THE READERS' COLUMN.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 79, 22 August 1914, Page 6

THE READERS' COLUMN.

(Conducted b. James Woriiey.) SOME BOOKS OF TIIE MOMENT. •"Industrial Germany," 'by W. 11. Dawson. London: The Nation's Library (Collins). •"Germany of To-day." by Charles Tower. Home University Lilirar;. (Williams and Norgate). •"Warfare in England," by llilaire Bclloc. Home University Library (Williams and Norgate). Hemmed in as Germany appears to be at the moment in sudli a manner that within a few weeks she must, be dependent to an overwhelming extent upon her own resources, it is 'but natural that her social and industrial condition should be of paramount interest to her foes. The first mentioned volume, "Industrial Germany," gives a clear and convice account of the disposal of her population, the state of ih» soil. her mineral resources, transport facilities, and the organisation of Labour and Capital. Taking the conditions which obtained immediately subsequent to the Franco-Prussian war, the German states, now welded into an empire, profited greatly by t'hle mistakes of her neighbors Care was taken in Germany, as in France, to establish the small land owner, with the result that to-day she is able to feed the great bulk of the population within her borders, and. agriculture on the Continent is in a'much more advanced and prosperous condition than it is in , A, most interesting chapter deals with the development of the waterways. No scheme appears to be too ambitious, and no expenditure too large for a German town to undertake when it is a question of providing water transport for its commerce, and the German Government has a day of reckoning with the business community of the country for so ruthlessly plunging into a war which in a few days has lost on overseas trade it has taken half a century to develop. "Germany of To-day" takes a wider and more comprehensive survey of the Empire. Giving less prominence to agriculture and industry, though these are succinctly dealt with, it also surveys in masterly fashion the government of the country, its aims and administration. The place held by the Kaiser, the Imperial and State '.Parliaments, political parties, Church and military bodies are clearly set forth, and are invaluable to a thorough understanding of the. elements of the nation which make for or against the war. 'ln view of the .'bugbear of foreign invasion which alarmists have held over us for the past decade, Mr Hikire Bel; loc's interesting history of "Warfare in England" is most opportune. In a comprehensive study of the topography of the country the author takes us over the strategic positions as indicated by the historical struggles that have taken place from the Roman Conquest to the Scotch Wars of the eighteenth century. And incidentally we get a capital grip of the history of our Homeland without the distraction of tne innumerable dates that worried our school days. NEW. NOVELS. "Quiiiimv's," by Horace Annesley Vachell. author of "Brothers." "The Hill,' etc' London: John Murray, 1914. Joe Quinnev has no counterpart in this country. He belongs to a civilisation whidh ancient manor halls, turretted castles, and moated granges, and to a people which at lijjst comprises a certain percentage of impecunious gentry who have heirlooms in priceless pottery and tapestry, land furniture that will appeal to the collector. Quinnev is a dealer in old furniture. lie is gifted with rare judgment as to values, and places his|father's business upon nr. entirely new plane. But while the business and all its concerns enter into every page of the storv, it is the varied play of the man's character which dominates the tale. Upon the death of his father, .Toe forthwith marries the girl he had been forbidden to pay any attention to. Guided by the shrewd instinct of a born collector he fills his house witli the finest pieces of furniture, plate nnd ornaments he can find. This home he uses as the show parlor of his business, and his success is great and immediate. Joe has great temptation to fake various articles for which there is demand, and it is at once pathetic and amusing to see the way in which his anxiety to live straight before his daughter holds him from plunging into dishonest practices. His shrewd sense in dealing with that unworthy lover, John Maggitt, is a very clever piece of character portrayal. "Qtiinucy V as a novel breaks entirely new ground in a very attractive field of romance. "John o* Jamestown."' by Vauglmn Restifr, author of "The Prodigal Judge." London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1914. It is passing strange that so romanti • a figure as John Smith, pioneer of Uriiish colonisation in Virginia, should have not ere this attracted the attention of tih. diligent novelist. The author of "The Prodigal Judge" has displayed his wonderful versatility in taking up an historical, subject and has done so with conspicuous success. Upon my bookshelf stand two volumes, being "The Proceedings of the English Colonies in Virginia and their First 1 5<-t>iitiur;." 'I h:s is spniken of a-' being the li'"st l-nok written English of A cinparison of the events therein related show that the author of "John o' Jamestown" Ims cleselv followed the accepted 'hi-torv of John Smith. His skilful handling of the Indians, together with his strong, leadership of the English colon;-, decimated by strife and disease, shmv a man of outstanding personality even amen:,' men who must, lmve been individually leaders of men. The romantic manner in whi,nh Smith is saved by the young Indian chieitainess. Pocahontas, is fold with thrilling detail. Running through the hoed; is an entrancing love story of the supposed granddaughter of Danilcy ami Alary, Queen of Scots. The book as a whole sti'onglv reminds one of Kiugshe.'s famous "\\ est-wan! Ho!" 'lt. will well repay perusal, not onlv as a novel above the ordinary, but as a hi-torii-al romance of real value to our understanding of the times when the Knglish first- essayed to supremacy at sea. 11 Books reviewed supplied by A. S. llrookei', the U.K. Rook.-ho]., IVve-n st.