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 122 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

the economic losses occasioned by death, accident, illness, and com- pulsory idleness; rational education; charity; normal standards of living and social religion."

William L. Chenery.

The Government of European Cities. By William Bennett

MuNRO, Assistant Professor of Government in Harvard

University. New^ York: Macmillan, 1909. Pp. ix 4-409.

$2.50.

This book is distinctly an addition to our textbooks on municipal

administration, despite the fact that we have several very good

ones already. It is a book which will prove of great benefit to the

serious-minded reader interested in municipal government; but it

will probably be used mostly as a reference or textbook in colleges

and universities.

The preface states that "the purpose of this volume is to explain in a general way, the structure and functions of city government in

three European countries " Municipal functions, however,

are not adequately enough treated for a complete study of munici- pal administration ; although a change of policy in the treatment of London — which city is given special consideration in the chapter on English cities — brings in short discussions of various municipal activities in the County of London, The author has, to be sure, in some measure prepared us for this restriction of the scope of the work by disclaiming any intention "to examine in detail the physical operation of municipal services or the minutiae of municipal ad- ministration" (Preface). As a study of the structure of municipal government in the three countries, France, Germany, and England, however, Dr. Munro's book is most excellent; and one only hopes that a companion volume on municipal activities by someone as conversant with functions as Professor Munro here shows himself to be with the structure of municipal government, may be given us before long.

Dr. Albert Shaw's two volumes. Municipal Government in Great Britain, and Municipal Government in Continental Europe were intended for the general reader, and lack something in accu- racy and organization of material, as well as being too eulogistic of foreign as compared with American city administration. Pro- fessor Fairlie's Municipal Administration is more carefully compiled and is better adapted to the serious student. Indeed, for a book of