Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 3.djvu/419

 REVIEWS.

The Social Spirit in America. By C. R. HENDERSON, Professor of Sociology in the University of Chicago. The Chautauqua Century Press, Meadville, Pa., 1897. $1.00. TESTED by its adaptation to the avowed and everywhere self-evident purpose, this volume is to be regarded as a marked success. Pre- pared as one of the five text-books required in the course of the Chau- tauqua Literary and Scientific Circle for 1897 its aim is to inspire general interest in and train the popular mind for the observation and study of social phenomena ; to center attention upon the many things of common concern rather than to emphasize the points of controversy over class differences or economic and social theories ; to enlist the personal activity and cooperative effort of all our people of every grade and occupation in manifold endeavor for social progress. It would be difficult to imagine a volume of 350 pages in which such a vast variety of topics are treated with more unity of design, so much concrete, and statistical information is given in such a flowing and readable style, and so many controverted points are touched upon with less stir of the controversial spirit. This result could hardly be achieved except at the loss of thoroughness of treatment and at the expense of apparent superficiality. But however little the technical knowledge imparted on any one of the great variety of complex subjects considered, it is so accu- rately stated, and so carefully safe-guarded as not to prove " a dangerous thing." Indeed, as in the treatment of industrial reform, the author is so intent upon promoting "social peace," that scarcely enough emphasis is laid upon the class differences and interests involved to account for, much less explain the social situation under review. Those receiving their first impressions of the trades-union movement from these chapters could hardly assume a friendly or helpful relation to it, or more than a tolerant attitude toward it as an evil, the necessity of which is more than questionable. This is the more to be regretted because the other- wise excellent and pacific treatment of the factors of industrial reform would have tended to interpret, and thus promote intelligent sympathy

405