Evening star., 1933-07-23

VI
hSps be determined from DR.. Lorwin's conciu-
sions. DR.. Nourse director of the Institute OF
Economics says in his preface: 1T Is hoped
that the book may furnish an answer to many
questions which the work OF the federation has
raised such as why it exi IS DESPITE the oppo-
sition Of employers; why it Is not more radical
despite the efforts OF Socialists and Communists.
what it has done for the wage eaners for
whom it claims to speak; what has been It's
contribution to American life in general, and
whether it has fulfilled its mission or what ITS
future may be-"
Ing study In economic history. The idea Of
such an association CT labor unions began to
terminate as far back as the fourth decade OF
the nineteenth century and after the Civil
War there were several short-lived organlza-
tions which were the ancestors OF the fedora
tion The American Federation Of Labor was
founded ut Columbus Ohio. in December 1886.
after growing friction had brought about split
between the trade unions and the Knights OF
Labor. Samuel Gonpers was made presadent
OF the new federation. ful-timc ofhcer, ut .
salary of 81 900 a year. The formative years
were ss7-s8. during which the Knights of
Labor rapidly declined and the federation dea-
nitely decided against alliance with the SOCIALIST
Labor party The history of the federation IS
followed through its growing prosperity,
through strikes. boycotts and arbitration set
Elements through its accomplishments by non
partisan policies through the challenge of the
l. W. w. through its departmentalizing. through
its part in the Wcrld War and the return to
"normalcy," through the death Of Gompers, and
to the present era. The final chapter on IN
terpretation and Outlook" has great current
value Certain charges in policies and struc-
ture are seen as necessary The unions OF the
federation have felt the destructive effects OF
unemployment and wage reductions during the
industrial depression. The number OF oues-
paying members has declined and the demands
,k,ovc hau vvnNr
Surplus funds of many unions have been de-
pleted by the collapse of security values. Some
of these things are responsible for the new
program of the federation which includes ad-
vocacy of Government and compulsory unen-
ployment insurance plans. further legal lmita-
ton OF hours of work, economic planning and
Government control of industry This program
is of course not pu.ely a federation program:
much Of it is embodied in the present plans
of the Roosevelt administration Under oe-
preston influences the federation has almost
abandoned its original philosophy of voluntary
collective relations" It's problem now Is to
work out a new program which shall reconcile
this philosophy with "the economic trend
toward greater participation of Government
in the regulation of economic life and to read
just its structure and methods accordingly"
THE LIFE OF CAESAR. BY Guglielmo Fer
rao. Translated by A. E. zimmern New
York: G. p. Putnam's Sons.
hR. FERRERO, professor Of modern history
u at the University of Geneva, has written
a five-v volume work of exhaustive research and
brilliant style. The Greatness and Decline OF
Rome" 1t is considered the outstanding mod
ern history of the Roman Empire. but it is
more than a history. for the author is both
historian and philosopher So the modern nal-
ian scholar investigates the ancient history OF
his country with the aim of analysis and in
terpretation. "The Life Of Caesar has as its
basis the Caesar episodes in "The Greatness
and Decline of Rome which have been re-
written into a continuous and progressive mar
rative. Caesar first became dominant figure
in the Roman state through his conquest of
GaM and Dr. Ferrero considers that because
he conquered Gaul his place in history Is great,
for that conquest the beginning of Euro
pean history He disagrees with those histor-
ians who look upon Caesar as the destroyer o.
the republic and the founder of the empire.
who make civil war and dictatorship the crown
of his achievement. Caesar did not destroy
the republic or create the imperial govern
ment; the latter was the slow creation Of sew
eral generations. who owed nothing of thei-
achievement to julius Caesar Caesar never in.
tended to seize the supreme power for himself;
civil war was only an accident provoked BY the
hatred of his enemies and not by his ambi-
tion" So Dr.. Ferrero calls this m anti
fascist or anti-bolsheyist history Of JulsN
Caesar" A little over half of the book Is,
therefore, given to the Gallo Wars. In the
latter half a very interesting chapter IS The
Great Crisis of Democratic Imperialism
Revolt of Gaul," which shows Caesar stamp
ing out the flames of revolt In four 81 ctions
and crushing the leader. vercingetorix. 'Phar-
salia" describes Caesars part in one CT the
great destiny battles Of the world, against his
rival Pompey THE Ides of March" IS the
chapter of downfall and death. The discussion
of the economic situation in Rome during the
last days of the republic. with the desperate
DD6mpetition fer wealth." the "giiantic accunu-
lation of vested interests" the enormous l0ans