Evening star., 1918-12-01
HE GREAT ADVENTURE. BY Theo

ing IN the way OF the vision OF Ameri-
canism that inspires the writer him.
American is glad to acknowledge as
his own, as he is glad also, to dedi-
cate himself anew to its materializa-
tion.
THE VALLEY OF DEMOCRACY. By
Meredith Nicholson. illustrations by
a. Walter little. New York: Charles
Scribner's Sons.
The "valley of democracy" is, for
. The purposes Of this study, such part
OF the wide prairie valley of the Mis-
eissippi as is generally known under
tho name Of the middle west" 1t is
to the people and the activities Of this
region that Mr.. Nicholson here gives
an Interpretation whose basis is his
own lifelong participation In the at
fairs Of that section. This son Of the
middle west has. however. to his orig
lnal inheritance of local condition and
putlook added a large experience in
travel, widespread observation. the
fruits Of successful authorship and O
completely modern spirit toward the
political and Industrial drifts Of the
country as a whole. This seasoned
experience he brings back to the study
Of his own folks" in the prairie
etates. In easy and informal vein Mr..
Nicholson points out to US the liberai-
1xing face of the middle west land it.
eelf--broad. open. free. without physl-
cal barriers OF any sort. And this
quality has passed into the blood Of
that makes for the hosp;table mind,
that works out into liberal ideals OF
government, that welcomes political
experiment peopleward. that refuses
70 bend the knee to precedent and
ward the human side Of Institutions
pad movements. It IN a ripe and mel
dow consideration, one, too, that IL
projected In an easy friendliness Of
manner. II the writer Is at times In
cltned to exalt the middle west to
z sort Of spiritual watershed Tor the
rest of the continent he does It In a
pemplete good nature that takes from
any semblance Of hAuEhtlness. On
ehe contrary, Its effect Is that Of a
modest appraisal OF q quito superior
Hrticie. Delightful reading and, at
shs & same time. a wholly. orth-while
Qstimate OF the part Of the United
States with which It has to do.
FIGHTING GERMANY's SPIES. BY
French Strother. illustrated. New
York: Doubleday. Page q Co.
2 The substance Of this narrative is
6rawn out of that acute period-the
HernstoR period-in which the oAl-
Ciaa German spy was at the height
cf his most ambitious and daring ac-
tlvlty In this country. The SUM Of
fhese various stories makes clear pro-
Iection OF tho German spy system
flon Of Its parts, to shut on the allies
Sfom our resources on the one hand,
eAd 20 prevent our entering the war
on the other. These desperate plans
4nciIde Wholesale slaughter and In
q inor %ardsT: along WITH IT,. trail
eretenses. perjury. And ali Of these,
- one time or another la this period.
mAteriali1e under the urgency Of the
Gsranany need. Alongside OF these cir
smssansisi r.nnsa re- records Of German crime
frea cAer0us plans were brought to
light BY the Department OF fusticS
cooperating with patriotic citizens.
snaed together az THE American
ssrstivs STANDS as m Az; strSthsr
graphic statement OF fact that comes
~ hand at the moment when eoft-
Sn!A0eo people need to StifIou them.
&eIves against seductions toward q
wrong conception Of the foundations
of . permanent peace.
eHE KAIsER AS KNOW HrN. gv
Arthur N. Davis. IiIustrafed. New
YORK; Harper q Bros.
Those OF us. oven. who have al.
Fsady read DR.. Davis kaiser story
tn tts serial publication will be xlsd
20 60 over the material aSaln In tho
compact and complete form OF 4
DOCK. For this is 4 most revealing
fnSdium Of approach to q hixhly In.
veresting and altogether Dnxxlins
subject. DR.. Davis was dsntiaf "a
the kaiser for fourteen yNnra And
ono can hardly imaEino An insfru-
ment more definitely calculated to
provoke intimate and characteristic
Nemonstrattons on the part OF its
Occupant than the operating chair Of
e dentist. And so it turns out here,
Under minor treAtments--or 40 one
assumes-ths kaiser expands into q
general talkativeness about his em-
pirs and his people. about what he
tninkS OF them and about what he
Thinks they think OF him, about his
plans within and without che em.
cire. about men and books and world
politics. An agreeable and even a
captivating man. But some day
Ggain ono 10 supp0sing--when the
devtlish little tools probe ana Sab
end hurt tho already tormented law
bS the kaiser, then he lets out lot
OF other things. For instance, the
Astounding fact that america must
be punished" What for! one woit-