The Negro Problem by Julia E. Johnsen Review by: Robert C. Dexter The Journal of International Relations, Vol.

12, No. 4 (Apr., 1922), pp. 587-589 Published by: Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/29738527 . Accessed: 04/10/2013 01:31
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inefficiency and happy escape from, and a result of, congressional of even well refusal to respond to the occasional manifestations The people have looked considered and deliberate public opinion. in vain to congress since the Civil War and have received almost no response; naturally their demands and they have transferred as the organ most nearly willing to the president their backing and able to carry out their wishes. the power and the Assuredly should be more definitely placed by constitutional responsibility provision; but, until it is and as long as we keep the present con? seems frame of government, stitutional leadership presidential to offer the best use of that machinery. state? incidental In spite of any individual disagreement with or even with in this book, ments taken important positions has contributed to the literature of Ameri? Professor MacDonald one of the keenest can history and politics and best balanced of the United government analyses of the faults of the national or not one agrees with his remedies, his diag? States. Whether nosis is a most valuable aid to any reform of our national govern? and the lines of revision ment. The survey and evaluation, are most in and for them? and important interesting suggested more are still selves. striking when presented by a student They of Professor MacDonald. and teacher of the ripe scholarship of our national constitutional His indictment system and his changes are based on long and careful study of American of is no hasty book and government. This product history definite and but the deliberate judg? ignorance and inexperience It is and authority. ment of one who can speak with knowledge one of the most important books of the year and will cause much of the American if the thought-leaders discussion thoughtful a scientific interest are to and real develop people beginning again in politics. Edward James Woodhouse, Smith College. proposed New York, The H. W. Julia E. Johnsen, The Negro Problem. Wilson Company. one of the many is another The Negro Problem present day a royal road statement to Euclid's refute by providing attempts no attempt at original with to knowledge. synthesis Here, we an quote the pub? have,?to introduction, eight-page beyond .... of the Negro problem of today interpretation lishers/?"an or general The reader." debater for the student, "interpre

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588 tation"

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selections consists of eighty-seven by almost as many a cases in but in others torn from few many complete, authors, under the their context, arranged following headings: History, race riots and peonage?, General, Problem, Violence?lynching, Education, in industry, Race Negro suffrage, Migration, Future. and The complete colonization, separation?segregation could the shows as well as anything list of these classifications a lack which or system in the arrangement; lack of coordination the editor was a scientific student raises a question as to whether of this grave national and international problem. are of the selections in editing many this confusion Despite Negro excellent?as

is that they will The grave danger selections. or the debater the student,?but possibly satisfy,?scarcely of and comprehension general reader, and that his knowledge statements from both the serious problem will stop here. While are given and "points" for and Southern Negro standpoints stick out all through the 370 pages, there is an amazing debaters of the outstanding With lack of scientific discussion. exceptions from Johnston and Henry M. Stanley and selections Sir Harry there is very little the brilliant, though biased, pen of Dubois, or biologist, whose sciences can con? indeed from anthropologist an of race of the fundamentals to tribute most understanding in the absence serious fault is to be found differences. Another of the history of the Negro in America treatment of any adequate to the later social history as Such a contributor in slavery days. in the bibliography, and one learns is not even mentioned Olmsted in mention articles written little except through incidental long of the Negro of first the years two-hundred-and-fifty afterward, problem in America. one for the historical a most With the exception, important are sources in American that history early student, original un? and will is the bibliography fairly complete rarely given, in the serve a useful purpose for those really interested doubtedly are are which of the selections Some reprinted probably Negro. unobtainable in the average library and in city or university them the book has a real value. preserving and presenting that they it seems regrettable The above are good qualities; editor? could not have been made better by a more discriminating will Introduction taken the sentence from The ship. following indicate the confusion which runs through the whole book: of growth of the Negro If we are to assume that the method race has been to have its race life played upon strenuously by a not

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and too sympathetic later first, civilization, psychologically a greater its growing mind and leadership generating mentally, that it must feel the pride and power, we can readily understand more intensely that its problems must be more emphasized by the very fact of this reaction and growth. C. Dexter, Robert Clark University. The Fruits Norman Illusion. A Sequel to the Great of Victory. The Century Company. New York. Angell. By

is a high argument, There infallibly true, perennially repeated and historically ineffectual, regarding the powers and relationships and which of men, which Plato first set forth in The Republic Norman Angell, having set it forth in The Great Illusion, repeats is that justice or The Platonic in The Fruits of Victory. argument or ultimate the interest of the self-interest is neither happiness or but the harmony stronger nor the interest of the weaker, interests are in play, so that each by doing cooperation of whatever his own work, may be happy in himself and useful to his fellows. if There must be honor, Plato pointed out, even among thieves, carries vocation. Angell they are to prosper in their predatory he suggests, The thief's prosperity, the argument a step further. To continue of his victim. is directly a function of the prosperity he must enable his victim to acquire what thieving successfully, but to enable him to do that, he he himself wants to appropriate, would have to undergo a change of heart and cease to be a thief. As a thief, in a word, he cannot be free or prosperous. of the inevitable Mr. Angell the Platonic analysis applies He shows how the behavior. of men to international relationship of men has made the fruits of de facto economic interdependence sea fruit for the victors; how it negates the provisions victory dead how the persistence of Versailles; of the Treaty and implications its of the idea of exclusive nationalism, with impli? imperialistic recovery. cations, has Balkanized Europe and prevented European what He shows what contradictions of conduct and statement, of nationalism?in exclusive and the policy hypocrisy injustice Platonic terms, the notion that justice is the interest of the stronger the futility of this led statesmen into. He demonstrates ?has as an attainment He of security. the toward instrument policy "the alternative risk of status and con? shows that as between exclusive national? tract," the risk through a policy of armament and the risk and through disarmament, ism, imperalism distrust,

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