READERS' COLUMN.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 December 1915, Page 12 (Supplement)

READERS' COLUMN.

SPEXOER AND GERMANY. ('By James Wortley). To the series of articles on Herbert Spencer appearing in the Forum, Senator Lodge adds a particularly timely contribution this month. His subject is "The Coming Slavery," and his paper is given up in the main to the re-publica-tion of Spencer's famous essay bearing the same title. Among the great writers m political subjects in the past generation Spencer may be counted among the most stalwart and consistent of individualists. In his day socialism, at least in its modern form, had not reached the crystallised form in which we now know them. Spencer, however, easily foresaw and interpreted the outcome of the Marxian philosophy, and his essay, "The Coining Slavery," remains to-day one of the most vigorous criticisms of the socialistic idea. On this same subject it is interesting to recall Spencer's further comments, appearing just twenty years-ago in the last pages of the "Principles of Sociology," in which, endeavoring to discover "why :the socialistic movement has assumed such large proportions in Germany," he analyses the tendencies of the latter as follows:—"Germany, already before 1870 having a highly organised military system, has since been extending and improving it. All physically fit men between certain ages are soldiers either in preparation, in actual service, or in reserve; and this ownership of subjects by the State extends even to those who have gone abroad. 'For the support of its vast armaments those engaged in civil life are more and more taxed; which means that to the extent of those parts of their earnings taken by the State they are owned by the State, their powers being used for its purposes and not for its own. An approach to an entirely militant type of structure is shown In the growing autocratic power of the soldier-Emperor, who is swayed by the absolutely pagan thought of responsibility to ancestors in heaven. Further, the German citizen does not fully own himself while carrying on his civil life, outdoor and indoor. The control of his industrial activities is still like that of mediaeval days." In support of his contention, Spencer cites numerous Government regulations that were in force at the time in Germany, and quotes the following account of the changes that had taken place in German life since 1870: "There is little possibility of independence in speech or action. The police are always at your elbow .... half schoolmaster, half nurse, he (the policeman) will supervise your every action, from the cradle to the grave, with a military sternness and inflexibility which robs you of all independence and reduces you to the level of a mere plastic item. . . If you wish to stay in Germany you must give up your individuality, as you do your passport, into the keeping of the police authorities." This whole section devoted to Germany savors strongly of much in th« way of criticism that passes current to-day. It is interesting to find it in the concluding chapter of his "Sociology," in which Spencer takes a look into "the near future." A NEW FORM OF PUBLICATION. The physical inconvenience attending the literary entertainment of the men in the trenches has suggested to the London Times a new form of publication better suited to the difficulties and dangers of war. Books have proved to be cumbersome things to add to a soldier's paraphernalia; neither, amid the distractions of life in the firing line, is there time to read a book from cover to cover. Hence the Times has inaugurated a series of literary broadsheets containing "selections of the best passages, grave and gay, from English verse and prose," which can be carried in the pocket on the field of battle and read at odd mo* ments of leisure. The demand for literature of a portable kind has been, it seems, very real and should be met successfully, one would think, by these publications. The editorship of the latter is in the hands of Sir Walter Raleigh, who quotes Mr. Lionel Curtis, the originator of the scheme, to the effect that "for him one of the great moments of the South African war was the reading of Bacon's 'Essay on Gardens,' from a copy of the 'Essays' which someone chanced to have by him."

SOME OF THE NEW FICTION. "Sundown Slim," by H. Knibbs, author of "Overland Red." Boston: Houghton, Mifflin and Co. (per A. S. Brooker, Devon St.) It is possibly the state of affairs in Mexico that is responsible for opening up a delightful field for fiction in We on the southern border of the United States, On the dry plateaux of Arizona and New Mexico we meet the real cattlemen of the new world, Reared in a sparkling atmosphere, we are among a race of virile folk.' Of course, every man "packs a gun," and this is no figure of speech. "Sundown Slim" himself is a "hobo"—a species of tramp who makes a practise of stowing away on the great transcontinental trains. "Sundown" finds himself emptied off in this romantic corner of the new world. Here he finds favor, and a David and Jonathan friendship 'springs up between himself and John Corliss, the great cattle rancher Good luck carries Sundown through a number of adventures to an abiding piaee in the hearts of the rough men for whom he is cook. The dog-like fidelity of Sundown enables him to be of <reat service to Corliss, and ultimately we find the "hobo" settled down as a homesteader, much to his own surprise. The reader will be delighted with the story, which largely covers unfamiliar ground.

FOUR NOTABLE NOVELS. "The Pioneers," by Katherine S. Prichard; "Golden Glory." bv F. Horace Rose; "Land of the Scarlet Leaf." by Mrs. A. F,. Taylor; "The Templer in the Tope," bvS. Toskett. London: Hodder and Stoughton. Ltd. (per A. S. Brooker, Devon street).—These books are the prize-winners in Messrs Hodder and Stoughton's all-British £IOOO novel competition. They are respectively the Australasian, South African, Canadian and Indian first-placed books. "The Pioneers," is the only one i have read through, but from a cursory glance the other books are distinguished in a marked degree for what may be termed a striking picture of national life. 11l this respect "The Pioneers" is capable of ranking alongside of Rolf Boldrewood's distinctive novels of Australian life. Of course it is different. The days of the bush ranger are past. But we have the careles9 acceptance of life as it stands, the ready adaptability of the transplanted Britisher in these southern climes. Indeed, this may be said to be the feature of the book. That the picture of the easy adaptability to circumstances is not overdrawn has been still further evident in these felt few months en the GalllpoH Penin-

sula. Transported from scenes of peace and plenty he Iks quickly and worthily taken his place in the game of war. I shall make no attempt to describe the book. The reader must make acquaintance for himself. The quartette of nooks I have mentioned will make capital holiday reading.