Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-04-28
Reviews of New Books

+, ness" the story Of tho Army Service
| Corps which the writer tells with
! vision and spirit.
SURGEON GROW, An Anerican in the
= Russian EfRhting. BY Malcolm c.
| Grow. illustrated from photographs.
New York: Frederick A. Stokes
Company.
Surgeon Grow was, at one time lieuten-
ant colonel in the Russian army, a men,
Der Of Its Medical Army Corps. In this
capacity. Dr.. Grow had abundant oppor-
| tunity to study the Russian situation at
| close hand. and in Its further implications
as we'll. What he did. and what he saw.
make up the substance OF this book. 1t Is
a valuable bit OF evidence in the Russian
complex. It Is. moreover. a considerable
summary Of the general outlook upon
Russia. as a whole, during the period
| when the doctor served the allies on the
front, period. ALSO when Russia was to
be counted as factor in the interests of
democracy. That which one draws out
OF this first-hand encounter with Russia
Is the lamentable story Of her complete
Iunreadiness. the hopeless story Of a people
that. for many years to come, is bound to
be submerged in the depths Of a nebulous
idealism. an ideaiism that IL rendered
impotent. and even dangerous. by the
ignorance in which the Russian people
| exist. However disappointed one may be
in the present exigency by the utter col
lapse OF Russia. she IL nevertheless, saw
ed by some sure instinct from a sweeping
condemnation Of the Russians Surgeon
in this Withholding. The book gives
very wide open view Of the Russian char
acter and the Russian situation. Readers
| whose chief concern is in getting the truth
OF the matter would better give time to
| the reading Of this admirably human and
admirably fair minded report OF one who
has been on the ground in an intelligent
| and appreciative seisure Of the situation
| as 1t actually exists.
| sIDELI0HTs ON GERMANY. BY
Michael A. Morrison. New York:
George II. Doran Company.
This is a book Of clippings from the
German daily press and from the more
| occasional printings OF German pub
\ licists. historians, philosophers ana
| brood-in-general Of the religion of
German kultur and German world
politics. 1t is q most interesting ex-
hibit Taken al 4 whole II shows the
| workings OF the German mind and the
manifestations of German character
under the stress of war. The complete
I
views upon which the general German
| public is fed sets a low standard for
| the mental capacity Of the average
German. The sentiments arising out
of the situation Of war float upon a
tide Of self-conceit and self glorinca-
tion for the empire. Arrogance toward
the rest Of the world and . malevolent
hatred toward . large part Of 1t con-
stitute the spirit OF the whole. The
selections portray . country gone Into
q delirium Of Joy over the war and
and overwhelming triumph. Later.
however. q ttnge Of surprise grows over
| the bewtlasrine fact that the war IL
now more than three years old. with
victory atill to be won. But there 10
nothing more than amazement here yet.
Not yet have the Germans reached the
point whore they are able to believe In
the metal Of the foe, and certainly not
to entertain for q second the suggestion
that Germany Is not invincible. The
book 10 press reelection Of what the
German people are required to think
and believe. Of what they do think and
believe u ~ tAsrseegA sasAa.eHs