+ Springf’d Republican p7a N 28 ’20 250w
ECKEL, EDWIN CLARENCE. Coal, iron and war; a study in industrialism, past and future. *$3 (2½c) Holt 330
20–13789
Ours is a “machine civilization” and the story of industrial growth and competition since 1775, the author holds, “is chiefly though not entirely the story of coal and iron.” The book attempts to keep the discussion free from any and every preconceived bias, theory or assumption and to arrive at conclusions entirely through the historical study of the industrial developments of different countries. Industrial growth is a matter of natural evolution based on physical environment and inheritance and hardly at all on human and personal control. The form of government is a negligible fact—a strong nationalism still desirable, and war still the simplest solution of many of our industrial problems. The contents are in four parts: The growth of modern industrialism; The material bases of industrial growth: The causes and effects of industrial growth; The future of industrialism. There is an index.
“The thesis is carefully developed and well maintained. The striking feature of the book is the openness of mind with which the future is examined. Although the historical portions of the book are sound in the main there are some statements with reference to the eighteenth century that can scarcely be accepted.” A. P. Usher
+ − Am Hist R 26:307 Ja ’21 640w + Booklist 17:140 Ja ’21
“Mr Eckel has long been prominent as a geologist and engineer. In this volume he certainly qualifies also as an economist. His views on labor organization, the corporation, and the influence of legislation are especially significant.” G. P. W.
+ Grinnell R 16:356 F ’21 600w
“The present work is written for the general reader, and through elimination of the less important and by judicious distribution of emphasis he has produced a book which is likely to be widely read with both interest and profit. Though written in a language intelligible to the business man quite as much as the student, it is perhaps most of all important through its judicious criticism of the traditional and orthodox viewpoint of the economist.” W: H. Hobbs