THE INFLUENCE OF WAR.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2260, 21 September 1914, Page 6

THE INFLUENCE OF WAR.

As- the result of England having bscomo involved in a war, perhaps more serious than any she has participated insince she became a great Power (six nations being already involved), and with the extreme r/robability -of Water'.oos and Trafalgars being fought at any time now, tho theatre throughout the English-speaking world is bound to reflect the spirit of the time, and for a time one may expect to 6ee tho flag waved, vigorously in all classes of theatrical entertainment. Patriotic songs will be rushed through tho press and snug on the slightest provocation, and already we have had evidence of what a reciter can do to stimulate the agitated breasts of his audience. The brilliant hues of the Onion. Jack will shed a patriotic glow over the latest revues and musical comedies in London and Paris, where the entente cordiale feeling will conduce to an intertwining of the harmonic' French and British colours. One may confidently expect the presentment of patriotic tableaux, flamboyant drama, and, let us hope, a temporary disappearance from the vaudeville stage of those nauseating and all but immoral songs that have recently afflicted this class of entertainment. It will certainly be much healthier for everyone to hear a rousing patriotic song than such, doubtful lilts n9 "Snooky Ookums," "Yon Made Me Love Ton," and "In 1 My Harem." The vaudeville stago wants a bracer—the reference is nof to Wellington or evon to New. Zealand in particular—and it will get it through the war.

It is not without interest that one recalls tho remarkable sensation, caused in England some six years ago by the production in London of that notable play "An Englishman's Home." In'that play tho author, who was only- known as "A Patriot;" set out in staring figures the terrible unpreparedness of England for war, tho.'.' insane craze for sport to the utter neglect of military training.. Then the play depicted tellingly the invasion during a fog of London by the forces .of the'"Empress of tho North," and, in cutting satire, shows, through . Brown— tho average Englishman—what an utterly pdiculous figure he cuts in the face of such .brutal, facts as an armed enemy ■within. his house,. his silly indignation, his impotent rage, and finally his great bravery as he is led out to be shot in his own garden—still in a maze as to what it all,-meant. The.play was a warning that Germany was really only a. few hours' rapid travel away from England, and that a vast body of troops could bs moved across the Channel under shelter of a three-days' : fog, which are not rare at c»rtai:i times'of the year. The play did arouse the . country, and from 'it sprang the idea of the Territorial Army—a citizen force—which should now be-ready to give a good account of itself if, unfortunately, it is called; upon to do so. The influence 06 war upon tire'stage must not be hastily classed as "jingoism." It is something that.represents tho feelings of the masses, giving them the opportunity, of venting their pent-up.emotions without appearing - foolish,'and stimulating those who are more;.or .less conscious of a sense of depression born; oi the' Titanic life struggle the Empire is now engaged, in. , /

■ 'The day of the war correspondent is gone."; So telegraphs a war correspondent. Dr. Dillon, from Vienna. He knows:that'he,would'not be allowed to go to the front', or to send any reports at all on military operations. Truly the day of Forbes and Burleigh, not back to "Bull Run"' Russell, is gone. Never again will army commanders give a free run. of their headquarters to "chiels" taking notes to bo incontinent-ly-printed." The change from the old times, for which the reasons are obvious, ' has been slow in coming, but is now almost complete. Grim soldiers •like Kitchener never had any love for newspaper correspondents, though ho was forced to tolerate such a man/as G. W. Steevens both" hi the Sudan campaign and in the South African. . Our own war with i Spain snowed a relapse from the growing practice, and seemed, as everybody remembers, to be waged by and for the new'spapors.' The Japanese, in their war with Russia, kept the correspondents at a safe and inglorious distance; and by the time the last Balkan war came along the shutdown was complete. The military argument for it is convincing. In informing the public, the newspaper informs the enemy: consequently nothing must be published until long after the event, and then only in a form agreeable to the army authorities.' .This may seem hard' on' the press, ■ and also on a news-eager public, but'it is war—New York "Evening Post.'?

Belfort.—-A fortified town in Franco, 35 miles W. by N. of Basel, in a position commanding the opening between the Vosges and the Jura Mountains. It was besieged by the Germans during the war of 1870-1871, and capitulated February 16, 1871, but was retained by France under the treaty of 1871, when the rest of the Department of Haut-Rhin was ceded to Germany. Since that'date l its fortifications have been greatly strengthened. Its population is'given as 18,000.

It goes without saying that tho war will most seriqusly disturb tho publishing trade, and that until that nalycon day arrives when peace is declared, the output of new books, especially expensive books, will be rather attentuated. A. certain number of novels will probably, be published, but 'of biographies, historical works, art books, and hooks generally of any serious importance, there will be very few. In war time pcoplo read newspapers first and foremost, and.-if they do buy books at all confine their choice to comparatively inexpensive books. Of course, one must bo sorry for the authors, as well as the publishers,' but,, after all, it is astonishing how many hundreds, nay; thousands, of old books thore aro at the disposal of the present day reader. And what a splendid wealth' of entertainment and instruction they contain. Hazlitt's famous advice, "whenever a new book comes out read an old one" is not bad advice to follow at a time like this, although, under ordinary conditions it could hardly bo observed.

A third Napoleon book of importance is entitled "Napoleon and Waterloo, A strategical and tactical study ,of the Emperor's campaign -with'the Armeo du Nord in 1815." The author, Captain A. F. Bccke, K.F.A., cor.tends that military history should be studied "from the day-by-day. and liour-b,v r hour point of viow, and not judged by the- event," and has written his account of the campaign accordingly. Such a thing would bo impossible of accomplishment when present-day warfare is being dealt with. A book which should bo specially worth reading just now is Maurice Baring's "Mainsprings of Russia," published at 25., by Nelsons. Late Homo papers contain very laudatory notices of M.r. Baring's book.