BOOKS OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 269, 7 August 1920, Page 11

BOOKS OF THE DAY

•Social Economics, '■ Professor J. Earry Jones, author of "Social Economics" (Methuen ana- Co.), occupies the Chair of Economics in the Univereity of Leeds, and was previously Lecturer in Economics in the University .of Glasgow'.: The central, economic problem of the present day is he says, the ■ reconciliation of individual.anibition and • social welfare. • Most financial problems .must, he adds, be-discussed in terms of labour and • labour problems. After sketching the. growth, of the modern industrial . problem, the 'author, deals with industrial organisation, the subject embracing geographic concentration of industry, economic problems- and economio responsibility, and'the movement towards monopoly, : The financial side of industrial organisation is 'Sext discussod, with (special relation to joint-stock enterprise, - speculation-' and insurance, bunking' and currency. Trade union structure .and .function is next discussed, the customs and restrictions, of .trades unions,being examined together with the various methods of remuneration of labour,' .piecework, collective bonuses, and 'various profit-sharing*schemes. Dealing with the .pre-war economic'system, the author discusses the theory of competi-' tion, women's wages and sweating, and industrial unrest. TJio. economic reactions of the war, in labour ? industry and commerce, are then examined, after which the author discusses at some length, the relations of the State to industry and the problem of joint control, with special reference to the Work Coirfmittees system whioh is a prominent feature of the Whitley scheme. In the final chapter,"Wages and distribution." the author argues that what- is requircd ia not merely a rise in wages, but a rise in,-the standard of living. (There are, says Professor Jones, three TTayß of : securing iy. better standard of living. The first is more efficient production on the one hand, and on the other the reduction of expenditure upon useless/things"; the second methotl is By ''socialising" consumption; the third is tho "provision of public services W the State, their cost being defrayed partly or wholly out of State revenue. An earnest plea is put forward for increased cjiild welfare, to be secured, by ,a State subsidised insurance .scheme making ample provision to'families which have suffered through the early death or complete disablement of the bread-winner. After referring to the pensions very properly'pai'd to the widows and dependants of soldiers and sailors killed- in-war, the author contends that, "in this respect workers (of all grades) should be regarded us soldiers; by working honestly tliey.: perform social service. ■ • Referring to the financial aspect of what-has been called "modified wmmuri ism," to which he seems to think the economic, position shows a decided trend; Professor Jones admits that

there is a limit beyond -which income cannot be .'taxed without the gross/amount being wriovisly reduced. , And the injurious effect upbn income would not merely mean a reduction rather than increase in the total revenue derived from incomo taxation beroiwl that limit, but probably signify a reduction in the national incomu ■' of goods and oervicoa ■; noon which tno ' ■ standard of living .depends. When that '' limit has been reached (but not until thenl the publio services which are nrovided from the reßiiltiwr revenue will ro- . . present the extent to which, linger tlio • seo'eraphic conditions of this country and in .the present btate of human efficiency. ..it is. possible to raise the standard or . livinc of the nation as a whole. It is tho task of the, Government to determino • where tho limit lies. Political economy, for--which "wcial economy" is a latter-day synonym, was once called "the dismal science." But •' when economic problems can be dealt .. with' so .clearly' and suggestively, as is done .by Professor Jones, the. repellent " adjective does -not fairly' appft. An excellent index is not the least valuable feature of a- very useful,,-if unpretentious, little wort. (N.Z. price, 7s. fid.) "Nationalisation of Mines."; ! '" From a new-comer into tho world of publishing, the firm of Leonard Parsons, Limited, comes the first volume of "The New . Era" series, in. which various pro- . 'lhineht political, industrial, and social : problems of the present-day, period are to be dealt with by specially qualified writers. /The initiatory volume, "Na- ■ tionalisation of the Mines," ds by Mr. l'rank Hodges, secretary of the Miners' Federation of Great Britain, and' is prefaced by an introduction by the Eight Hon. John E. Clynes, M.P. The author • advocates national ownership of the entire mining industry, with' joint control by the full personnel of the industry and representatives of the whole community. : Mr. Clynes, in hLs prefaco, reminds his ~ readers that "one miner is killed every. sis hours and another is injured every three minutes," but neither ho nor Air. Bodgtf. advocates -national ownership ' "for a trade, or a class, or a sectional >. interest."' "Gain for the . community ■ inspires," so Mr. Clynes contends, "the demand made' for immediate changes in both the terms of service and the conditions .of ownership of this great ser-< ... vice." Many of the arguments set forth by.-tho author in support of nationalisa-. ■ tion of the mining industry are familiar .... enough, but where his'book differs from " earlier and similnr discussions 'of the same problem is the special' importance attached by Mr. Hodges to tho psychological factor. As- exemplifying the author's general standpoint on this factor in the demand for nationalisation the . following, passage may bo quoted:

new XJXA . Bent*}, an ITUJWI "idineiit political, industrial, and social : problems of the present-day, period _ are to be dealt with by specially qualified writers. /The initiatory volume, "Nationalisation of the Mines," ds by Mr. l'rank Hodges, secretary of the Miners' Federation of Great Britain, and' is prefaced by an introduction by the Eight Hon. John E. Clynes, M.P. The author advocates national ownership of the entire mining industry, with' joint control by the full personnel of the industry and representatives of the whole community. Mr. Clynes, in his prefaco, reminds his readers that "one miner is Wiled every .1 sis hours and another is injured every three minutes," but neither he nor Air. Bodge* advocates -national ownership "for a trade, or a class, or a sectional interest." "Gain for the . community inspires," so Mr. Clynes contends, "the demand made' for immediate changes in both the terms of service and the conditions .of ownership of this great ser-< vice." Many of the arguments set forth by -tho author in support of-nationalisa-. tion of the mining industry are familiar enough, but where his book differs from earlier and similar discussions 'of the game problem 19 the special' importance attached by Mr. Hodges to tho psychological factor. As- exemplifying the author's general standpoint on this factor in the demand for nationalisation the following, passage may be quoted: - The miner wauts to be in his job as a complete human boine. He wants to know the social problems of his work; in short, he want 3 to.feel the Joy that comeß to a. man whose whole personality is Impressed on the object which he is In tho purpose of creating, instead of belnp merely plastlo clay in the-hands of a system which turns his whole beine into a marketable commodity. His new siatus will be that of a partnor in industry. Manual labourer and technician will encage together in the mine and sell their commodity. labour, not to a non-labouring shareholder but to all men in tjielr calling, as their contribution. to tho production of tho finished article. Mr. Hodges does not deny that there has been a great decline in the coal output, but attributes it to tho "psychological factor." But one fails to find in his book any proof; or attempt at proof, that under nationalisation the output would be substantially increased. 1 Tho author-is, -however, .on sound ground when he exposes and- denounces the peat economic waste which goes on in distribution. The book, which contains much that provides food for useful thought, contains in its appendices the text, of what is Known as thcSankeyEeport and the. Bill of tho Miners' Federation. "The Nationalisation of Mines and Minerals Bill, 1919." (N.Z. price 65.) "A Girl's Garland." j A special interest attaches to a slender and tastefully produced little volume entitled "A Girl's Garland: Poems and j Thoughts" (Stanley Paul and Co.) in ] that the author, Miss Annette Bryce- • Wilson, is only fourteen years of age, and was for 6omo time a resident of Wellington, although she was bora in England. '■ In an Introduction written by Mr. Clement K. Shorter, it is stated that her father, Major Bryce-Wilson, of tho sth Lancers, was tho original of one of tho young subalterns in one of Mr. Rudyard Kipling's stories in "Soldiers Three." 'Mr. Shorter is. also responsible for . the information that tiie young poet is no morbidly precocious child, but "a dear little child with no jioneeris? about her," who "cycles, swims, rides bareback, has a passion for horses, and may havo been said to .have been brought up in the stable." The book is certainly an astonishing production to come from one go young. Tbe poanw reflect e. keen Apprecianon of the wonders and beauties of nature. A c'nild'fl lore for ito parents ami Ifs innocent dreams of fairyland aro also repres«it*d. This truly poetical aiftf eirflwmtly grswfal fan ay displayed fe the verses -traijtflcd "My I/.ttlx Mum," if ttßdontaW*:" l - .

God took two drops of the deop crecn sea, Two twinkles from stars in iho olilcs, A wee Uttlo bit of a fleecy cloud, Ana He mado them Into your tycir, God took a ray of snnshi/io, < Then pulling a rose apart, He took the sold of ita petals And made them into your heart. God took 'the leaves of a lily. And the depth of the deepest hole, And then with a, spark of mother-lova He made them into TOur soul. God took an an pel's dauehter And a ,dimple ABat spoke of fun, And placin? them with the othera. He made yon—my little mum. From, the'section headed "A Garland of Flowers,"- in which the charms of various flowers are described in- simple and often very charming verse, I take the lines entitled "The Little Blue I'or-get-me-not":— i. A lover's message not to forget Is that dear littlo flower so bluu. A drop of blood in its golden heart Means pain but spells "keep true." I know a eraveslde, littlo flower, Where o'er and o'er you erovv, And she above reads your message And will kiss me era I eo. A final quotation ehall be the concluding Knea of "The Beautiful land of Sleep":— Thero with the fairies my baby does play, Until the cock trows to herald, the day, In the beautiful land of sleep I • In the beautiful land of sleep, Where live fairies arid elfins sweet, Where lovely flowers Brow I And soft winds blow, And the fluttering leaves are the seat, Where the children wander in dream*, And l>athe in the sparkline streams And play hide-arid-seek: midst the flowers, they peep In the beautiful land of sleep. Mjss Bryce-Wilson's verses are of, coiiriso by no means faultless, but they disclose s talent which, if wisely directed, should some day. bear rich fruit. Mr. Edwin Morrow contributes a few sketches whioh are admirably in keeping with the verses. (N.Z. price, -3s. fid.). Golf' Architecture. Under tlie title "Golf Architecture," economy in course construction and green,keeping (Simpkin, Marshall and Co., per Australasian Publishing- Co. and Whitcombe and Tombs), Dr. A.' Mackenzie, a well-known authority on the laying .out of golf courses, has produced a little book of considerable intorest to all who are interested in the "royal and ancient game of golf," and the preparation of suitable links. In conjunction with his partner,. Mr. H, S. Colt, who contributes fln introduction to the book, Dr. Mackenzie gives some very interesting information as to the best and most economical devices.by which golf courses may be laid out without interfering with natural beauties, but at the same time' providing special facilities for players to display, their skill in the game. Tlie, book contains many interesting illustrations, reproductions of photographic views of various famous 1 English golf courses, also several -useful diagrams. (N.Z. price 3s. 6d.j.