. BY John Spencer
Bassett PHI. D.. LII. D.. author OF "A
short History of the United States"
etc. New York: The Macmillan
Company.
Broadly speaking. this volume pre-
SCENTS a survey of the historical outlook
and attitude in the United States from
the colonial period up to the time when
science took the writing OF history I'M
der its tutelage. The last fifteen years
of the nineteenth century found writer's
of history fairly well settled in the
camp of the scientists. subjecting the
material of history to the exacting
methods of scientific research. Prior to
that time, however, history had be-
loneed to the field of narration, where
literary excellence was compelled to
do a many-sided service. Truth, in this
period, was not despised. Indeed. it
was sought. but the scientific spirit was
still around the corner and the facili-
ties for the pursuit of pure truth were
few. Historians were absorbed, there
fore, in clothing such truth as might
be found in the power of literary ap-
peal. From that colonial period to the
new era of research DR.. Bassett brushes
in a broad background of American
history writing, showing the general
aim and attitude toward the subject.
this background he sets the
figures of certain authors who have had
a distinctive and a directive influence
upon the historical attitude and upon
the method of history writing. Pres
colt, Motley and Bancroft contribute
and splendidly to this field.
with Jared Sparks standing out as a