CURRENT LITERATURE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17471, 15 May 1920, Page 1 (Supplement)

CURRENT LITERATURE.

NOTES ON NEW BOOKS. BY CRITIC. The word " Reconstruction" is on many lips; the ideas which it conveys are in the minds of all who are cognizant of the great world change, and who note that the significant feature of this present afterwar disturbance is the total removal of old landmarks. Class distinction, as we knew it, exists no longer. With the increased wage of the artisan, and the increased opportunity given to his children, for education, and therefore self-advance-ment, there must result a " levelling up" of what, in its wisdom, the ruling few called "the people." The time is one of radical alterations in status and every study which enlightens us as to future decisions is of utmost value.

DEMOCRACY IN RECONSTRUCTION. ' Democracy in Reconstruction"— Frederick Cleveland, and Joseph Schafer (Houghton Mifflin, Boston; Australasian Publishing Co., Sydney.-The authors' joint effort at a complete survey of the social problems of to-day necessarily makes America its background. They admit that Americans were touched by the war only in its late stages: their "happy fortune it was to have helped mightily, while suffering comparatively light losses. We see the roystenng prosperity incident to the war still trying to persist—we are distinctly better off than any of the European belligerents, and we have suffered less injury than some neutral countries." Their book contains an earnest study of ihe character of President Wilson— as a personality, but as a publicist, and be represents the concerted thought _ of America. A thoughtful article is given on democracy, and private property passing on to th) family. "Cities provide cages for their zoos, and bird-houses in the parks, but stand paralysed when confronted with a demand that they prevent sickness, child delinquency, and adult immorality, by promoting decent housing. Family decency cannot thrive in cellars, or filthy tenements, or where the house is overcrowded by the presence of numerous lodgers. The writers confess that America has not come within hail of John Mitchell's modest standard that the ordinary unskilled workingmai> should have a comfortable house of six rooms: including a bathroom, good sanitary plumbing, a parlour, diningroom, kitchen, and sufficient sleeping room that decency may be preserved, and a reasonable degree of comfort maintained. The destructive agitator is the houseless, homeless man without a stake in life, a menace to decent family life, as well as to orderly society." Dr. Esther Lovejoy's contribution is on health. She condemns forcibly any acquiescence in the idea that while the nation praises motherhood, it yet allows many women to die from the effects of childbirth. "In the examination of deathcertificates," sho writes, "I have never observed one where it plainly stated that the woman had come to her death from puerperal infection at the hands of some ' person or persons unknown'; probably the midwife in attendance, or that she had died from eclampsia (convulsions), due to gross neglect at the time of her greatest need. These would be shocking things to put on a death certificate. According to the census of 1916, between 11,000 and 12,000 deaths, were reported from the immediate effects of child-bearing." She is severe in her condemnation of infant mortality which "rises and falls with the incomes 0/ fathers; the great underlying cause? jof premature deaths are ignorance, vice (including iptemperance), and poverty; these three, and the greatest of these is poverty." War is a great leveller, and to it we owe the newer education concerning venereal disease. Prohibition, she advises, is the greatest public health measure ever adopted by a nation. 'Pure milk, a municipal maternity hospital, pre-natal clinics, baby clinics (for advice) must be included in reconstruction work. Other informative i articles complete an interesting and valuable publication.

WAB STUDIES. " How Jerusalem was Won"— W. T. Massey (Constable, London; Australasian Publishing Co., Sydney).— first volume of Mr. Massey's work promises capital reading in its successor. He writes vividly, and is unsparing of praise for all participants in the campaign. The Londoners especially receive his warm commendation. His final chapter on "The touch of Civilising Hand," gives testimony to the beneficent work of the Allies. Public health was organised as far as it could be on Western lines— and order reigned, where previously had been but misery, poverty, disease, and squalor. The "installation of the water supply was a triumph for the Royal Engineers. In peace times it would have taken from one to two years; it actually was completed between February 14, and June 18—hospitals and baby clinics, were established, with gratifying improvement patent to any observer. His observations on road-making in the earlier stages, show what difficulties faced the men; indeed his whole story is one of triumph over bad conditions.

"Forty-four Months in Germany and Turkey Har Dayal, M.A. (King, London).— by an ex-revolution-ary of the Indian party, this little bock is "of guidance, since it shows how, given the opportunity of comparing British with German methods, the author was led to change his views, In 1907 he resigned his scholarship rather than take a favour from the " alien oppressive rulers of India. He became actively hostile, published from San Francisco his newspaper Mutiny, was arrested as an undesirable alien, escaped to Switzerland, and during the war, worked in Berlin. His forty-four months with the Germans forced him to retract all his former principles. '* The Germans are morally unfit to governthe stability of the British Empire is a salient fact that emerges from tho dust and smoke of war— the policy of separation and intrigue is futile and fallacious. England is free and great and we (the Indians) can share in this freedom and greatness as worthy citizens of the greatest state the world has yet seen." Such are his conclusions.

MISCELLANEOUS SUBJECTS. "Little Hours in Great Days"— Agnes and Egerton Castle (Constable, London; Australasian Publishing Co., Sydney). In this Agnes Castle reveals her own personality very charmingly. She is a garden lover, and the story of her failures is of interest to all of her kind. Then too, her description of her youth in Ireland, and the study of her mother, an unusual combination of resource, dignity, delicacy and vitality. Amongst the personal anecdotes are interspersed some interesting sketches of war patients in hospitalthe whole combining to make a pleasant little book. Implication »nd Linear Inference"— hy . Bernard Bosanquet.—This is a purely technical study and .s only for those who have jead more deeply the principles of psychology and logic. Its reasoning is close and follows academic standards. " The Realm of Prayer"—by R. H. Coats (Macmillan, London).— author cites instances to prove the efficacy of prayer, and studies supplication" in ail its aspects. " All great prayer is a battlefield, a Gethsemane." His book evidences wide reading and his conclusions, definite and certain, should prove very reassuring to those who retain their religious habits.

" Problems of the Actor"—by Louis Calvert (Simpkin, London; Australasian Publishing Co., Sydney).—An excellent resume of the writer's career with the

lessons to be drawn from it. He misses, no point and the 6tudent of the histrionic art would be well advised to note what he has to say. His remarks are prefaced by H. B. Irving's introduction, ...