WAR LITERATURE.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2388, 18 February 1915, Page 9

WAR LITERATURE.

TREITSCHKE AND THE GREAT WAR

(B? Liber.)

Mr. Joseph M'Cabe, who is well known in New Zealand, is a writer whose views on theological questions have sometimes; given offence to many who reoognise in him, however, a man of much originality of thought and literary gifts of a very, high order. In his latest book, "Treitschke and the Great •War" (T. Fisher TJnwin), Air. M'Cabe gives his readers a careful and sufficiently- extensive summary of Treitschke'fi : . teachings,. those teachings which have infused into German students, .the. generation which is fighting against us to-dayj "a jealousy and disdain of England." Treitschke. says Mr. M'Cable in his preface,, "more than any, _ gave a high-sounding moral and 'reugioas character to .'the military ambitions of Germany. He lived through the'_making of the German Empire,; and in impressing that story on the mind of a new generation., he created the ambition which has led undoubtedly to the present confusion in Europe. Quoting liberally from Treitschke's works, often from those works' which have not yet appeared; in any. . English translation, and analysing, expounding, and criticising is -he proceedsj Mr. M'Cabe has produced a deeply interesting and ,'.-in-. strnctive study, of the German philoso-pher-historian, whose influence is now bearing such disastrously evil fruit: ;?Ehat Treitschke. was'completely indifferent as,to how war would affect the workers is'indirectly made clear, in following extract from one of his works, in .which ho makes a violent _ tirade against tlie increasing , demand in Germany for an International Court of Arbitration. He, says j—. 1 "Among the workers there 'is , spreading a theory of the absolute ■ blessedness of peace, wliich is a , scandal to the intelligence and moral energy _of our age; a hotch-potch of. phrases so clear that everybody : repeats them, aid- so. miserable that ' every' man who-is a man throws them overboard at once when tho majesty of .war arises .in bodily form : before the people.' Theological perversity has not had muoh to do with these ideas. More dangerous is the thoughtless sympathy, of fem- : inine natures, which cannot reccm.cile themselves to the misery which war causes." ' j ■ No one can read this useful book of Mr. M'Cabe's without coming to . the' conclusion that a' State : whose rulers and people are steeped, .in the hellish doctrines so cynically set-forth by socalled philosophers of the' Trietschke ■type must constitute a standing menace to peace, to civilisation, and indeed to common humanity. {Such is the condition of Germany if to-day; the Germany .which will have, not exactly to disappear entirely, at least tq'be so drastically remodelled as to' rob it of all future power to disturb the peace of the world. 'Mr. M r Cabe,. at least, has no doubt 8S to \vhat the result of the war will be, so far as Germany is concern-, led. He says:—

; "Within another vear the condition of' Germany will be shattered, • and in the interest of' humanity the vast Empire will be shorn of several large provinces. That will be tho ■ ' answer "of the human . rate to this . swollen and diseased military ambition. It is * possible that Treit- . schke's gospel will have: an influence in directions wlich he did not foregee. . One can hardly , believe that' when Europe has lost its great teacher tf military 'ambitionj'it will continue to shoulder the burden that it has: borne so long. The issue of the war may be the supreme triumph of that ideal which Treitschke combated. It will at least be tho death of Prussian ambition." Mr. M'Cabk's book is, I may. here Say, a very useful supplement and sequel to professor Cramb'a work, in which, it will be remembered, - Treitsehke appeared so prominently. (N.Z. 'price, 2s. 6d.)

WAR AND THE EMPIRE, In "War and tho Empire" (Williams and' Norgate), Colonel Hubert Foster; R.E., Director' of Military' Science-in the University; of Sydney, an ex-British military attache in the United States, and late Quartermaster-General, Canada, nas produced-a book jwhich is well worth 'reading at the present time. The author's object has been to set forth and 'explain the leading principles of the derence of the' British .Empire, and to ; ( show bow they have developed from tlie Tich experience gained during the-wars of the past-three centuries. The book : was written with a view to publication; in the earlier part of last year, but although certain alterations have been

rendered necessary by tho war, its main features and arguments have not been, materially changed..' After a general introduction on the. "Defence of the Empire," Colonel Foster deals with war at sea. . When ho refers to the possibility! of-an enemy's cruisers'preying upon ; British merchant Vessels, it is clear, he somewhat nnder-rates the aotual danger, of which such a striking esamplo - was afforded by the career of the Emden. On the whole, however, Colonel Foster's views of the probable situation have been fairly well borne out by recent events. Great Britain, he says, has a great advantage in that "in heir warships the proportion of ; men with only one or two years' training is less, that: most - of. her men have been longer at eea, and' that her . main-re-serve las had longer service training thai-in foreign navies. British sailors are therefore older, stronger, and more

inured to the sea, and more -resourceful afloat.". In the chapter headed "Factors.,of Sea Power," the author deals ■with shipbuilding resources,, coal and oil supplies, with naval bases and dry dc.cks, and with telegraphic communica/tion. Next follow chapters headed,' ■ respectively, "The Action .of the Army" ana "The Action of tie Enemy," the final chapter discussing,' under the title "The' Action of the Empire in War,", the' subjects of local defence, the .neceegity for co-operation by the Dominions, ■ and' .the; establishment of "spheres of action for each Dominion." .Much use- ' ful statistical' information' is also gireh in the appendices.' Colonel Foster, refers to theiact that when these colonies sent,. contingents. to, South s Africa they wero dependent upon arrival at the scene of operations upon "a system ready organised,' to furnish them with food, transport, horses, and ammunition, with surgeons, ambulances, and hospitals, with pay, clothing, arid stores," and "without all this. they., must, through no fault of their own, have been immobile" and useless." The author then proceeds to argue that if in "future emergencies they should reach the theatre.of war organised in units, each coinpleto with staff transport and field ambulances, and if the unavoidable. wastage of war were readily repaired by reinforcements in men and horses from their, own country, their usefulness to the Imperial Army would be doubled." As my readers are aware, this is precisely the system which has been so wisely adopted by our Defence Department, and that of the Australian Commonwealth in fitting out the Expeditionary Forces now in Egvpt. The author's official experience in° Australia, Canada, and the United J Statos and at Home, peculiarly fits hinr to write upon. the. subjcct of Imperial defence. His book is one which deserves careful study bj-politicians and public men generally, as well as by the j ' general public, by whom the -difficulties attaching to military and naval organ- J

isation are so, frequently misunderstood and under-rated. (N.Z. price, 35.)

THE REAL,NIETZSCHE. Much has been written as to the influence which, the once comparatively unknown but now world-famous German philosopher, Nietzsche, has . exercised upon Teuton'thought. In his prefaoe to a new and popular edition of ills book, "The Quintessence of Nietzsche,, originally published ill 1909 but now roissued in a shilling edition.-by T. ernor Laurie, Mr. J.' M. Kennedy, the joint editor' of the well-known /'Daily lelegraph War Books," maintains that those who regard Nietzsche as 1 the founder of the new, Germany—founder, at least, from a spiritual point of view, if not a political—are greatly in. error. A few sentences," says Mr. _Kennedy, are hurriedly chosen from this man's twenty odd volumes,, and because he said something about 'blond beasts, and the uses of duplicity and cruelty in warfare, he has been execrated throughout the V, )g th and breadth of the British Isles (though not anywhere else) as the instigator of one of the greatest campaigns on record." Mr. Kennedy contends that it was' Treitschke and Hmiston Stewart Chamberlain- (an Englishman long' resident 'in Germany, and more pro-German than the Germans themselves) who "wrote solely', with a view to enlarging the power of modern Germany as they saw it," that it was tliey "who believed in the. Prussian ideal of war; believed in force, m cruelty,'deceit, and fraud, and all this ■for the glory of the German Empire," whereas Nietzsche/ "who : loathed the very name of ithe Empire, and was cordially .despised throughout the Empire for doing so, wrote with an ideaj Europe in mind —a Europe of a social, moral, and spiritual character, entirely opposed' to the. model of the German Empire." Mr. Kennedy's book provides what is claimed to be a, clear and fairly exhaustive summary of Nietzsche's philosophy. (New Zealand price, fifteenpence.); : ' '

"THE FLAG OF ENGLAND." More ttian one ..anthology of patriotic verse, has recently been published, but by far the'best collection of. verse of this kind I have yet come across is that published by Eveleigh Nash, under the title of "The Flag of EnglandBallads of the Brave and Poems of Patriotism?' - The compile.', Mr. John Fawside, has'exercised-a wise selection in his work of selection, and has been successful in bringing together! not only many old.-favourites by Scott, ..Wordsworth, Macaulav, Tennyson, and others, but has, included many _ less known poems," such as Sir Francis Hastings Doyle's "Red Thread of Honour" and Drayton's "Ballad of Agincourt,' together with many "copyright" poems by such purely moderns as • Swinburne, Henley; Mackenzie Bell, Conan Doyle, Newbolt, ■ No.ves, Robert Bridges (the. Poet Laureate), and, of course, Kipling.- I am glad Mr. Fawside has-been able to include Thomas; Hardy's strikingly original "Song of the Soldiers," which the author of the famous "esses Novels recently contributed to The Times," and.which begins:— What of the faith and fire within üb, Men who; march away, 'Ere the barn-cocks say-

. Night is growing gray, To hazards .whence no tears can will us; What of.the faith and fire within us, - Men'who , inarch away ?. Hers, are the two final verses:— : Li our heart of hearts believing Victory crowns the just, " . And that braggarts must Surely bite the dust,' MaTcli we to the field ungrieving, In our heart of hearts believing ■ Victory, crowns the just. Hence the. faith and fire within us, i : Men who march away, ', Ere the barn-cocks say Night is growing gray, , _ - -To hazards whence no t-ears can wiilus;. Hence the fire and faith within us, Men v.'ho march away. . . Some useful notes and an index of first lines are included. Beautifully printed, tastefully hound, and handy of size,"The Flag of England" is a most desirable possession. (Price 35.) THE MAN WHO DID NOT CARE— •/ AtyD, AFTER. Under the curious title, "Policeman X., the Man Who Did Not Care—And After!" the well-known novelist Mr. John Oxenham reprints from his collected poems, "Bees in Amber—A Little Book of Thoughtful Verses," an interesting poeiu. 'writen in 1898 at the time of the Tsar's Rescript to the Powers, suggesting a' Peace Conference with a view to the lightening of the ever-grow-ing burden of! arms. Little did the author then think that Armageddon'was so close upon us. He has now added an "Epilogue, 1914," from _ which I quote the following eloquent lines righteously denunciatory of the man •'• who could have saved' Europe from the scourge of war, but :who wilfully preferred an evil course THY WORK! Outrage on outrage thunders to the sky, The tale of thy stupendous infamy. Thy slaughterings—thy treacheries— thy thefts — ' , Thy broken pacts—thy honour in the mire—' , Thy poor humanity cast off to sate thy ■ pride— 'Twer© better thou had'st never lived, or died Ere come to this. Thou art the man! The scales were in thy hands; Eor this vast wrong I hold thy soul in Seek not a scapegoat for thy righteous

due, : Nor hope to void thy couritability Until thou, purge thy pride and-turn to

Me.— - As .thou hast done, so be it unto thee!" The concluding lines of the poem breatho a prayerful hope that the War may purge the World and usher in a new era of universal peace. From this dreid sowing, grant us harvest, Lord. Of Nobler Doing, and. of Loftier Hope,— An- All-Embracing and Enduring Peace.— . - . A Bond of States, a Pact of Peoples, based _ , On no caprice of royal whim, but on Foundation mightier than, tho mightiest throne— .The well-Considered Will > of All the Lands. . , ,-r Therewith—a simpler, purer, larger life, Unhampered by the dread of -war's alarms, A- life attuned to closer touch with Thee, And golden-threaded with Thy Charity;— A Sweeter Earth, a nearer Heaven, —a World _- As emulous in Peace as once in War, And striving ever upward to The Goal. So once again, through Death shall come New Life, And out of Darkness, Light.; / The price of the little booklet, which is published by Methnon and Co., is threepence. ■ "CLEARED FOR ACTION." "Cleared for Action" (T. Fisher Unwinds the title of a little volume published by Howard Steele, who sings the praise of the Navy and of tho Sandy Man in verse modelled, as to style, on'the now traditional Kipling lines,. Tho everyday life of Jack Tar, his deeds of heroism in war, the marvel of modern naval gunnery, every side of naval life finds representation in Mr. Steelo's Verses, most of which go with a singularly effective lilt of their own. Mr. Steele' "Naval Stations,", a 'set of verses descriptive of tho principal Imperial outposts, . recalls, . in. a way,

memories of Kipling's famous "Song of the English" in "The Seven Seas." I quote'the reply of "Wellington" to the "Mother's" question: "Fierce Naval. Stations, is it well 'with you?" Is it well, ask you of me, hoary Quean? Back from my island fort I make' reply:. Southward I guard, my sleeping bulldogs chained; OaLm aro my ships land cloudless clear 'my sky. Hero 'neath the Crops I toy with shot and shell, , As did my namesake. Mother, it is well! A certain license may, of course, be granted, a poet, but iiespite the calmnes of the "ships' with, which Mr. Steele credits 1 us, it is, after all, a comforiing thought that the Scbairnhorst and the Gneisenau are no more. Mr. Steele is more successful m a grim little picture of tho submarine, — "The .Hidden Death." I quote the first verse:— Out where the swinging, empty seas Lie naked to the rain, And sullenly the white caps rise To break and sink again, ; When like a- shroud the dark oomes i -down And pale the lightnings leer, Look and look well, Ol drowsy watch, The Hidden Death is near! rPrice Is. 3d.) i

MISCELLANEOUS. Some of the most thoughtful, moderately yet eloquently worded essays on the war are those which, have appealed from time to time during the last few months as "front page articles" in the "Times" Weekly Literary Supplement, the author, whose name has now been disclosed, being Mr. 'A. Chitton Brock. Collected and republished under the title "Thoughts on the. War" (Methuen and Co.), in a handy little volume, these essays deserve, and I hope will attain, a much wider publicity than was possible by their publication in a purely literary journal. The article on "France" has, I notice, been officially translated and-, ordered to be read in the Paris schools. (Price, Is. 3d.)' Messrs.. Williams and Norgate have republished from tihe Hibbert Journal the late Lord lioberts's last and most earnest. message to his'fellow countryr men. "The Supreme Duty of the Citizen at the Present, Crisis." Extracts from .this remarkable deliverance have already appeared in she pages of this journal. In handy pamphlet form, the now- historical message should be widely read and carefully preserved as an interesting souvenir of a great Englishman. • (Price, 4d.) Summaries of and essays on the various events which have led t-o the outbreak pf the most terrible war in.history are perhaps almost too numerous, but in "The War of Nations" (George Robertson and Co.,- Melbourne), Mr. Bernhard R Wise, -K.C., the wellknown Sydney lawyer, politician, and publicist,; has not only managed \to make more than one new point, but to stress his. arguments 'with _ decided iugenuity. Specially interesting to Aus-° tralians. and New Zealanders are Mr. remarks upon the events of the war as they have affected' German and British Australasian interests in the Pacific. (Price, Is.)

"Nash's War Manual" (London: Eveleigh Nash) may be roughly described as a handy cyclopaedia of the war. ' It .'possesses n«iny special and useful features which distinguish it from' its many rivals, as well as giving detailed information on purely military and naval subjects. An excellent article, for instance, deals with the reasons for, the popular Italian feeling of hatred of Austria. Two other useful articles are tKose entiled "The Duties of the United States as a ' Neutral,"'. and. "Europe's Food!' Supply in Time of War.'' By far the 4 best,'however. of the special or contributed essays or articles is that entitled "The Psychology and Motives of Germany." by the editor of the English Beview (Mr. Austin Harrison). "Nash's War Manual" should prove very useful to all who desire to check or supplement,.the war news printed in the daily papers. '.