Evening star., 1933-12-03

even the illustrations are all of embarking
and marching troops woman war workers in
khaki, war council meetings, war orators, photo
graphs of war statesmen and military leaders,
war cartoons and war newspaper headlines.
The reputation already established by Mr.. Sulli-
van for balanced statement of facts, without
propaganda motive antagonistic prejudice,
is sustained in this volume, the most difficult
of all to write. This means of necessity con-
creteness, without too much generalization.
Generalization easily leads to the taking of
sides, to the classification of people and events
according to ones own fixed opinions. The
order is strictly chronological from the first
awakening of America to the fact of serious
war in Europe to the signing of the armistice
and the sailing of President Wilson for Europe
AS the title indicates, the story does not cross
the Atlantic, but relates activities and re-
actions in the United States
The reluctance of President Wilson to involve
our country in European war; and his per-
sstent efforts to preserve neutrality finally
thwarted by the violation of our neutral rights
by both Great Britain and Germany and the
elimination in the sinking of the Lusitana
furnish an example of national psychological
evolution whose course is familiar to every one
but Mr.. Sullivan has skillfully related events
to show cause and effect He shows the align
ment OF Americans into pro-ally and pro-Ger
man groups, with the majority neither the one
the other but lust Americans" Bryan'S
pacifsm and grape juice at dinners, Henry
Fords peace ship. Theodore RooSevelt's de-
mands for preparedness and attacks on Pres-
dent Wilson, the 1916 presidential campaign
with its slogan He kept out of war" are
variations of the American attitude before Will
sons war message. concluding with the para
phrase from Martin Luther, God helping her.
she can do no other" The volume is about
evenly divided between the United States
keeping out of the and the United States
in the war. In the latter half We are shown
through the use Of newspaper and magazine
extracts and documents, the progress of con-
scription, the hectic speeding up of war indus
tries, or the conflict of smokestacks': the con-
troll Of food, the Committee on Public Infor-
nation" spy hystera, the creation of shipping
on a vast scale, the sending of more and more
troops. the celebration OF the arnlStiCe and
victory. As q recorder of facts Mr.. Sullivan
pronounces no epilogue though we are sure he
could and wish he might
WAR MEMOIRS OF DAVID LLOYD GEORGE.
l9l5-l9l6. Boston: Little, Brown &, Co.
IN HIS recent book, with MY Own Eyes"
Frederick Palmer said of Lloyd George as he
represents himself in his Memoirs: He had
become premier just as the orders for muni-
tions which Kitchener had given at the OUT
set were being filled in quantity production
So he was the wizard who said: Behold in
Stantly I am In power-the magician taking
the munitions out of his hat!" This illustrates
what all must observe in the Memoirs namely
that Lloyd George was not and is not an
modest man. But there were other egotists
among the war leaders. This second volume
of the Memoirs begins with Lloyd Georges
visit to the Somme 'front.' where he had op-
posed the allied offensive, and ends with his
appointment as prime minister The year
under review shows the increasing Importance
of Lloyd George in war councils very long
chapter relates the practical achievements of
the ministry of munitions under his leader
ship, and they were many, despite the critics
who are irritated by his elf-praise. He says:
when first went to the ministry of NUM-
tions there was no ganization-when I left 1t
there was no better organized department in
Whitehall, and should like any of its critics
to name one of the DID, established depart
ments which was superior to it in all-around
efficiency
In the discussion of allied relations with
America Lloyd George recognizes the impor-
tance to Great Britain from the start of pre-
serving friendly understanding but he thinks
that a nation which is determined at all costs
to remain neutral must therefore be prepared
to pocket its pride and put up with repeated
lrritations and infringements of its interests
by the belligerents on both Sides compensat-
ing itself Tor these annoyances by the enhanced
profits of it wartime trade" At the end of
1916 the military situation was so critical and
the food shortage was so alarming that some
drastic change in government management was
necessary. He speaks of the nightmare stua-
ton" and the cabinet of indecsion." In De-
cember 1916, the crisis brought about AsquithS
resignation, and after it had been found i'm
possible to form an administration under
either Balfour or Bonar Law, Lloyd George as
sumed the responsibility of premiership in a
muddled war, with at least half my own party
and more than half the Labour party bitterly
hostile, and a considerable section of the Tory
party-including most of their leaders-sus-
picious and distrustful." Events justified his