November 26, 1920] 



SCIENCE 



511 



satisfactory price, but I do strongly object to 

 paying some 20,000 marks more for the set 

 than would a German in Germany; in other 

 words to having the dealer make that profit 

 out of me. 



Professor K. A. Hofmann, speaking before 

 the German Chemical Society, justified the 

 present German procedure in the following 

 words : 



Von einzelen unserer auslandiscTien Mitglieder 

 sind Besohwerden eingegangen, well wir wegen der 

 Valuta- Verhaltnisse das Ausland neuerdings anders 

 behandelii mussten als das Inland. Wie ieh kaum 

 hinzuzufiigen brauche, handelt es sich hier um 

 Voriiibergeliende Massnahmen, die mit dem Ein- 

 trltt normaler Zustande wieder verscbwinden 

 werden. Keineswegs, das mochte ich hier ausdruiek- 

 lich feststellen, baben wir die Absicht, unsere aua- 

 landischen Mitglieder prinzipiell anders zu be- 

 handlen als die inlandischen. Wegen der Entwert- 

 ung der Eeichsmark liatten sich jedoeh Verbaltnisse 

 herausgebildet, denen zufolge das Ausland unsere 

 Veroffentlicliungen fur den zwanzigsten Teil des 

 fruheren Preises kaufen konnte, wahrend die 

 deutschen Mitglieder das Doppelte zahlen mussten. 

 Der Vorstand, welehem satzungsgemass die Festaet- 

 zung der Preise unserer Veroffentlicliungen 

 zusteht, hat dann, vielfaeben dringenden Anreg- 

 ungen aus Mitgliederkreise entsprechend, die Aus- 

 landspreise erhoht und so festgesetz, dass unsere 

 auslandisohen Mitglieder inuner noch weniger zu 

 zahlen haben, als dies friiber im Frieden der Fall 

 war. Wir stehen auf dem Standpunkt, dass ein 

 etwaiger Valuta-Gewinn einzig und allein der 

 Gesellsohaft zusteht, tviclit dber dem einzelnen 

 auslandischen Mitgleid. (Italics ours.) . . . Glaubt 

 man, wir wiirden bier besebhessen, die 'Bericbte' 

 im Ausland fiir J, das ' Zentralblatt ' fiir J und die 

 beiden ersten Bande des 'Beilstein' fur zusammeu 

 1 dollar zu verkaufen? Jedes Buch hat doeh einen 

 bestimmten Welthandelswert, und der muss auf- 

 recht erhalten werden. 



From the German standpoint this sounds 

 very reasonable, but take the case of the 

 " Beriohte." The subscription in Germany 

 and Austria is 45 marks; in America it is 

 $7.50. At present exchange (1.13) $7.50 in 

 American money is worth 664 marks in 

 Berlin. In other words, an American pays 

 more than 650 marks for that which is sold 

 to a German for 45 marks. 



In a recent publication I noticed the follow- 

 ing extract from a German firm to an Amer- 

 ican customer, whose name had given the im- 

 pression that he was a German : 



A word about prices. I take it from your name 

 and connections that you are of German family 

 and am therefore prepared to make most liberal 

 terms. As you doubtless know, it has been gen- 

 erally agreed in commercial circles here that all 

 articles sold to uitlanders, and especially to Ameri- 

 cans, shall be priced considerably higher than the 

 same thing sold to our fellow-citizens, the idea be- 

 ing to in this Way recuperate to some extent from 

 our late overwhelming losses and to make our recent 

 enemies aid us in paying our most outrageous and 

 crushing war debt. 



This policy has been adopted en Hoc by our 

 associated . . . since some time. But as a fellow 

 German, I am prepared to let you have these goods 

 at the Berlin price, this of course being in all con- 

 fidence, my most dear sir. 



Wliat course should a purchaser take who 

 wishes to deal fairly, not only to the Germans, 

 but to himself? 



Jas. Lewis Howe 



SCIENTIFIC BOOKS 



Psychology of Nationality and International- 

 ism. By W. B. PiLLSBURY. D. Appleton 

 and Company, New York and London. 

 1920. Pp. 314. 



The phenomena of collective life have in 

 recent days evoked a great number of half- 

 analyzed conclusions and assertions. A wel- 

 come relief from these is the present book, 

 which represents the analysis of one whose 

 point of view is supported by a background of 

 empirical science. There is undertaken an 

 analysis of the nature and development of the 

 national consciousness, and of the place of the 

 nation as an ideal in history, in the conduct 

 and thought of individuals, and in the rela- 

 tions of states to each other. 



Definitions of the nation are submitted to 

 criticism. Neither language nor descent gives 

 the key to the common spirit of a nation. Nor 

 is the nation merely an extension of familial 

 or tribal organization. Nationality is first of 

 all a psychological and sociological problem. 



