56 ANALES DE LA SOCIEDAD CIENTÍFICA ARGENTINA 



tion of books in the three wars under consideration (see tables 11, 12^ 

 13, Chapter II). 



The effects of the present war are almost certain to be more exteri- 

 sive than the statistics indícate, not only through the destruction of 

 the lives of many investigators and writers, but through the disinte- 

 gration and disorganization of institutions in which the prodacers of 

 thought are wont to work. It iwS true that much war literatnre appears. 

 but most of it is ephemeral, and a good deal of it edited, so that though 

 its quantity be great, it will probably not add very much to permanent 

 literature. 



PRODUCTION OF BOOKS IN THE PRESENT WAR 



The influence of the present war on the production of books appears 

 to have aftected France most, causing a decrease of more than 50 per 

 cent (see table 11, page 68). Hungary also has suffered severely, with 

 a reduction of 31 per cent (table 11). Germany shows a decrease of 

 19.6 per cent, and Great Britain 14,2 per cent. Italy has been aífected 

 very little. Perhaps one of the main reasons for Trance and Hungary 's 

 great decrease in literary production is that the war has been waged 

 upon their own territory, which tends to intensify the feelings and 

 increase the depression. 



While the effect of the present war has been to decrease in abso- 

 lute numbers the general production of books, there has been nevert- 

 heless a relative increase in religious and philosophical works in all 

 the countries except Italy (table 11). One reason for such increase 

 may be, that war tends to draw the mind into deeper toughts as to 

 Ufe and its meaning. In the second year of the war there is a distinct 

 increase of one per cent in art, fiction, drama and music, which may 

 illustrate a disposition in war time, as matters become more serious, 

 to turn the mind to lighter things, simply for rest and relief. But this 

 is not true of France, which shows a distinct decrease (2.3 per cent) 

 in these lighter subjects. This accords with the statement often made 

 by writers, that France, especially Paris, is giving its attentiou much 

 more than usual to serious reading. A further indication of this is a 

 relatively very great increase (9.6 per cent) in France in the produc- 

 tion of legal and sociological works. 



There is a large relative increase (3 per cent) in Italy of sociologi- 

 cal works, which may act as a compensation for its decrease in phi- 



