BRIEF MENTION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19760, 10 April 1926, Page 4

BRIEF MENTION.

I.—COURAGE. Tho vectorial address on “Courage,” delivered at St. Andrew’s University by Sir J. M. Barrie on May 3, 1922, attracted wide attention four years ago, when published in pamphlet form, and enjoyed a considerable circulation. The many who delighted in the style and spirit of that address will welcome its appearance in a sumptuous edition, printed on hand-made paper with wide margins and handsomely bound in imitation vellum. The address in its new and delightful dress is dedicated “To the Red Gown of St. Andrews.” Towards the end of last year Professor Ramsay, of Otago University, himself a St. Andrews man. gave a lecture before the University Literary Society on “The Scarlet Gown,” and of the two phrases tho latter is more correct and certainly more euphonious. The peroration of Sir J. M. Barrie’s address is worth recalling; “Mighty are the universities of Scotland, and they will prevail. But even in your highest exultations never forget that they are not four, but five. Tho greatest of them is the poor, proud homes you come out of, which said so long ago, ’There shall be education in this land !’ Siic, not St. Andrews, is the oldest university in Scotland, and all the others are her whelps.” “Courage,” in its latest edition, is published by Messrs Hoddcr and Stoughton. (5s net). ll PATRIOTISM. In a thoughtful volume entitled “Patriotism is not Enough” (Allen and Unwin, 5s net), Dr John Haynes Holmes, an American writer, discusses the differences between loyalty, nationalism, and patriotism. especially in regard to the clash of influences which resulted in. the great yv orld War. The author’s staiidnoint is } n( ficated in the dedication of the book to M. Romain Holland. “More than any other living man.” he says, “you embody in your life. as you have taught in your hooks, the message I would convey to my readers.” Dr Holmes sets out to analyse the constituent parts of the thing called patriotism and to resolve them into good and bad. In studying the problem he finds himself able to agree "neither wRh the chauvinist, who sees in patriotism the final and perfect virtue of the soul, nor with the cosmopolitan, who sees in patriotism the characteristic and perfect vice of modern times.” At the same time Dr Holmes holds that patriotism as taught and fostered in the \\ estern world is a menace to peace and a l l jnsuperable obstacle to the brotherhood ot the nations. But there is gold in the dross, and, while inclining towards Internationalism, Dr Holmes holds on to true patriotism, which lie defines as “a devotion to those with whom we arc politically and socially akin;” In this sense, love of country means in the ultimate love of humanity, and “a citizen of America must ni the end be a citizen of the world.” This theses is discussed logically and forceriiJly, and the book has close application to present-day world problems. HI.—SANCTIONS. Mr D. Mitrany explains that hie pampli- *?* °!', Tho Problem of International Sanetions (Humphry, Milford, the Oxford Uni vci-jity Press) has grown out of a motnorandurh written for the use of the American group led by Professor James Shotwall, which was responsible for the valuable Draft, of a Treaty of Security and Disarmament. Mr Mitrany insists that inter sanctions ar e , really the cause of the difficulties which clog all efforts made to organise peaco. Most of the nations when the appeal is made to them to renounce their “habitual, ugly ways” of -ettlmg disputes, are remarkably responsive to the call. But “they are shy. they are timorous, they arc hesitating.” " Mr Mitrany holds that the whole question ol sanctions is now in the melting pot. and that such peace tasks as disarmament and the acceptance of arbitration as the normal method of settling international disputes, are dependent upon sanctions as a guarantee of good faith. Following a discussion of ilf. R' G!,f T'al problem and its present conditions, Mr Mitrany makes some practical aopliritions. After enlarging on sanctions, the Status Quo, a valuable chapter, is appended on “The Problem of Sanctions and American Policy,” which concludes by snrm'3’: > Benevolent neutrality towards the Dengue is likely to become one of the chief immediate aims of those, working for I eace in America. Such a poliev. as hope these pages have made clear, would at least enable the I eague to prove itself a trustworthy guardian of international peace, witho'd having to rely on armies and navies for its watch.” IV.—DEVOTION. r' tr r .v.” arranged by Mr , • Oldham j 9 one of (he Duplications of the fwiident Christian Movement (2s net). In addition to providing material for devotional study for eaTi dav of the month,a number of blank pages are provided for noting special subjects for prayer and suggestions for meditation, and for recording the time spent in theso exercises. Mr Old. ham says : “The essential thin- in the diary, to my mind, is the nrovisinn for record of the time spent in o”iet da". This is an au] against self-d-cention. To keep a record of the t : mr> cpf anart fo>- prayer, mediation, and P.ible study enables one to know how far one’s actual m-nctice accords with one’s acrepted standards in a matter of vital importance.”