BOOKS & AUTHORS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2426, 3 April 1915, Page 5

BOOKS & AUTHORS

(By Liber,)

THE PAN-ANCLES. The one outstanding and incontrovertible fact which dims the interest, and lessens the importance of the ingenious theories and arguments set forth in "The Pan-Angles, a Consideration ol the Federation of the Seven EnglishSpeaking Nations" (Longmans, Green and Co.; per George Robertson and Co.), is the extraordinary apathy, if not actual lack of sympathy, with which the United States Government has regarded the British cause in the present war. One cannot help thinking that liad Mr. Sinclair Kennedy, the author of "The PanAngles," written his preface in January, 1915, instead of January, 1914, he would himself have recognised this fact, and have very materially altered if not altogether abandoned the opinions expressed by him in his book. Mr. Kennedy's scheme is that the seven Englishspeaking countries, the British Isles, the United States, Canada, Newfoundland, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand, should be joined together in one great Federation. "Empire," so lie argues, "from its long association with States builded of conquered peoples, is no pet word to use for a voluntary combination of Pan-Angles." AVhat Mr. Kennedy desires to see is a federation which, while guaranteeing to each nation complete self-supremacy, would involve a combination which would make them impregnable against any attack upon the advanced civilisation of each and all. It is unnecessary, in view of what has happened, since July of last year, to enter upon any detailed examination of the scheme put forward by the author, and supported by arguments, some of which at Jeast are by no means lacking in plausibility. Mr. Kennedy is clearly afraid of a strong and possibly, in the future, arrogant Asiatic Power, or combination of Powers. But to Englishmen —even to Australians and New Zealanders —this danger, if danger it really bo and no mere bogy, is of comparatively small importance as comlared with the danger of a despotic Prussian militarism being able to impose its will upon Europe. That Mr. Kennedy himself, writing, bo it always remembered, in 1913, not in 1915, regards Germany with suspicion is made clear in the chapter headed "Dangers," for he more than once refers to "the German Peril"—the German peril to Great Britain. But he recognises, too, that what is a peril to Great Britain, to "the Britannio nations," to use Mr. Kennedy's phrase, nrust also constitute a peri' to America. Thus in his concluding chapter he says:— Whatever dangers threaten the Britannic nations threaten also America. In some cases these dangers are indirect or seemingly remote; in others, more immediately pressing. Injury to any part of the race would be an injury to America. If the Britannic nations receive any substantial damage, America must face the world as the head naval Power of the English-speaking civilisation. It would succeed to all the responsibilities and difficulties of that position, and its ability to discharge that duty would have been diminished by whatever damage the Britannic nations had Miotiiinctf. Unfortunately these most ■ laudably accurate views of American responsibilities towards ' the "Britannic nations" are not shared by the time-serving and pusillanimous American President, who, in his anxiety to capture the "German vote" at tho next election, has maintained an attitudo of coM indifference to his duty, and that of his Government, when treaties have been torn up, and it neutral country subjected to the horrors of invasion bv Germany. President Wilson, at least, lias not shown himseli greatly concerned, even if he bo concerned at all, over the danger which Great Britain lias undergone during the last' few months of receiving that "subfitantial damage'' of which Mr. Kennedy writes in the passage I have quoted. Not until the precious interests of the Guggenheim Copper Trust were endangered by tho war did President Wilson wake iip to any sense of what he, in his warped and wizened comprehension, deemed to be any injury to international rights and privileges. When Louvain was' being burned, Reims bombarded, when a horrified world stood aghast at tho atrocities committed by the Huns upon the unhappy Belgians, President Wilson, the personification of academical intellect —as it is understood in America —stood coldly aloof, and vouchsafed no word of remonstrance or protest. It is not with a nation whose first citizen can and does adopt_ such an attitude as the American President lias exhibited towards the cause of Right and Justice, the cause, of outraged civilisation and humanity, that the "Britannic nations" can now, and for many years to come, ever dream of federating. Having said all this, and very much more could be ; said against Mr. Kennedy's scheme for the federation of the "Britannic nations" with the United States, it is only fair to the author to admit the sincerity, earnestness, and, in places, the logic of many of his pleas and contentions. Tho trouble is that the Great War has brought "about a situation—especially with regard to tho relations between Great Britain and the United States— which very largely puts Mr. Kennedy's scheme out of court as . a possibility, - much less a-s a probability. Nevertheless/ his book is well worth reading, if only as a stimulus, if such were needed, to the cause of British Imperial Federation. (New Zealand price, 95.).

"BRITISH CAME BIRDS." The handsomeely-produced volume in which Mr. Darley Mathison describee and discusses the .appearance and habits of tiie various kinds o f ' ' British Game Birds" (Bell and Sons, publishers) should make strong appeal to all who have some knowledge of cport in the Old Country, and may also prove of considerable utility to those New Zealanders who take an interest in the laudable work ol' our acclimatisation societies. The author confesses that his title is hardly consistent with the knowledge we possess relative to the countries in which species of game birds originated, the bulk of whicli have now become naturalised iu Great Britain, though certainly not indigenous to it. 'Ihe system 'upon which the author has arranged his information as to the different varieties of birds described is admirably clear, and his work exhibits evidence of much painstaking study, both open-air and ill literature dealing with nis subject. The illustrations will perhaps 1 constitute, to New Zealanders, the most interesting feature of the book. Tliose in colour aro exceptionally fine, the natural hues of the plumage being accurately reproduced, whilst those in black and whito, some from line-draw-ings, others from photographs, showing the birds in their nests in various natural attitudes, ..ire all splendid examples of the engraver's art and of half-tone printing.