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this change; for it saves him a delicate decision. But the world would again relegate the navy of the United States to third
JANE’S FIGHTING SHIPS, 1932. Edited by Oscar Parkes. London: Sampson Low, Marston and Co. 42s.
This is the thirty-sixth annual edition of Jane’s. There once was a day when Jane c°uld not be hauled out onto the postprandial wardroom table to settle an argument on a naval point, but there are few men on the active list who can remember that day. No man could tell how many jraval officers have been made through boy’s thumbing the pages of this grand old mstitution. Jane’s has a duty to the world, and this last edition very happily continues to fulfill it.
The futility of disarmament conferences may be grasped at once from the opening Pages of this book where almost 3,000 fighting ships are indexed by name. A few more conferences, and there will probably be 5,000 names! Jane’s Fighting Ships is thicker today than it was twenty years ago, when, we are assured, the nations Were staggering under an armament load that was bound to lead to war. Of course, that could not be true today, for we have Pacts against war; we merely cite the fact as a strange anomaly.
It used to be that navies were listed in Jane’s in the order of their strength. First, always, came Great Britain; then, towards the close of the administration of Theodore Roosevelt and for a few years thereafter, came the United States; subsequently the United States sank to third place, and war came. For some years past Jane’s has listed the British navy first, and then the other navies alphabetically by countries. The present editor must be thankful for place, and the superstitious might add, “ Stand by.” Fortunately, sailors are never superstitious, so that means nothing to us who must man such ancient ships as the United States has been left by the grace of many altruistic conferees.
However, ancient ships have a way in these remarkable days of getting a new lease on life. In the preface of this edition it is remarked that the plans of the modernized New Mexico may attract more interest than those of the Astoria. The artist’s illustration of the New Mexico indicates that in the matter of masts she out-Nelsons the Nelson; for she not only has a full-grown tower forward, but a half- grown tower surmounted by a little pole aft. The tripod appears to have followed the cage mast into limbo.
Jane’s is a dangerous book because hours are so easily spent in it that the reader is liable to forget when dinner time comes. Pictures of ships are always fascinating and every year the pictures in this work improve both in quality and quantity. For example, there are no less than five photographs of the last British 8-inch gun cruiser, the Exeter, and four of her immediate predecessor, the York. There are five photographs of the French Suffren class; six of the Italian Trento and Trieste; five of the Japanese Nachi class; and so on. Even the Soviet navy is well pictured in this edition. For complete pictorial information, backed up with data sufficient for most purposes, Jane’s stands supreme.
CAN AMERICA STAY AT HOME? By
Frank H. Simonds. New York: Harper
& Brothers, 1932. $3.00.
There has been no more important contribution to the study of America’s political and economic international problems than Mr. Simond’s latest book. The author from his broad historical knowledge and from the experiences and contacts of nearly a quarter of a century as a foreign correspondent has bluntly set forth the problems that confront America in her relations with Europe. In a sense, this book may be regarded as a supplement to an equally valuable one by this author, Can Europe Keep the Peace?
Mr. Simonds has scant sympathy with American foreign policy since the day of the Armistice, and he has no hesitancy in pointing out the dangers and difficulties of America’s returning to her traditional policy of isolation. In a recital of the history of our foreign policies from the Spanish- American War until the fall of last year, the author gives a stimulating review of our international political relations, and makes a keen analysis of the actions of our successive political leaders. He explains why the foreigner sees vacillation, lack of continuity, selfishness, and hypocrisy in our policies while we continue to be intolerant and suspicious of their actions.
Mr. Simonds does not belong to the school of Latane, who some years ago wrote From Isolation to Leadership, nor does he, for the most part, offer opinions but rather outlines quite clearly the present situation. He does lead one to believe that European nations are moving rapidly, though unwillingly, toward another conflict; that recent events are not unlike those that preceded the world upheaval of 1919, and that any commitment may entail material loss and grave responsibilities.
In his conclusion the author suggests that public opinion must appreciate that the profits of international peace and security can only be shared by people prepared to pay the tax of international responsibility. He believes that public opinion in this country understands the interdependence of American prosperity and world peace and that actually, in the matter of foreign policy, it has already outdistanced political leadership. He says that:
If American public opinion will not now consent to assume a risk of relatively modest proportions in the face of a danger which cannot be exaggerated, it is impossible to see any present hope of effective American co-operation with Europe to prevent a war which, like the last, may come without warning and is today plainly possible at any moment.
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