BOOKS AND AUTHORS.

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 187, 27 April 1918, Page 11

BOOKS AND AUTHORS.

BOOKS OF THE DAY "Fighting for peace," Mr. Henry van .Dyke, tha author of Tighting for Peace" (Hodder ami Stoughton), hits been for many years a prominent figure in American university and literary circles, when, in tho summer of 1913, ho was selected by President Wilson to proceed to Tho Hague, there to assume tho position of United States Minister, to tho Netherlands and Luxembourg. Mr. van Dyko had long beon an enthusiastic advocato of international arbitration, and he was specially charged by tho President to promote the great work which; had been begun by tho International Peace Conference at The Hague. An advocate of peaco bo still 1-emains. "I am working for it now," ho tells us, "but with a difference. It is evident that wo cannot maintain that* cause, as tho world stands to-day, without fighting for it. And after it is won it will need protection. It must be Peaco with Righteousness and Power." That is the conclusion to which the author, a deeply religious, naturally a war-thating man, n man, whoso writings on'ethical questions have stamped him as a profound thinker, has. come. This book of his shows how ho has arrived at that conclusion. It should bo read by every one, if such there still be, who has any doubt as to tho justice and righteousness of the great cause for which the

Allies-are fighting, for-which so many of our fine young New Zcnlandors have, alas, laid down their lives. Mr. van Dyke went to The Haguo with a mind absolutely unprejudiced against tho Germans or any other European nation. He has returned to America with tho firm conviction that after tho triumph of the Allies, there must he. established an organisation of free democratic States, that the military forces of Germany must bo broken, and "the predatory Potsdam gang which rules them is brought low." After the triumph of the Allies, thero must be established, he cays, au organisation of free democratic States, what tho French ex-Premier Bibot called "a League of Common Defence." Mr. van Dyke says: It would bo a new iiind of treaty of alliance—open, not secret—made by peoples, not monarchs—an alliance against wars of aggression and coriquest-au alliauco against all wars whoso beginners are unwilling to submit their. cause to the common judgment of mankind. Such an open treats' oi defence would practically condemn and cancel all secrot treatiea for offensive wars as treasonable conspiracies ugainßt the commonwealth of-the world. Such an organisation implies, first of all, so Mr. van Dyke points out, the strongest possible condemnation of the attitude and nctiou of Germany and her assistants in- plotting, choosing, beginning, and forcing the present war upon the world. ll is precisely because blio disdained and refused to submit the Austro-Serbian quarrel and her own secret plons and purposes to investigation, conference, judicial inquiry that her blood-guiltlnoss is most flagrant, and her criminal assault upon tho world's poaco cries to Heaven for punishment. Mr. van Dyko dais not contend that the organisation of a Leaguo of Nations would make war henceforward impossible.' Ho fays: No BO.no man, who knows tho ignorance, the imperfection, the passionate frailty of human nature, cntertaiuß such a wild dream or mokes such an Mtravagant claim. All that.tho league can do is to make an aggressive war, such as Germany thrust upon tho world in 1914, "more difficult and more dangerous." All that it purposes is to set up a new safeguard of peace, baaed upon Justice, alia suppprtea by the common faith, the collective forco, aiid the mutual trust ot democratic peoples. That is one of the things-yes, I think it is the most important thing— for which we are now fighting with Inn Allies against Germany aiid her assistants. I havo quoted liberally fvom Mr. van Dvke's concluding chapter because it ss'ems lo turn up the 1 hole lesson ot the book. Mr. van Dyke's account ot his- diplomatic work «t Tho Hague is most interesting. As tn 'ndielnient of what tho author calls "the Potsdam Gang" it is calculated in lis severity, based upon unimpeachable ducumentarj evidence and personal knowledge, and absolutely unanswerable. In. one chapter, "Germania aLmuW there is given direct proof of fhe deliberate and continuous lying of the Kaiser and his statesmen. . ' . ■ . tliin In symbolising the' German as The Wcr Wolf at Large," Mr. van Dyke has had recourse to those purely literary gifts which havo Iriado his reputation with so ' many thousands of American | raiders. His "Dialogue on Peace between a Householder and a Burglar" is ii distinctly original and convincing staTemcnTof the casa against'the Hun,put in the form of a fable. I quote the concluding sentences: The Burglar toso slowly to • his feet,, twisting up his moustache with bloody brass-knuckled hands. "You are a colossal ass. no growled. "Toil forget how strong I am, how rouor I can still hurt you. I have offered you a chance to get Pcaco. Dout you want It?" "Not as a prc6ent from you," said .tho Householder slowly. "It would poison me. I would rather die a decent mans •He went a step nearer to the Burglar, who quickly backed away. . "Come," the Householder continued, let us bandy compliments no longer. You are where you have no right to be. Jov can talk when I get you before- the Judge. T want Peace no more than I want Justice. WVIp there ill n God and honest freemen .till live on earth I will fight for both. He took a fresh grip on his club, ami the Burglar backed again, Teady to "&sh the dead silence of the. room there came a loud knocking at the door. Couhl it I'o the big neighbour from across the Lake? T wafhilr commend Mr. vrni Dykes booV to the attention of my readers. (N.Z.. price, Gs. 6d.). Captivity and Escape. Sumo of the French war books are exceptionally good. In "Captivity and Escape," by Jean Martin, a irenchser-geaut-inajor (John Murray, per Wli tcombe and Tombs), cleverly translated by Mrs V. A. Eandell, wo have a vividlywfitton narrative of tho experiences of a well-educated French soldier who, before the wftr, was a icell-known footballer, and had many English and Irish friends. Wounded early in the war, in an action in which lib behaved witb conspicuous gallantry, winning tho Croix de Guerre, ho was taken prisoner and interned in Germany, and, haying a knowledge of English, ivas appointed interpreter to the British soldiers. His book is a narrativo of his experiences in tho fighting lino and in tho German prison camp, and of his daring rind successtul escapo across tho Dutch frontier, the author possesses a truly Gallic vivacity of stylo. Ho is a true philosopher, who took tho small miseries of prison lifo with a gay, insouciance which indeed 6cems to have beeu shared by all his French comrades in captivity. Hie Hun is a humourless benst at any time and tho Hun officers whom. Sergeant Martin met at the camp appear to have had no idea of the spirit of amused contempt with which the prisoners regarded their petty tyrants. Tho author and nis friends frequently amused themselves with "pulling the legs" of their gaolers, dwelling upon tho allegedly unappeasablo ferocity of tho Moroccan aud Indian troops, and displaying an audacious mendacity wjicn discussing French and British strength which would havo done credit to a Munchausen, A perusal of this book strengthens the conviction that a German officer who is possessed of the most elementary idea of how a gontleman should conduct himself is a Teuton Tara avis. Tho meanness which dictated certain features of the treatment meted out lo the French and British was quite pitiful. Also, Sergeant Martin emphasises the fact that when your Hun ib not a truculent bully be is a cringing, whining coward. There are, it is true, exceptions, and more than i onco tho author writes iu cordial and

(By Libeii.) Give a man a pipe he can smoke, Give a man a booh he can read; And his home is bright with a calm delight Though the room be poor indeed. -James Thomson.

kindly praise of a "good German." But the exceptions are lamentably few. 'i'lie author's account of his escape—ho simply walked away from a working gang at ■ lunch time, in broad daylight, ' when the sentinels woio temporar•ily absent—is a moat fascinating narrative. He had more than oho very narrow squeak, but fortunately got across I lie Dutch frontier all rizht, and. as he puts it, "the nightmare was over." Proceeding to London ho was granted leavo to recuperate in Ireland, and in tes than a fortnight from the moment of his escapo lie alighted at Tiiipcrury, and realised that he, at lMist. had accomplished the. "Long, long war" which he had bo often joined in singing with the Irish soldiers in iris Gorman prison ciunp. Ho is how again at the front, where every reader of his admirable book will wish him the- best of good luck. Tho book contains a largo number of vigor-ously-drawn illustrations bv a French artist, wheso name, by the way, should have been given on tho ti'le-pag'e. They are full of humour, as are tho welldrawn title headings to the various chapters. (N.Z. price,. Cs. Gtl.l Sv/eet Peas, Growers of that beautiful flower—the sweet pen—are'increasingly numerous every year in New Zealand. In Australia the sweet nea is equally popular with lovers of flowers, and exhibitions specially devoted to the tweet pea cull are ;c----g'ularly held in the principal cities and towiis'of tho Commonwealth. Hence, no doubt, tho nppenrancoof "The Australian Sweet Pea Annual" (1918), a neatly-' printed, liberally-illustrated publication, edited bv Mr. A. J. Quarrell, and issued by Messrs. Angus rind Jiobertson, Sydney. The articles of which the "Annual" is composed are written by practical and successful growers, ami for this reason the "Annual" may be recommended as a reliable cultural guide In some parts of Australia, so it is stated by the editor, successive sowings will ensure bloom being obtainable in the open practically rill the year round. Sweet pea growers in the country w;,l find much practically valuable information in tho pnges of the "Annual, in next year's issue of which it is to be hoped that reference will be made to the beautiful Mooms raised l>v our New Zealand sweet pea experts. (Price 2s. ud.).