PRESSURE GROUPS ON THE LEGISLATURE OF NEW JERSEY

by Dayton D. McKean, Columbia UniversityPress, 1938.

It is gratifying to the student of government to read a realistic analysis of the governmental process. Professor McKean, formerly a member of the New Jersey State Legislature, in this excellent book explodes the popular "bad-man myth" which is an attempt to explain the actions of a government on the grounds that "good" or "bad" men happen to be holding office. He estimates that during his experience as a legislator at least ninety per cent of the work of the legislature was attributable to the influence and activity of groups outside the legislature, ranging all the way from business and labor groups to the Audubon Society.

This book gives a great deal of factual information about the actual pressure groups in the state, about their organization and methods of procedure. The author makes an interesting evaluation of the relative degrees of strength of the groups upon the basis of their ability to influence the legislature.

Of great interest and value as a contribution to the literature on American Government is the long chapter on the enactment and repeal of the state sales tax. Professor McKean's study and experience demonstrates that while party pressure may prevail temporarily over the pressure of other groups, the latter may win in the end. Here is evidence that the governmental officer cannot always do what he thinks ought to be done, either for selfish or for general social or economic reasons, but that he must do what the powerful groups in the state want him to do. If he should refuse to comply with such demands some other officer will be chosen to do it. The account in this chapter makes the reader aware of the emptiness of the word "politician" as commonly used and of the fact that all persons, office holders or business men, who influence the actions of government are equally political.

The story of the sales tax provides evidence for the conclusion that groups tendto identify their own opinions of their own welfare with the general welfare—as shown by the slogan that "what is good for business is good for the country." Furthermore, one can conclude from this study that unanimity of opinion on governmental policy is well-nigh impossible to achieve, thus vitiating much loose talk about "public opinion."

This book has considerable value for the layman as well as for the Professor of government. What is said about New Jersey is applicable, mutatis mutandis, to other states, and any person interested in the way his government works should read this realistic account of the working of one government.

Professor John H. Gerould '99, is the author of Structure and Action of theHeart of Bombyx Mori and Other Insects, which has been reprinted from volume 19 of ACTA ZOOLOGICA. Stockholm.

A revised edition of Flowering Plantsand Vegetation an Introduction to FieldBotany, by Professor Charles J. Lyon has just appeared. This is a profusely illustrated book of 853 pages.

The Secondary Nodules of LymphaticTissue: their Relation to Immunity, by Dr. Ralph E. Miller '24 appears in the September issue of the NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE.

The October number of the ARCHIVES OFOPHTHALMOLOGY contains an article by Professor Kenneth N. Ogle entitled InducedSize Effect, I. A New Phenomenon inBinocular Space Perception Associatedwith the Relative Sizes of the Images ofthe Two Eyes.

Professor Herman Feldman is the author of The National Labor RelationsAct, published in the October issue of OCCUPATIONS—THE VOCATIONAL GUIDANCEMAGAZINE.

Ski enthusiasts everywhere have come to anticipate with eagerness the appearance of THE AMERICAN SKI ANNUAL, a publication invaluable to every skier. The 19381939 volume, ably edited by Mr. N. L. Goodrich, Librarian, fulfills all expectations. The volume for this year contains 230 pages, including several pages of maps of ski areas in the United States and many fine illustrations, together with many pages of advertising.

Of Dartmouth interest are TeachingThem Young, by Ford ('33) and Peggy Sayre; Skiing in National Forests, by Robert S. Monahan '29, and briefer notes by Ford IC. Sayre, Otto Eugen Schniebs, and Charles A. Proctor 'OO.

Seventy Years of Textbook Publishing,a History of Ginn and Company, by Thomas B. Lawler, a book of 298 pages, has been published by Ginn and Company. This book will be of interest to Dartmouth men. Ginn and Company has been sometimes referred to as a Dartmouth publishing house. In this book will be found notices of the following Dartmouth men all of whom were or are connected with the firm: Austin H. Kenerson '76, Justin H. Smith '77, Lewis Parkhurst '78, Selim S. White '78, Edgar A. De Witt '82, H. H. Hilton '90, Selden C. Smith '97, Harry P. Conway '97, Edwin H. Kenerson 'O3, Edward K. Robinson 'O4, Allen L. Priddy '15.