204 REVIEWS OF RECENT BOOKS 



from great countries gathered round the Council Board whilst the 

 world looked on and waited. Great the expectations ; vivid the hopes 

 that clustered round Paris. The multitudes depended on ' the jour- 

 nalists and writers to tell them how things were proceeding. Mr. 

 Gallagher's volume will not be the least worthy record of that historic 

 event. It was a thrilling time and this book helps us to catch some 

 of its spirit. In its description of places and palaces ; in its por- 

 trayal of personalities; in its fastening on and describing critical 

 moments the reader of the book is made a partaker of those stirring 

 scenes. We follow the narrative as it describes the leading person- 

 alities of the Conference, and carry away definite impressions of one 

 and another as they are revealed in the various phases of daily 

 experience. Here glows for us the great love of the "Tiger" for 

 France ; the adroit diplomacy of Mr. Balfour ; the personality of 

 Lloyd George. Mr. Wilson is the tragic figure in the volume. The 

 world expected so much from his exalted views and deep humanity. 

 But he tried to carry too great a burden; and in attempting to 

 reconcile conflicting opinions and attain ends that were impossible, 

 he failed to enforce any of his great ide"als. The author puts it in 

 this way. "The English at no time tried to walk upstairs and 

 downstairs at one and the same moment. They left such feats, 

 impossible of performance, to Mr. Wilson." Whilst he was "un- 

 questionably the most remarkable thinking machine the world has 

 ever known" yet this very fact created a stubbornness, or as M. 

 Clemeneeau said, "the wooden head" which was partly the cause of 

 his failure. 



To refer to some of the details. The author has no high hopes 

 of the Treaty of Versailles. It smells of the old corrupt diplomacy. 

 M. Clemeneeau is a celebrated cynic, and "he gave the world a cynical 

 peace." Moreover "he hurled a huge rock into the road of Philippine 

 independence." Mr. Gallagher looks on the Philippines as the key 

 of the world and he very much doubts whether they are fit for 

 independence. Indeed he thinks that the best thing is for America 

 to hold on in the interest of the islands themselves and for the peace 

 of the world. 



The story of Shantung is fully told here. It is worth reading ; 

 and those who have already an acquaintance with it will get fresh 

 light from these pages. Mr. Gallagher has much inside information 

 and presents the fluctuations of the controversy from many points 

 of view. The Appendices on this and other subjects are most valuable 

 and offer much historical information. The author thinks that there 

 is a peaceful solution to be found to this intricate subject. It is 

 given on page 407 and is worth quoting : — ■ 



