Evening star., 1923-09-08
The Library Table
BY THE BOOKLOvER

over the "heresy-hunting' attitude Of
many excellent people toward Ameri-
can history textbooks. 1 refer to
the attempts to put out of the schools
American histories by DR.. Muzzey and
others, on the ground that they are
unpatriotic and pro- British. Recently
this column has quoted one dis
tinsuished historian, who condemns
such attacks on the conscientious
work of frst-rate scholars. and also
the caution of another writer. who
points out the inexpediency of dis
cussing in school textbooks mooted
questions that are likely to confuse
and raise doubts in immature minds
With both of these opinions 1 agree
Only recently have been able to Sc
cure a copy Of the Report on In
xestigatian OF Pro-British History
Textbooks In Use in the Public
made by David Hirshfield, commits
sioner of accounts. to Mayor Hylan.
1 have read 1t so that 1 could know
the worst about these condemned
histories.
Inasmuch as Muzzey's history ap-
pears to be considered the worst Of
fender, both in the Hirshfield report
and by certain local critics in Wash
ingten. have not only read the in
dictment of the book in this report
with close attention, but have also
read the passages cited with their
context in the book itself. / wonder
II all Muzzey's critics have done that
much before condemning the book.
MY conclusion ts that the history is
fair. sane and Intensely interesting
just the sort of book / wish / might
have had when l was in high school.
instead of the kind did havs-either
dry and stale annals or books filled
with military exploits, and with one
sided, hate-creating accounts of the
yillainies of Americas enemies, and
giving little or no attention to
causes and social movements. AS
understand IT. Muzzey takes for
granted that grammar school pupils
have read American histories featur-
Ing military affairs and the other
standard picturesque events In the
country's history, and he has written
for high school students history
that (accerding to his preface)
represents the newer tendencies in
historical writing. Its aim is to
national development which appeal
to US as most vital from the stand
point Of today" 1t seems to me that
he has been eminently successful.
might well have been . little differ
entity phrased. and which are likely
to be misunderstood, especially by
persons bent on finding things to con-
denim; but. taken as a whole, the spirit
Of the book Is soundly patriotic and
thoroughly American.
According to the apparent standards
of the Hirshfield report, no book Of
American history would be satisfac-
tory unless it twists the British lions
tail on every possible occasion. unless
it makes Great Britain the head devil
in American history and in world af-
fairs generally. Any tendency in his
torical writing and especially any
school textbook which gets away
from that attitude is anathema and
forthwith labeled as "pro-British
propag paganda." If the facts Of history
as brought forth by the most recent
Investigations by the most competent
historians are not all anti British. SO
much the worse for the facts and SO
much more shrill the cry of "propa-
sanda." Even though the largest
factor in bringing on the world war
was international hatred and the
greatest obstacle to world peace is
still International hatred. so well be-
loved are these hatreds that any in
depreciation of history which teaches
young people anything short of the
traditional venomous views of the
past is condemned as unpatriotic and
un-American.
The final section of the Hirshfeld
report in which this ro-British
propaganda" is tracked to it's lair is
ludicrous-or would be were it not
that SO many good people are likely
to believe 1t. This eminent his
toriaR states as a fact-in an Of
fcial document Of the city of New
York-that there are certain rec
osnized influences which have been
working long and powerfully to
this end He has discovered that
Cecil Rhodes dreamed lin the first
draft Of his wilU of "the ultimate re-
covery of the United States of Amer
lea as an integral part of the British
empire" and that he heavily endowed
with British gold thk Rhodes scholar
ships, providinE for clever American
boys to spend three years at Oxford
University. OF course. this is proof
number one of pro-British propa-
ganda plot. Andrew Carnegie. born in
Great Britain, but supposedly pretty
good American. turns out to have been
a pro-British plotter, for In his ''Tri-
umphant Democracy" published in
Would ss ns one ss asy p shine upon % and e greet @
again the reunited state, the British
American Union" If proof is asked
that he tried to bring this about, it is
to be had in the facts that he gave
ment for International Peace, the
Church Peace Union, the American AS
sociation for International Concilia-
tion, the Carnegie Endowment for
Teaching, to Carnegie libraries and
other sinister institutions. the purpose
of all of which Is to pervert the minds
of Americanssaway from the spirit of
isolasion eoward as,tivs an
TIVE OF pro- British propaganda. The
sfsts of the International bankers,
many of whom belong to the English
Speaking Union, the Pilgrim Society
and other similar organizations. some
of whom are trustees of the various
Carnegie enterprises. and most of
world court. the four-power treaty
and similar villainies And all these
people and interests believe that "the
newer tendencies in historical writ
ing" should be reflected in high school
textbooks. The chain Of evidence is
complete!
A complete English edition of the
works of Arthur Machen. called the
Caerlson edition. has just been pub
lished in nine volumes. Arthur Ma