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Books for Clarification of the War, U. S. Defense and Foreign Policy Suggested by Dartmouth Defense Group
THE COLUMN THIS MONTH will be taken over by the Sub-Committee on Belligerents' War Aims and Post-War Security, of the American Defense, Dartmouth Group. The chairman is Professor Arthur M. Wilson, and I am indebted to him and to the contributors for this excellent material.
Dr. William A. Robinson, Professor of Political Science, contributes the following: Some worthwhile books in the field of American Foreign Policy: Shepardson and Scroggs: The United States inWorld Affairs, 1939-1940, N. Y.
This series now running for almost a decade is a readable and authoritative exposition of the factors and forces influencing American policy. Raymond Leslie Buell: Isolated America, New York, 1940.
Shows the fallacies underlying many popular beliefs as to our position in international affairs. Duncan Aikman: The Ail-American Front, N. Y„ 1940.
Described by "Foreign Affairs" as"one of the sanest and most illuminating books written on Latin America in many a year." John MacCormac: Canada: America's Problem, N. Y., 1940.
A readable and useful survey of our relations with our northern neighbor, especially timely in view of recent cooperative defense plans.
George T. Davis: A Navy Second to None: TheDevelopment of Modern American NavalPolicy, N. Y., 1940.
An historical study which is especially valuable in view of plans for a "two-ocean" navy. Thomas A. Bailey: A Diplomatic History ofthe American People. N. Y., 1940.
A textbook but one which is especially useful for the general reader, readable and accurate.
A. W. Griswold: The Far Eastern Policy ofthe United States. N. Y„ 1938. Important for an understanding of growing tension of 1937-1940. Harold and Margaret Sprout: The Rise ofAmerican Naval Power, 1776-1918. Princeton, 1939.
An able study of the relation between foreign policy and naval policy.
Dr. George C. Wood, Professor of Italian, recommends: William Teeling: Crisis for Christianity, Gifford, London, 1939.
A historical study of the conflict of Church and State in Germany, showing the main issues involved and the part played in this struggle by Naziism and the Papacy. The question of the individual as a religious being is particularly treated with regard to the struggle of Naziism to control the whole man. The religious question as a central issue in European civilization can not be neglected in any study of what modern Germany is trying to do, because of the long tradition of Philosophical Idealism in German culture. Adolf Hitler: Mein Kampf, Stackpole Sons, New York, 1939.
This work should be read by everybody as an expression of the complex personality of Hitler. It is much quoted at second hand, but first hand examination will disclose the astounding mixture of common sense and nonsense which appears to compose the nature of Hitler and the ideas he espouses. It should lead one to some speculation about what Hitler and Mussolini might have become under disciplined conditions more favorable to the growth of their free intelligence in youth. Strikingly evident is the fact that it is not the book of a mad-man, but rather of one who appears to believe that the idea is good because it happens to occur to him.
G. A. Borgese: Goliath. The March of Fascism., Viking, N. Y., 1937.
A book on Italian Fascism and its leader by an outstanding opponent. Competently done, while it is honestly prejudiced, it is nevertheless sound in its historical and philosophical background and implications. It should be read by everyone who needs some elaboration of a too simple apprehension of the problem of Fascism in Modern Italy. Borgese's conclusions can certainly not be ignored by anyone interested in Italian civilization in the modern world.
J. O. Nitobe: Bushido, Macmillan, 1924.
A treatment of the system of Militaristic ideas back of Japanese Feudalism and basic in any understanding of what the contemporary militarists of Japan are trying to do. Written by an outstanding authority of the last century.
Kenneth Allan Robinson, Professor of English, suggests some excellent books:
The Coming Victory of Democracy, by Thomas Mann. (Alfred A. Knopf.)
This brief essay by the celebrated German writer now an exile in the United States was delivered in this country as a lecture in 1938. Its aim is to define the "exalted and comprehensive concept of democracy." Parts of the essay are a little abstract perhaps for general readers but it contains a striking analysis of the vast and fundamental difference in thought-processes between the democratic and fascist mentalities, and from the prophetic shores of 1938 it warns democracy against the "humane illusion, the virtuous belief that it can be won over to the idea of peace and collective reconstruction by forbearance, friendliness, or amicable concessions."
The Course of American Democratic Thought, by Ralph Henry Gabriel. (The Ronald. Press.)
A study of what the term "democracy" has implied through successive periods of American history and social development from 1815 to the present, and of the ways in which the concept has been altered as period has followed period. The author, a well known professor of history at Yale, relates his subject closely to the cultural patterns of the time he is dealing with. An impressive and illuminating book.
Shall Not Perish From the Earth, by Ralph Barton Perry. (The Vanguard Press.)
An affirmation of belief in American democracy. This book makes the point, among other points, that while toleration and individualism are the essence of democracy, in times of crisis it is necessary and traditional to American practice to sacrifice temporarily some portion of this toleration and individualism in order to enable democracy to defend itself.
This is a good time to reread the Federalist papers. There is a good inexpensive edition published by Scribner's in the Modern Student's Library. There is a good inexpensive selection from the general writings of both Hamilton and Jefferson in the American Writers, Series published by the American Book Company and entitled simply Hamilton andJefferson.
Several years ago Dorothy Canfield Fisher in her novel Seasoned Timber pictured the effects on the life of an old Vermont academy and its community when a wealthy former resident of the town left the school a bequest the acceptance of which involved Nazi-like racial discrimination. This vivid episode which occupied the final third of the book is worth rereading. It is also published as a separate narrative.
Finally a new edition has just been published of Robert Bridges' distinguished anthology, The Spirit of Man. This anthology was compiled at the time of the last war; it is appropriate for any time of stress, especially for this time.
Dr. John G. Gazley, Professor of History, writes: "Following are some of the books which are being studied by the sub-committee on war aims and peace plans":
Streit, C. K., Union Now, Harper, 1939, 315 pages, $3.
Perhaps the most influential of all recent books in this field. Written before the outbreak of the present war, it advocates as the best means of assuring permanent peace the union of the leading democracies in the world, including Great Britain and the United States, into a strong federal state.
Bingham, A.M., The United States of Europe, Duell, 1940, 336 pp., $2.60.
Jennings, W. 1., A Federation for WesternEurope, Macmillan, 1940, 208 pp., $2.50.
These two books also believe that federal union promises the best outlook for lasting peace, but, unlike Streit, they would confine their federation to Europe.
Dulles, J. F., War, Peace and Change, Harper, 1939, 170 pp., 11-75
An excellent presentation of some of the emotional and organizational problems which must be faced in solving the war problem. Highly recommended.
Angell, Norman, For What Do We Fight? Harper, 1940, 327 pp., $2.50.
Laski, H. J., Where do we go from here? Viking, 1940, 192 pp., $1.75.
Two recent books, by eminent English authorities, which discuss the larger issues of the war.
Bruce W. Knight, Professor of Economics, says that "one who really wanted to study some of the leading economic problems of war could do worse than to read some of the following":
Willard Waller (ed.): War in the TwentiethCentury. Ludwig Renn: Warfare: The Relation of Warto Society. Horst Mendershausen: The Economics ofWar.
A. C. Pigou: The Political Economy of War. Francis Hirst: The Political Economy of War. Interparliamentary Union: What Would Bethe Character of a New War? Harold D. Lasswell: Propaganda Techniquein the World War.
G. B. Clarkson: The Giant Hand. H. O. Grady: British War Finance. J. M. Keynes: How To Pay For the War. Simon Litman: Prices and Price Control, etc. W. F. Willoughby: Governmental Organization.
Hugh Dalton: The Capital Levy Explained. Moulton & Pasvolsky: War Debts and WorldProsperity. J. B. Condliffe: War and Depression. E. L. Bogart: Direct and Indirect Costs of theWar.
T. E. Gregory: Foreign Exchange Before, During and After the War. J. M. Clark: Cost of the World War to theAmerican People.
H. Speier & Kahler: War in Our Time. Brooks Emeny: The Strategy of Raw Materials.
C. K. Leith: World Minerals and World Politics. Popper 8c deWilde: Wartime Economy of Britain and France. Tobin & Bidwell: Mobilizing Civilian America. Eugene Staley: War and the Private Investor. Norman Angell: This Have and Have-NotBusiness.
A. L. Bowley: Some Economic Consequencesof the Great War. J. M. Keynes: The Economic Consequences ofthe Peace.
