LIBRARY NOTES ON THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2328, 9 December 1914, Page 10

LIBRARY NOTES ON THE WAR

THE CONFESSIONS OF A SPY. . /By -Liber.)- . Could we but accept the , account given by Dr.- Armgaard Karl' Graves, ■in his book, "The Secrets of the German War Office" (George Robertson and Co.), as a genuine and truthful record or Ms alleged experiences and adventures whilst engaged in the German Secret Service, his -work would have to be pronounced one of the most marvellous exposures of.'the espionage system as practised by ; the European Powers that has overseen print. But I for one,, find it difficult to accept it as a bona-fide production. "The author was, it is true, sentenced at Edinburgh, in 1912, to eighteen months' imprisonment for spying at: the naval base of Rosyth. Curiously, enough, however, long before his sentence had expired, Dr. Graves turned up in New York. Questions. were asked, in the House of Commons as. to the reasons for his release, but these the Secretary for Seotland evaded by declaring that it would not be in accordance with precedent'to state reasons for the exercise of the prerogative. According to tho author, his release was the result of a bargain between .the prisoner and the British Government, to the effect that he should act sb a spy on behalf of Great .Britain: As .to the two "missions" on which he was, always according to his own account, employed by the British Secret Service Department, he vouchsafes no particulars, for the very good reason, not a few or his leaders may suspect, that he has nothing to reveal, the said "missions" having existed only in his own imagination. At the same time, while regarding tho book as a whole, as being very largely "a fake," it must be admitted that certain chapters provide some very sensational reading. If we are to believe Dr. Graves, a spy runs almost as much risk of coming to grief through his employers, ,as through any action'of the. Power with whose naval, military, or political designs he endeavours to gain acquaintance. Of one spy, a lady, a certain Olga Bruder, whose sudden death, in a hotel on the Russian frontier, had been officially-given out to be a case of suicide,- he declares that she "was poisoned.!' Another spy, Lieutenant von'. Zastrbw, was compelled, says the author, to fight a series of duels, until he was killed in ' one. "Yes," adds the doctor, "your own employers often think it advisable 'to eliminate a too clever or knowing member of their service," and he would hav<e us believe that he himself was "eliminated" in Scotland, being be--trayed by his own German masters because in tlie course of years he had learned a. secret, or two which his employers deemed it desirable he should not be permitted.-to keep. The book is not badly written, and, as.l have said, is; almost astoundingly 'sensational in: certain of. its' passages Bui that it is in any way a genuine .'arid truthful "exposure" of the-workings of the German Secret Service I do' not for one moment believe. (Price,'2s. 6d.)

HOW CERMANY MAKES WAR. A complete translation of Generalvon Bernhardi's famous book, "On "War of To-day," was published last'year by Mr. Hugh Rees, and is now obtainable in a cheaper edition. The work, however, in its original form, is very lengthy, and is loaded with technical military detaila, which the avorage reader cannot easily follow. There was room for a condensed-and popular version of the nowffamous work, and this has now-beeni published by Messrs. Hoddcr and Stoughton at 2s. 6d. Whilst certain technical details have been omitted, and a choice made among the 'numerous examples'''from military history, by which the author illustrates his arguments, nothing has been set aside'which affects .Bernhardi's main contentions. As' to the governing idea of Bernhardi's work, it has already been exposed in this journal. It is that war "is a biological necessity" for the German people, and that war must bo the principal goal of their policy. There can be no roasonable doubt that the book represents the views of the Prussian Military Staff,. who forced on the, war on Bernhardi's principles at the moment they thought most favourable # to the German Powers, The work, in its new and more popular form, should find. a place in every library, public or private. "CERMANY'S SWELLED HEAD." Another welcome reprint is a new and much cheaper edition of Dr. Emil Reich's much-discussed book, "Germany's Swelled Head,'? which, originally published in 1907, passed almost unnoticed by the English papers,- the editors of which were clearly seven years ago,-to believe that the Kaiser and his subjects were inspired by bitter enmity to-the British Empire. To-day there has been a national as well as an editorial, awakening to the real object of Germany's diplomatic, military, and naval policy of the last fifteen years, and Englishmen can now see for themselves how wonderfully accurate was the Hungarian professor's estimate—seven years ago!—of the aotual, trend of: Germany's, foreign policy.';;, Reference to Dr. Reich's work has already been made in the columns' of this journal. It is only necessary to-day to note the appearance of a cheaper edition, published by Mr. Andrew Melrose, and now purchasable at the local bookshops. . The price is fifteen pence.; "THE KAISER UNMASKED." Mr. Frank Mundell's book, "The Kaiser Unmasked" (Jarrold'and Sons),, is a scathing exposure of the hypocrisy' and bad faith which'the German Emperor has displayed with regard to Great Britain. , Mr. Mundell quotes liberally from, the Kaiser's speeches and published letters and telegrams to prove hmcaso, but there is little in his book which will not be familiar to those who have road the many earlier books and pamphlets oh the part the War Lord of the Hohenzollerns has played beforo the_ world during the past few years. (Prime, fifteen ponce.). An: Australian contribution to tho rapidly-increasing war -literature is "The Red Book: ; a Post Bollum Policy for the British People and more Particularly for the People of Australia" (Melbourne, Critchley Parker). The author, Mr. Ambrose Pratt, strongly advocates a policy of "Imperial Tariff Preference" and "Imperial Reciprocal Customs Preference," . a national boycott of German goods and German trade, and finally the rigid exclusion of Gorman emigrants from access to the Commonwealth.' ,(Price, 6d.). "How Australia Took New Guinea," by F. S. Burnoll (Angus and Robertsou, Sydney), is a neatly produced illustrated record of the Australian, .naval and military expeditionary force. Tlio text' consists of a brief record of tho exploits of the Expeditionary Force which sailed from Sydney on : August 1!),' and which was eventually landed at the German headquarters in New Pomerania, formerly called and now again to he known as New Britain. The illustrations are of great interest, especially those which show.tho substantial and extensive official buildings erected by tlio. Germans at Rabaul and FrietlnrichWilhelmshafen. A roll of tho Force, both military and naval, is a usoful record. (Price, Is. fid.). ( From Hoddcr and Stougbton wo have received, per Whitcombe and Tombs, .the first number of an interesting pub- . lication, entitled "Great Men of the

War," containing well executed portraits in photogravure (folio eize) of His Majesty the King (in Admiral's uniform), Field Marshals Kitchener and French), and Admiral Sir John Jellicoe. (Price, Is. 3d.).' Tho war is invading the magazines more and more every month. The November number of "The Windsor" (Whitcombe and Tombs) contains several well illustrated articles, dealing with the one great topio of the day. Amongst others is an interesting summary and record of the numerous and splendid responses given by the oversea Dominions and dependencies to tho call of the Motherland. It is to be -regretted, however, that the illustrations do not include any pictorial, record of what New Zealand has done in this direction.