New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-08-21

lie Bon. Translated by bernard Mail
Published by the Macmillan Company.
r. LIE BON is an eminent psy-
biologist. He is also an ardent
French patriot. And SO his new
book, which purports to study the
causes of the revolutionary phenom
ena, is, in some measure, vigorous
Indictment of those two main objects
of adherence to every nationalistlc
Frenchman-the Germans and the Boil
sheviki.
The author IS profoundly convinced
of the practical value Of psychology
to the student of human affairs. "The
destiny of the nations" he says, sis
woven, above all, of the qualities of
mems minds And again he declares
that "the majority of political, mill
tary, economic or social questions be-
long to the province of psychology"
He goes on to apply psychological
tests to such phenomena as Pan-Ger-
manism the pre-war backwardness Of
French industry and the spread of rev.
dictionary doctrines. He regards Pam
Germanism as form of insanity, i'm
pervious to reason and dangerous be-
cause mems minds are much more
easily moved by emotion than by logic.
In support of this contention he cites
extracts from the announcements Of
a number of German militarists.
The author Is inclined to ascribe the
inability of France to rival England,
Germany and America in the field Of
industrial development to certain def
mite defects of French national charac-
ter. Among these defects he includes
lack of initiative, preference for rou-
tine, inability to cooperate in largo
scale enterprises and unwillingness to
take risks.
DR.. LIE Bon has previously devoted
an entire volume to an analysis of rev.
dictionary psychology. Here he con-
tents himself with summing up few
of the chief points which are illus
trated in the triumph of Bolshevism in
Russia. The severe strain placed upon
the existing social structure every
where by the war rendered the masses
peculiarly susceptible to the influence
of demagogic slogans. 1t is scarcely
an exaggeration to say that the Bol-
sheVlHl rode into power upon the fire.
queht relteratlon of the popular cry
'Peace, Bread, Land"
IN periods of revolutionary stress
the mental contagion of popular ideas
IS almost incredibly strong. NJ. lie Bon
sUates striking historical example of
the working OF TINS psychological law.
On the eve OF the day when the con-
Nenolon was TO decide the fate of Louis
AVl the Duo d'Orieans protested in
algnantiy against the suggestion that
he might vote Tor the death OF the
sovereign. But ne did vote for 1T. He
was unable TO resist the tremendous,
a'1hough unseen influence OF the mass
sentiment OF the assembly.
"A complete ana violent breach with
'ne past was comparatively easy to Ell
iec0 IN Hussla' because that country
lached the hrm dlsclpHne that IS I'M
posed oy common national culture
ana BODY OF common national tradi-
uoAs. "hen the Gar was overthrown,
with MS apparatus OF bureaucratic ter
forlsm ana espionage, there was moth
ing 10 take his place as a unlfylng
force IN the state. The Liberals and
Moderate Sociaslsts' with their pro-
grams OF reform along the lines OF
western parhamentaflsm' tailed to
capture she imagination Oh the Russian
MASSES Onoer lhese circumstances 1t
was poss-o'e lor comparatively small
oaho Oh determined fanatics to capture
ohe governmental power ana TO make IN
Russia the hrst large experiment IN
sociailsh over prolonged period OF
time Or. lie Bon INVOICES the testi-
mony or various witnesses to show that
this experiment has ended IN complete