Evening star., 1918-08-18

FORM movement SpfhSs-nas ho part
In this discussion. The writer recog-
nizes that that period has had its day
and that, in accord with the exactine
spirit of the present. the world must
be shown" whether or not prohibi-
tion pays In the goods that count for
human well being. So. facts and hg-
ures. and charts. and diagrams. ana
vestigator have place in this volume.
More than this. about every phrase
and sentence In this attack on the
liquor question is also u diagram or
a map or some other pictorial way
of getting across to the reader. The
writer has an imagination Of TWEEN
tieth century type--ready. striking,
convincing. Therefore. like a dynamo
of persistence and power. he pushes
his way through the various aspects
of the subject. leaving very little for
the liquor advocate to pick up as sal :
wage for himself along the way of
this devastating temperance route
this argument. This writer Is not
mad at the whisky man. He is just
showing him. and US. too. How much
do We spend for liquor? Who sup
port the saioops? Where would the
money go II there were no saloon?
stitute for the saloon? The liquor
traffic has got to go. since 1t is the
greatest waster in our country--and
our greatest peril is that of waste.
Every honest person Is convinced al
ready-but the reading Of this book
his conviction. He Will like. too. to
be In the company of this sound and
sane and human adversary of booze.
THE ABOLITION OF INHERITANCE.
BY Harlan Eugene Read. New
hn
In sum this discussion constitutes
an argument against inheritance.
against the passing of wealth on
from generation to generation under.
the laws that have grown UP around
the assumption that one has the right
to exercise control Of his own wealth
from the grave itself. SO to speak.
The writer traces the origin of in
heritance. to the power and selfish
ness of monarchical institutions
the growing democracy of the pres
ent He sets forth the injustice of
the practice OF devising great wealth
to heirs. an injustice that works
against these heirs themselves as 1t
works also against both the material
and moral well being of the state
itself. In. one part OF this discussion
Mr.. Read examines the privileges of
inheritance in detail, in another part
he discusses inheritance from the
standpoint Of general economic re-
suits. and on the ground Of certain
social problems. One section of the
study is given over to a review of
the common arguments in defense OF
the present system of inheritance.
The discussion comes to an end with
a survey of the generally beneficent
results that are bound to follow the
abolition of inheritance. One may, or
may not be convinced of the sound
ness of this argument. But he will be
interested. And he will be informed.
This is one of the books that. now
and then. come along to jar one out
of the grooves in which he had run
from time out of mind And this book
has a decided Jolt In 1t for the reader.
1t is calculated to make one set up
questions to himself concerning the
nature of wealth, concerning the ma
ture of it's disposition and, above all.
concerning the rank injustice that
great inherited wealth does to the
inheritors themselves. That Is the
first vital fact rising out Of this
theme. And this Immediately creates
the vision of thousands OF young
people rescued to an active and
wholesome existence through the
abolition of inheritance. A finely