Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-07-04

Frederick Schlcitcr. rh ID. Column
pia University Press. New York.
s Previous TO the publication OF Ty
Tors cpoch-makinE primitive cul
Ssture" in 1871. many missionaries ant
other observers believed that the,
had discovered primitive tribes total
~ devoid OF religious ideas. Tyior'!
comprehensive definition of rclirio,
as "a belief in spiritual beings" how.
sever. at once made obvious the error
s&of this View and emphasized the fac'
that religion Is phenomenon OF
S6nnivcrsal distribution. grounded ir
IS The inner psychic life OF man since
sFTylor's day there has been an ever
Increasing recognition OF the ncccs-
$lsity for utilizing primitive data as 4
basis for the Interpretation OF con
u Temporary cultural phenomena. Par
] 4ticularly conspicuous attempts in this
direction have been made in the case
of social organization. politics, ethics
and religion.
In this volume nr Schlei:er take
the fullest corrizance OF this ten
4 dency and bases his conclusions upon
~ a survey Of widely diversified data.
He, contends that serious defects are
involved in the present methons of
s classifying. organizing and interpret
Y ing the data OF religion. and submits
Z these methods or critical analyst
This investigation makes clear the
futi!i'y, OF uncontrolled and highly
Eencraiizcd speculation on these
topics. and the necessary limitations
L of our knowledge.
Or. Schleitcr goes on TO show that
most OF the theoretical work in the
! field of religion. both past and pres
Z ent. has been based on study Of
/, religion At large. or apart from its
L cultural setting, thus disrccar riding. in
EEreat measure, tho actual ethno-
fgraphic phenomena and presenting an
Z 5ibstract type.
: The author attacks vigorously Il
number of the classical theories deal
ing with the evolution OF religion
contcndinE that they are Il priori and
arbitrary. that they possess u strong
element of interesting romaRcing and
cannot be harmonized with the facts.
On the contrary. II is commended that
some OF the fundamental religious
ideas of men, such as those of magical
power. spirits. carnations. dcities. an
1All-Fathcr, etc, may crop up any
where and at any time. and cannot
be correlated with fixed stages OF
i evolutionary development. He criti-
fcizes the widespread belief that the
idea OF God arises late in the history
of civilization and is associated only
with the higher religions such as
Judaism. Christianity and Monan-
mechanism. and shows that there is
evidence that the concept of u SUI
preme Being is found among some OF
|; the most primitive peoples. for cN-
ample, the rygmics OF Africa and The
!, ahoriEincs Of Australia Or. y. ;us-
3 lace f1ttOOn, EIllpT OF TIE Am" ri
can Journal of Theology. says OF the
work: AS "a preparation for a mctho-
dology-a destruction Of methods TO
make way for method-pr$ Schlcitcr'S
work deserves tho scrioas attcLtion
OF all workers in the field of origins
social and religious. and may well
be the most significant WORK Of re-
cent years
LABoR's CHALLENGE TO THE
y ~
Brooks. The Macmillan Co., New
/ York.
4 AS result OF a study OF the labor
Z question extending over IA period OF
4 forty years, John Graham Brooks
i Is one of the best qualified m,n in
I the world TO write about this all
4 absorbing problem of the age. In his
i new book, "Labor's Challenge TO tho
Il Social Order The author shows the
Il growth of constructive agencies in
i side the three most powerful labor
N Eroups-rrade Unions. Socialists and
.ft5 Co operators. with the variants, Syn,
4 dicalism and the New Guild 1t |,
y these agencies which offer the pos
sessinE classes their chance. The
\ social order is threatened on tive
Al idea; by a raw communism. and h,
III a reactionary capitalism, with IN,
~ politics II represents, To show how
Fjthe real strength within these labor
&s groups may hc turned toward socia
RI conservation is the objcc, OF mi
SEVolume.
The great Importance OF the solu
~ ton OF the labor problems and "A cor
rect understanding OF the fundamcn
4 tails involved is we'll expressed by
EH4uotation which the author make
T3from letter Of James Bryce
-E5the author OF The American com
imonwealth'': In my judgmcn, Their
mas never been time at which Tn
$$SsystematIc and impartial study "a
&ikocial and economic questions ma
bIbeen so urgent as a; the prrscu
b. day. We stand on the threshold @
ga new age. Tn" problems which con
ifront us and the other leading demo
.Etcratic states OF the world ar. Of tn
iEmost complex and the most vital char
SE acter. and can only he solved hy patti
ent examination conducted in Il spiri
assof scientific dctachmcnt accompar,ic
by wide diffusioA. 'of adult ciyi
IS EQUATION. To avert - rave conflict
between classes ani! iiicrcs;s We mus
Yin good time inquire into and deter
81 mine, so far as possible. their cause
i ssstoday and at once much more ad.
s&quate provision for social research
iSsand for giving publicity To tho :.
.. @sults of such research. But To b
3 iCmoSt fruitful our work must he cor
Siceived in a large and liberal spirit
1t is work Of timely intcrcS
III written in sane. judicial spirit. pr,
Il 6sentinG careful and EXHAUSTIVE
}EsStudy of the causes ana character
"a the present widespread unrest
THE NEW MERCHANT MARINE
sEBy Edward y. Hurley. former chair
Imam of the United States Ships
aboard. The Century Co New York.
$40 The greater part OF this book dcAI
&Swith the futurt Oi the America
ssmerchant marine with pertinent sul
tStgestions as TO dangers TO avoid an
10 develop For haci
a&ErOund PURPOSES ne author "a 1l
gEsketches the history OF America
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alert general reader. and for In. ma