Evening star., 1920-07-11
Reviews of New Books
WAR WITH MEXICO. BY JUS
Iin H. Smith. author of The An
nexation of Texas" etc. New
YORK: The Macmillan COMPANY.

van WITH MEXICO. BY Jus.
nn, nm n; smith. author of The An
Nation OF Texas" etc. New
York: The Macmillan Company.
THEsE two volumes. covering
the history of our war with
i Mexico. give a notable exam
pie of history drawn from
hrst-hand sources. Official docu-
ments of the two countries-diplo-
Natic and military-stand as the
foundation of the work in hand. Add
ed to this main source of information
are the findings of local repositories
of fact. and. besides. Investigations
that cover such European countries
az were indirectly, but informingly,
involved in the issue set up between
the United States and Mexico. The
thorough and rich research lying back
f'this chapter of American history
is the outstanding mark of the study
itself. Close to this in point of ex-
cellence is the handling of the mate
rial gathered SO that an unbiased and
truthful statement stands, in the
mind of the author. as the paramount
purpose of the work. Again, the per-
sonality of the narrative itself. its
vivid appeal. its bodily presence. SO
to speak, constitute a decided and
Maps and notes. together with COM
prehensive and admirable book list
round out a surprisingly competent
and dependable history of our war
with Mexico.
THE ART OF FIGHTING, It's Evolu-
tfon and Progress. BY Rear Ad-
miral Bradley A. Fiske, author of
From Midshipman to Rear Ad-
miral." etc. New York: The Cen
tury Company.
A most stimulating book survey
of history applied to warfare. Rear
.Adniral Fiske begins the survey with
study of primitive men in their
combats. one with another. From this
simple and easily grasped condition
he moves forward. logically and
graphically. TO the evolution of col
1ective fighting. to the development of
war itself as a highly organized and
complex art. Along the way this dis
tinguished and versatile writer OBJ
jectifies the technic of the subject by
Illuminating examples of this or that
phase of the business of war. AT this
point it is Rameses II who is the mas
teS strategist. at that point it is
Philip of Macedon. or Caesar. or
Washington. or Napoleon So. on to
the great war, the brilliant story
takes point and substance from the
military activities of this or that
world strategist. A swift survey of
the great war passes on to a dis
cussion Of the strategy. of peace, as
well as of war and Of strategy in its
relation to craftsmanship itself. The
general reader will find this fasci-
mating narrative. The special reader
will find it a store of knowledge and
expert opinion for his special need.
MRs. wARREN's DAUGHTER. By
Sir Harry Johnston. author Of
-Gay-Dombeys," etc. New York:
The Macmillan Company.
To provide himself with a heroine
who could be counted upon for an
up-to-date feminist performance Sir
Harry Johnston went over to Mr..
bernard Shaw's house to borrow the
daughter of Mrs. Warren That is the
NrA Warren-you recaH-WhoSe
profession furnished the foundation
for one Of the Shaw-est OF the SnaW
plays. With Vivien Warren under ms
arm, SO to speak, Sir Harry betook
himself home. where he and MISS
Viyie. between them, laid out q pro-
gram for woman's rights that drafted
in the heroine's support several reai
Londoners beside the goodly group Oh
gencies of Miss Warren's zeal for the
cause are so great as to put !he
young woman into trousers ana tne
male role-and- yet. after SO much
of hullabaloo to deliver woman
from the degrading and unjust lord
ship of man Miss Vivie goes the way
of ali women-falls in love. The last
one sees of Miss vivie she IL, as IL
were, eating out of Michael Rossiter
hand. This comes about through a
deal of lifelike work with characters
and incidents. II one Is interested
chiefly, in the carpentry of the story;
Sir Harry Johnston's romances VIII
not please him. II. on the other nana.
he likes people in their natural pc
haviors under the ordinary run OF the
day, he will greatly enjoy these sto-
ries. This writer is master OF 9e
tafl--Hot- cut-and-dried, plgeonholeo
details, but such looks, and gestures
and points of view as deliver over TO
the reader men and women OF per-
sonality and substance.
6xECHOsLOvAK STORIES. Trans
lated from the original and edited
by Sarka B. Hrbkova, professor OF
Slavonic languages and literature
at the University of Nebraska.
New York: Dufiield & Co.
A dozen short stories have been