Evening star., 1918-04-07
Reviews of New Books

ment than the subject matter of the
book in hand. The experiences of the
writer in Constantinople. where he
spent the two years just past, make
experiences also furnish the basis Of
the writer's change of heart. 1t was
in Constantinople that DIR. Stuermer
saw the political and military ethics
of the Germans and the Turks in ac-
tion. Ruthlessness and brutality In the
open, and without semblance of reason.
disillusioned the writer, filling him with
horror at the methods of his country
men in their support of Turkish holy
wars" and the determination Of the Ar
sets down the personal experiences
that opened his eyes to his own coun-
try's lack Of conscience and caused him
to give up country. and home. and
property for his new convictions
against Germany. This is a graphic
and fair minded story of the German
and the Turk in partnership, but 1t is,
above all else, the story Of personal
struggle against the deep-seated feel
ings and Impressions of a lifetime.
SERBIA CRUCIFIED. By Lieut.. Mil
utin Krunich. Boston: Houghton
Miffiin Company.
Lieut. Krunich is himself a Serbian,
an officer in the Serbian army, partak-
ing Of the physical suffering and mental
anguish Of that army and that whole
people. overborne and outraged. as Bel
GUM. too. was overwhelmed and dew
astated. The book is an elegy. a poem
of Iamentation. With something of a
child's emotional simplicity of sorrow,
this Serbian soldier grieVes over his
mother. Serbia. The old beauty of this
country, the happiness of the old life.
the joys of friendship. the ties Of blood,
that they have gone. 1t is this i'm
mediacy of. place and people. of pur-
suits and pleasures, a flashing vivid
ness Of impression through the storm
of battle and the bitterness of defeat.
that gives to this book it's own distinct
personality and appeal. Here is the
story Of the fall of Nish, a story that
reads like lamentation from the Bible,
while at the same time 1T gives a def
inite picture Of the essentials of that
event. Supporting 1t are THE Grave
yard of the Morava." "The Place of the
Skull" and Our Child" each adding
to the effect of desolation that the de-
scription of the fall of the Serbian cap
ital produces on the mind of the read
er. Out of this body of personal ex-
perience, an experience having to do
with the details of battle and defeat.
the Serbian character emerges as a
thing of too graf simplicity and un-
sophistica ton to cope with a waywise
world. And that perhaps. sums the
chief pity of this story-and sums its
chief beauty, too.
AMERICAN WOMEN AND THE WORLD
WAR. By Ida Clyde Clarke. author
OF Record No. 49," New York: d.
Appleton & Co.
This is handbook Of women's work
in the present war crisis. In 1t one
finds the story of the mobilization Of
the women for national service. This
is an epic story. In 1t, too. one finds
what the women have already accom-
p;ished, and what they are projecting
for the immediate future. The book
describes the organizations that have
sprung up under the call for service,
giving the aims of each Of these and
summing what they have already
achieved. State by state. it goes over
| the ground of women's war work, to
show what each of the commonwealth
| Is planning and accomplishing in sup
port OF the war at the hands of its
! women. And perhaps best Of all. the
book takes every woman under it's
tutelage, discussing with her what
/ there is for her to do. and why. for
good and definite reasons, she can fol-
low this line OF work better than that
| one. Many women want to work for
| the war, but as yet they have not seen
their particular starting point. This
! book is specially addressed TO this class
Of women. Not only is this volume q
complete information bureau on the
subject OF women In national service;