BOOKS OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 282, 17 August 1918, Page 11

BOOKS OF THE DAY

"Tho Round Table." "The Round Tnblo" is a periodical a copy o.f w'hiciv should be found ju every educated household throughout the length M<\ breadth of the Dominion. Its sub-title is 'A quarterly review of tho politics of the Uritish Empire," ami its conductors wisely refuse to be tempted into any straying beyond tho legitimate pro"srnmmo of the magazine. No one who desires to be well informed upon questions of real moment to the Empire, and every constituent part thereof, can afford to ignoro this valuable publication, the regular study of which I would fain sec made compulsory upon each and every veraon making 'claim to that sadly abused appellation, a public man. Before the advent of "Tho Round Table," students of matters of Imperial importance had to plough through many magazines before they could ascertain the general trend of public opinion in the leading parts of the Empire. "The Round i'ablo" makes it possible for Canadians to -understand tho course of political events in Australia, and performs the eamo duty with regard to Canada and India for the Australians and Now '/icalanders. Apart from being a compendium of the best educated British Imperial opinion, "Tho Round Table" prints many thoughtful and'well-written articles on what may be called world politics. In tho Juno number, the latest to hand, for a copy of whidh I have to thank the local representative, Jlr. A.•]?.. Atkinson, there is a specially welldocumented and richly-informativo article headed "Russia, Germany, and Asia," an article which should be a perfect lwon to those who would arrive at the true inwardness of Germany's action in Russia, of Ruesia's position in Asia, and other subjects of kindred interest. Another valuable contribution deals with tho present 'political position jn India. An article on "The Irish Crisis'' should be of great valuo to newspaper readers who may bo puzzled by the many faceted problem- of. Homo Rule and the subsidiary but equally baffling altitude taken up in certain quarters in Ireland with regard to conscription. Those who aro apt to accept too readily tlio theory that Ireland should be granted n Dominion status may bo somewhat, surprised to find there lire two s-ides to (lie question, and that the ease against tho Dominion status is a very strong one. To many readers tho article entitled "The Growth of American Wur-I'ower" will be one of tho most immediately interesting features of the number. After tlenlins with the war-lask of the American Government in general, the writer of the article turns to "the supreme task of n governmental war"—"to create and use an army."

At the timo of America's entrv into the war it was thought that the Allies emild easily maintain an impenetrable defensive on the AVestern front "until America had time to create a big army to assist in giving the finishing stroke." Naturally, therefore,

"the American Government determined to create from the outset an entirely distinct American army with its own staff, its own types, or artillery, of shells of rifle?, machine-guns, et«. In other -wordß, .America followccl Hie plan adopted by Great Britain ot tlio outset of war, tho plan wlikh obviously every groat nation would .properly and instinctively follow, unless there were the most urgent and comnellim: rensons in the. contrary."

Tho collnpso of Russia and the iircat German offensive completely altered the situation.

"Wo can see now that there -was' another possible alternative, open to the United States Government. In Hie light of present events it would seem to have been [ tho correct, one, and indeed tlio dire pressure of circumstances is now forcing the American Government to adopt it to a limited but still valuable degree. That altornativo was that tho American Government, while, not abandoning in any way the determination to build up in time a. crcat American army, should got larijG numbers of men actually into the fighting lino months before thnt would have heen possihlo by any other means, by incorporating temporarily American troops in tho British Army. . . ." The price of "The Round Table" is 25. Gel. a. number. Tho magazine i 3 now firmly established, and never have its conductors, who include some of the deepest thinkers and ablest writers in the Empire, done better work in educating- public opinion on the great Imperial questions of tlio day than they are now .doing. Those who have not yet made acquaintance with this excellent' publication should not fail to do so without delay.