BOOKS OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 269, 9 August 1919, Page 11

BOOKS OF THE DAY

"The Truth of Life." "The Truth of Life," a3 disclosed in half a century of the national life of New Zealand (Whitcombo and Tombs), is in many ways a very remarkable book. Ik author, Air. I?, U. Dalael), a well-known Wellington lawyer, is deeply concerned about llio political, industrial, and sous,! future of his country, and his evidently devoted much time to tlia study of more than ono great problem wiiicn now more than ever is clamant for satisfactory solution. The result of his deep and conscientious study of social questions is now placed before tlio pttbli-j. Mr. Balziell's contention is, a,s I •.nulcr.stand it', that the world has strayed mosc lamentably far away from an observance of tho great natural law crystallised- for us in words of the Saviour of mankind, ,; Love thy neighbour as thyself." lie combats very strenuously and cogfintly the com-monly-accepted theory that "Uip teaching of Jesns is ideal, but not practicable." He says':

What "Love thy neighbour as thyself" means may bo realised by anyone who understands tho Britisn games i-f cricket and football, fn these games, it will be lound that, while the individual is always seeking his own enjoyment, ho is not only developing his own power, but also tho power of the members of his own, and opposing, teams, and tho gouoral tendency is to mutual good-will. In other words,every tru'o player of these gomes, in relation both to tho members of his own, and tho opposing team, oboys the injuctidn,' "whatsoever you would that men should do to you,, do you also to them." It is said that this form of government is not practicable for national enterprise, but this in not true; thero is only ono way to power, and no nearer approach to that way ha-3 been secured than, is found In cricket and football, and it is only w tho extent that we conform to the principle of this government, which is "liovo thy' neighbour as thyself," that we gain power in national enterprise.

Later on, in further development of his basic argument, ho maintains Unit "every act of every kind in the- universe" is an "association" of ''natural tilings," and that everything in our national and individual life should be governed by "tho law of unity, hurniQny, and love." To thoso who may object to hia argument as "raising unnecessary obstacles" in tho "mixing of religion and business," he replies that "tho purpose of each, of these things is tho development of tho same power, and that we cannot have full development except where tlioro is a perfect fusion ot tho two. All 'this may seem to smack not a little of that "Christian Socialism ot which we used to. hear so much m Victorian days. But a true reading ot Mr. .DaizielTs theory of lifo is not, I think, that he is a Socialist of any kind. Bather 5s he. an individualist who believes in the fullest development in the individual of his energy, ability, talent, and genius, but that mau should ever work in . harmonious co-oper-ation with his neighbour for the common ,ns- well as his own good. To follow the author through his detailed examination of what ho styles tho academic fallacies-of which, by the way, ha Rives a quite formidable list—to attempt any analysis, still less put forward anv extended criticism of his philosophic disquisitions upon tho many institutions which form part of our national, civic, or individual life, is quite impossible within itho limits of a necessan y brief.newspaper review. This muck., however,-'may. bo said, and will surely not bo'challenged even by thoso who may differ from tho author on certain flc\el»Dments of his basic theme, that his book is evidently the outcome of a profound and painstaking study of our social system, and one every chapter in which, breathes a spirit of sincerity and earnestness-in .its search., after, auc would-be oreseniation of the truth. I'liat Mr. ■■■Dakiell may liave attempted mora than. lid can. be honestly held to iiave echieved in planning the new political, industrial, and social gospel be pub lorward does not detract from the Rvalue at his book as a thought-provoking and most interesting contribution to tho literature of philosophy and sociology..

"With British Guns in Italy." New war books are couslantly appearing Many ore quito uesliftiblo, being lnrselv recliaulfes of newspapor correspondence and magDJiine artiolos. II fire and there, however, one happens across la book.which is really worth while. For instonco. it is alike a duty and a incisure to recommend Mr. Hugh JJalton's "With British Guns in-Italy (Mo- ' thuen) to my readers. I should place this- book of Mr. Dulton's alongside John Miisofiold's "Gallipoli," Mr. Nevinson s "The Dardanelles," and Mr. I 1 raneis Brett Young's" "Marching on .Tangn, Ihieo amongst the very few war books "Liber" intends to preserve for future rxforer.se and ie-reading. Vov of us, 1 am afraid, have had any very clear conception and extended knowledge of tno really heroio part Italy played m the war. of tho extent of her sacrifices, and the fine spirit of dcterniination-despilo setbacks which might well have permanently paralysed her efforts-which was maintained right up to the end ot tlio fighting. Mr. Dalton's book gives us far and away tho most enlightening exrilanation of the temporary collapse m the Udine that we have yet had from any war historian. He blames tho Italian High Command for tho Caporetbo disaster. Only in one battalion did he sec traces of German propaganda amongst the Italian 'troops, and on soveral other matters connected with tho campaign he throws new and interesting sidelights. Mr. Dnlton does not. attempt any survey of the general strategy ov- conduct of Italy's war. Ho simply records Ins personal oxperience as a lieutenant in one of tho British batteries sent to Italy in 1917. But this purely personal narrative, so modestly written, is possessed of a singular fascination. Tho author never becomes theatrical. Ho has a gift for quietly effective delineation ol the things that count, and his literary style though evidently unlaboured and frisn 'from any cheap artifice, holds tho reader fast gripped in his attention as do few of many war books I have read. In tho introductory chapter, a model ot cnnclra and clear historical narrative, the author emphasises the severity ot Italy's losses. The Italian dead amount to more than 13 for every thousand of the population. The long series of battles of tho Isonze—"the journalists counted ui) to twelve of them in the first twonty-seven months in which Italy was at war"—tho succession of "offensives from Tolniino to tho sea" which wore, says the author, "only dimly realised, in England and France, cost Italy the Slower of her youth." If, as is only foo true, tho Cnpnret.to disaster was a heavy blow to Italy, the Italians splendidly redeemed their honour after thoy had turned at bay or. the Piave. They held up, though greatly inferior in numbers, the whole strength of Austria, and finally "alter sn intense effort of preparation, Italy, still inferior in numbers and material," struck for the last, time, and utterly destroyed the Austrian Army in the prcnt battlu which will bo known to history as Vittorio Voncto. "The Austrians lost twice as many prisoners and four limes- as many gnus ot Vittorio Venoto as. they had taken at: Capnretto." A special feature of Mr. Dalton's book —one of the very best, [ repent, of all the books in which reference has'been made to tho Kalian campaign—is its intelligent and penetrating studies of Italian character,,civilian as well-as military. Those who may imagine that tho national and individual characteristics of tho two great branches of the Latin races, tho French and Italians, are very much tho ««nic, will find Mr. Dalton's remarks on this subject a useful corrective. I warmly recommend • tho book, which, by the wny, contains some excellent illustrations ami three very useful maps, to my readers, it is one., which well deserves a much longer review than wfhioh Bpaco limits allow of this week.

"Any Soldier to His Son." "They're the real thing," was a soldier friond's brief comment upon the little eheaf of war-songs .entitled "Any Soldior to His Son," by-' George Willis (Allen and Unwin), which I had. lent him for perusal and an "expert's" judgment Not for Mr. Willis the glories of war. Mr. Willis does not disguise the petty—and the big—miseries of war. He "paints war as the vile, ugly thing it, is, and always must bo. H« is scornful of tho "warrior* of the pen" who 'roll of "Christmas in the Trendies," and tho • spirit of our ' raon i and of tho "civvies" in snug, safo billets in. London*: • They've irade their "Great Advance?" with pins on paper maps, They've done, their "'Splendid. Pusheß" with a pusher on their tape— But it ain't worth while'to toll 'om: You . uiieht talk till all waa blue, But you'd never raako 'om compree ttjIAI a bloko out there toc» through. Exactly what it wa3 that the "bloko out thoro. goes through" is set forth with Unsparing realism.in tho title poem and in, many othors, oertain lines in which -mako-very painful reading. In 'tho concluding stanza '. of ''Any Soldier to His Son".-is summed up tho whole agony.of war:-.. ■ You'd like lo be a soldier and eo to Prance some day? ' By all tho dead iu Delville Wood, hy all tua nights I lay Betwoon our line aud Fritz's, before thoy brought us in; By this old wood-arid-leathcr stump, that once was Desk oud skin: By all tho lads who crossed with me but never crossed again, By all the prayers their mothers and their sweethearts prayed in vain, Before the things that were that day should over moro'befall May God in common pity destroy us one aud all: Underlying fiicst of the poems is that sanse of the unfathomable disgust with which tho man in the trenches, soon learnt to regard his everyday existence. .Sometimes it was replaced by a despairing acceptance of tho thing. In other cases it remained, so keen that even death itself was hailed as weleomo. The raciness, tho easy lilt of Mr. Willis's verse, at times rolieves tho drab ugliness of war, but the -humour is generally of tho grimly ironio kind. . Mr. Willis has a specially good word for ;tbe i'.M.C.A.: . I'm not exactly young, sir, and I shouldn't line to say That the Army of Good Christians would over pass mo "A." But I wasn't disconcerted by the words above your door,' For I found a namo that fitted in tho second of the four. I was still a. man, I reckoned, though a. uoldier of tho Lino, I'd ii human soul inside'mo, tnousch I couldn't call it niiuo.

After a testimony to tho good food, and tho - welcome, You.wore a,lwa.y« fit and imlline at the old jiot-tvaliuh juu, You nover lo6t your temper with tho oooiliiiiß. jostling moo. the verses end with a tribute to .tho good work of the i'.if.C.A.. in which every- New Zealand "Digger' will join most heartily: 'J'Jiougl' you weren't the same as wo were, tuougli yon tt'oro a braided suit, Y?e dldii'tihuvb to pas* you u-i. "Auunlion" or "Sa/vlutc," , But now I touch my hat to you, with many thousands mors>, Ab tho cue good friend and fellow of Uie.uoyo who fouglit this war. Not all tho poems in the little booklet are desoriptivo of trench life, nor are t'hoy all written in a spirit of grim irony. I : would fain, quote from certain vorsos, us "To tho II aster," with its touch of spiritual dovotion, or tho beautifully pathetic expression of tho absoiit husband'u lovo and yearning for Lis mate ("By UreiMi Envelope"). But space limit/) forbid. This is a little book of "soldier verso" well worth buying. (Price to.)-

"Flower Gardoninp in New Zealand." Tho latest nddition to that useful series, "Tho New Zealand Practical Handhooks/' published by Messrs. Whitcombe and Tombs, Ltd., i 3 . entitled "flower Gardening in New Zealand." The names of tho joi7ifc authors, Messrs. Jainw Young, P.R.H.S. (curator of tho Botanic Gurdeus, ChrisMiuroh), and 1). A. Hay (of the Montpellier Nurseries, Auckland) are sufficient guarantee for.tho practical value of the information set forth in the little volume, in tho compiling of which a great variety of gardening handbooks has been freely consulted, and the facts brought up to date in accordant with a long experience of New Zealand conditions. It has been tho object of the authors to (rive some broad practical outlines of the construction of a flower garden, great or small, leaving the advanced horticulturist to turn to tho many excellent publications that deal with special branches of gardening. An excellent featuro of the little work in a calendar applicable to flower gardening in tho warmer districts of the North Island. Prepared by Mr. Hay, of Auckland, this. calendar follows, month by month, tho. general calendar given at the end of tho "book. Lists of flowering plants and shrubs are given, and there are many useful diagrams. Amateur gardeners should find the work of great practical value in the pursuit of their hobby. (Price, 25.).