+ − Dial 68:491 Ap ’20 2250w
“In so far as Mr Aiken’s lucid and discriminating opinions may offset the mawkish and meaningless eulogy of ‘poeteering’ journalists, we may be unqualifiedly grateful to him. He does, however, invite disagreement with his critical principles by announcing them with excessive candor.” G: F. Whicher
+ − Nation 111:509 N 3 ’20 800w
“Mr Aiken’s book shows a nicely adjusted intellect at work, weighing and measuring contemporary achievements, with whatever degree of bias human nature can never escape, as he admits himself, but with some degree of impartiality. He is chiefly interested in aesthetic values. His style is adroit and sharp and restrained.” Marguerite Wilkinson
+ − N Y Times 25:59 F 1 ’20 1050w
ALBERTSON, RALPH. Fighting without a war. il *$1.50 (7c) Harcourt, Brace & Howe 947
20–4690
This “account of military intervention in north Russia” (Sub-title) is given by a Y. M. C. A. secretary assigned to work with the army landing at Murmansk, November 1918. He took part in every phase of the campaign from the northernmost to the southernmost points of the expedition and was the last American to leave. He is scrupulously careful in handling army rumors and most of his matter is based on his own personal observation and knowledge. On the whole he considers intervention as a “bad job” on the part of the governments who undertook it. “We organized civil war in Russia. The Russians were not fighting the Bolsheviki—not our way. They did not want to fight them—in our way. We made them. We conscripted them to fight for their own freedom. It was difficult, but we had our army there and the army made the peasant patriotic—our way.” Contents: The expedition; The Archangel government; Management; The fall campaign; The winter campaign; Kitsa; Fighting without a flag; “America dobra”; America exit; The new British army; The new Russian army; Making Bolsheviki; The white man’s burden; Atrocities; The mutinies; The debâcle; Military intervention finance; Propaganda; Concerning military intervention; Concerning Russian peasants.
“Settles any lingering doubt about military intervention in Russia.”