CURRENT LITERATURE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17139, 19 April 1919, Page 3 (Supplement)

CURRENT LITERATURE.

NOTES ON NEW BOOKS. Br CRITIC. There is apparently no subject uncovered by the twentieth century text book. Hi is an age of compression, of condensation, of saying things briefly and, to tho point, of practical guidance instead of vague discouragement. If books can teach youth to succeed in the world, there "is at least no secret of success left veiled. But side by side with the text-book, and mora valuable bscause giving the fruills of experience, rather than direct instruction, is a very fine cli.as of literary product, a species of psychology applied to the numerous and very pressing problems of financing and governing the world, 0i altering the present chaotic tangle of iffairs into a more systematised and more humane state. THE BUSINESS OP FINANCE. "The Business ol Finance"—by Hartley Withers (Murray, London).— is (suffering from a raging fever," writes Mr. Withers in his introductory chapter, "a fever due to an ill-ordered lifo and overheating diet. . . Kings and parliaments, churches and schools, philosophies and sciences, employers and employed, producers, middlemen, consumers, writers and talkers, all are being tested before tho judgment 01 an exceedingly critical public. Like all other institutions, finance will have to justify itself. . . Superfluity and glut at the top of tha ladder, with destitution and despair at the bottom, are conditions incompatible with true civilisation. Bankers, financiers, stockbrokers, bill-discounters, have to remember that earning a profit for themselves is nob tie beginning and end of their business, but that they are in charge of a big wheel in the great machinery of production and distribution of wealth. Finanoa Ministers and tax-gatherers have to remember that balancing this year's Budget and getting revenue in with the least possible soreness on the part of Mie taxpayers, and especially of their own political- supporters, is less important than th» question whether their measures and methods are lending to increase or to hinder tie growth of their country's wealth and the world's output of goods." Passing from generalities, the author deals very ably with the history and the uses of metals, paper moneys, bills, etc. He echoes a generally depressed opinion that the war has been "the worst financed in the history of finance." Indeed, throughout his excellent exposition on various financial methods, the warand its bearing upon finance runs as a motif. He discusses the suggestion of an international form of paper currency, deciding! against it. Government investments, speculations, the industrial balance-sheet— and other problems are earnestly and fully dealt with in the attempt to educate the public towards good ideals in the business of finance.

EUEOPEAN MATTERS. "The League of Nations"—by J. C. Smuts (Hodder, Stou»hton, London).— Many will peruse with interest this little, compadt study, written by the famois South African statesman, whose ability and foresight have impressed all .nationalists. He contends that the ordinary conception of the League is not the right one—it must occupy the great position rendered vacant by the destruction of so many of the old European empires and the passing away of the old European order. He makes practical suggestions, so practical that one can only conclude that many of these have by now received very full consideration.

"The White Eagle A Poland"-by E. F. Benson (Hodder, Stoughton, London). —Mr. Benson urges' the viKal importance of Poland as part of the cordon of Independent States, which should prevent the unlimited expansioiF of Germany eastwards. His second part deals with the State of Poland since the armies of the Central Empires have occupied it. His book is of interest, especially in view of the more recent pronouncements of the Peace Conference concerning this unfortunate country.

"Another Sheaf"—by John Galsworthy (Heineman, London).— Galsworthy depaifts from fiction to write some trenchant articles on war matters. Tho repatriation of soldiers, the soldier-workman, Franca and the effect of war upon her people, th* Russian, the American, the problem of land, co-operation, British law—these receive his dose study, his cynicism and his always humane desire for the betterment of mankind.

I NEW NOVELS. "Jaunty Jock"—by Neil Munro (Blackwood, Edinburgh).—ln this is a collection of short Stories told with all Neil Munro's grace and skill, tense, amusing, dramatic, and each with an ending as subtle as it is sudden and almost anti-climatic. Humour is his and very deft workmanship. Every true Scot must chuckle over these gems of story.

"Footsteps"— Dorothy Pcrcival (Lane, London).— needed strengthening to make quite t a good novel of the modern kind. The usual ingredients are there. A dissolute man sent to the Canary Isles ft® reform or grow worse at orange-farming. Hie daughter, Daphne, ostracised by reason of her father's drunkenness and his ill-chosen friends. Gonsalves, the Spaniard, who desires to woo. her, and Ronald Weston, the young English engineer, who boards with the Nugents and feels his social inferiority. The author errs when she refers to her hero as "Ronnie." It gives an air of puerility to a fairly strong and presentable man. With surer touch and less explanation, the material in "Foot&eps" was certain of success.

"The Butterfly Man"—by N. C. Oemler (Heineman, London Chamftaloup and Edmiston, Auckland).—A very human and charming story, full of individuality in the drawing of its characters, showing unusually deep insight into nature and with picturesque detail to paint tho environment. It is really refreshing to eit down to this type of book. It is not a book to bo hurried over; its every word is worth reading. Its story is as unusual as it is compelling. A parish priest tends a man found injured on the railway lino. During the invalid's recovery, the padre discovers his guest to be Slippy McQee, a notorious burglar. Ho is savage at finding himself, minus one leg, unable to pursue his old calling; but he is led into taking interest in the padre's collection of butterflies. Except for one or two breaks, he gradually sett] 23 into the quiet life. And the only tim> that a burglar's kit is used is when he and the priest go together to "crack" a cafe and therefrom remove certain letters which have been used as threat over the happiness of Mary Virginia. Mary Virginia and Lawrence are the lovers of tho story, and the course of true love does not run smooth with them. It falls to Slippy McGee alias "The Butterfly Man," who himself has ever loved her from child to woman, to rescuo her from the slough of despond. Everyone is lovable who is m the padre s circle. His stately gentle mother is a creation, equally with the reformed burglar the whole making one of the most enioyablo novels of American small-town life.

modern text-books. Two very modern and good text-books are written by Richard W. Mailer, M.D. (Dutton, New York Champtaloup and Edmiston, Auckland).—These are "Baldness: Its Causes, Treatment and Prevention," in which the author "explains the anatomy of the hair and describes the principal diseases, accidents and physical defects which cause loss or prevent growthI of the hair, and giving tho appropriate treatment in each caee" He adds an instructive chapter on tho hygiene and care of the hair and gives necessary recipes and directions for treatment of hair troubles. A companion volume to this is "The Hyglsne ol the Face," in which he advises as to massage of the face and intelligent car# ,of the same. His section „ dealing with creams, powders, lotions, ointments, etc., is very comprehensive, the whole book forming a very eofe guide foe. beauty treatment at homo. . V 1 "\