Ohio History Journal

BOOK REVIEWS

Joseph Benson Foraker, An Uncompromising Republican. By

Everett Walters. (Ohio Governors Series, I. Columbus, Ohio History

Press, Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society, 1948. xiii

+ 315p., illustrations, bibliography, and index. $3.50.)

Ohio during the closing decades of the turbulent nineteenth

century was in many ways the hub of national politics. The state

had produced a simply amazing number of legislative giants and

private individuals who knew how to stand quietly in shadows and

pull strings. Among Ohio's important leaders were Rutherford B.

Hayes, Mark Hanna, John Sherman, and Joseph Benson Foraker.

All, regardless of what may be thought concerning their philosophy

or ethics, profoundly influenced both the state and national scenes.

Until Mr. Walters published his solid study of Foraker, no

really extended or detailed biography of this Cincinnati lawyer

who fought his way to the governorship and on to the United

States Senate and who more than once came close to securing the

presidential nomination, had been written. Mr. Walters' book,

fittingly enough, marks the first volume in a series to be devoted

to the lives of Buckeye governors.

Foraker, as the author of this biography makes perfectly

clear, was a most conservative Republican.  Indeed he was so

reactionary that he had the utmost difficulty in keeping his peace

with other members of his party, who, conservative as they were,

seemed relatively liberal when compared with Foraker. In inter-

national affairs Senator Foraker was an unqualified imperialist,

not only urging United States intervention in Cuban affairs in

1898, but also calling for the retention of important economic

areas. "As a matter of simple business policy," he said, "we owe

it to ourselves to retain the whole of the Philippines and Porto

Rico."

After the Spanish-American War was over and the Treaty of

Paris concluded, Foraker was instrumental in the formation of a

government for the island of Puerto Rico. This, Mr. Walters

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writes, was "the most important of his senatorial services." Then

Foraker's biographer goes on to describe the work of the Ohioan

as an administration senator, tells of his differences with Roosevelt,

and explains in detail the Brownsville Affair, a tempest in a teapot

when it originated, but one which soon assumed major significance

and resulted in Foraker's losing his chance for the presidency in

1908. A little later came the dramatic publication of the Standard

Oil Letters, which as Walters points out, impressed upon the mind

of the American people that Foraker was at one and the same time

serving two masters-the United States Senate and the Standard

Oil Company. Foraker's career as a public servant was at an end

and he retired to the practice of law.

In a very real sense this story of a life, compiled from personal

papers and other primary sources, is a political tragedy. But it

cannot be doubted that Foraker reflected the sentiments of a large

portion of the people of Ohio and of the nation. Had he been a

little smaller, a trifle more constricted in his thinking, Foraker

would have been insignificant; had he been able to be a little more

liberal, he might easily have been distinguished. Actually, he fell

pathetically between the limbo of mediocrity and the heaven of

success. Mr. Walters' fair and objective volume recognizes this.

The book is a real contribution to the story of Ohio political life

and is a competent introduction to the other volumes which are to

come in the series devoted to the state's political leaders.

PHILIP D. JORDAN

University of Minnesota

 

 

Old Cahokia, A Narrative and Documents Illustrating the

First Century of Its History. Edited by John Francis McDermott

and others. (St. Louis, St. Louis Historical Documents Foundation,

1949. ix + 355p. Paper, $3.00; cloth $4.50.)

Cahokia, Illinois, marked its 250th anniversary this year,

reminding us that it is the oldest settlement on the Mississippi

River. Founded as the Mission of the Holy Family in 1699, it

has had continuous and independent existence down to its recent

fate as a suburb of East St. Louis. A group in St. Louis grasped

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the opportunity of the bisesquicentennial to tell the story of Old

Cahokia and buttress it with numerous documents. With the help

of the Joseph Desloge Fund, of which this is the first publication, a

volume of entertaining and sound scholarship has been produced.

It is a cooperative work of narrative and documents. Pro-

fessor McDermott was general editor and also wrote an introductory

essay of fifty-four pages on the founding and growth of Cahokia.

Father Joseph P. Donnelley has edited a dozen documents related

to the mission, which was authorized by the Seminary of Quebec

and disputed by the Jesuits. He also has contributed two other

chapters of burial records and the correspondence of Dom Urban

Guillet to Bishop Plessis over an abortive attempt to maintain a

Trappist monastery near Cahokia, 1809-12. Rose Josephine Boylan

has edited two dozen legal documents to illustrate life in the settle-

ment. Besides the endless confusion over land titles, certain cus-

toms are revealed by the marriage contracts, wills, and lawsuits,

while the appraisals of property indicate the surprising possessions

of the French. The details and risks of the fur trade are recalled

by Charles Gratiot's letters of 1778-79, edited by Brenda R.

Gieseker. Capt. Joseph Bowman ruled Cahokia for George Rogers

Clark; his accounts and letters, edited by Charles van Ravensway,

show the conflict between military authority and civilian desires.

Finally, Irving Dilliard has offered transcripts of two court de-

cisions in Illinois that throw light on the older social customs

in Cahokia. All the documents have been carefully annotated, and

each group is preceded by a brief introduction. The book is illus-

trated with five maps and six pictures; it ends with a fine index.

At best it is difficult to reconstruct French life in the interior

of North America.   Documents are not common; neither are

diaries, travelers' accounts, or newspapers. Quebec and Montreal

are less mysterious, but a further difficulty besides sources is that

Americans tend to focus their attention on the English colonies.

The history of Detroit, Vincennes, the Illinois settlements, and St.

Louis is considered popularly to begin after they passed into Eng-

lish hands. Yet in this interior the French developed an economy

and community life that the later American immigrants did not

achieve in this region until years after United States possession.

These documents make clear that Cahokia was no God-forsaken out-

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BOOK REVIEWS                      479

 

post of lonely men, but a self-contained community of families

with farms, stores, slaves, and a church. For one thing, the French

did not fight the wilderness or the Indians; instead they used them,

although in such an adjustment it may be argued that French cul-

ture suffered rather than prevailed unsullied.

Even as late as 1830, tourist James Stuart reported that the

people "still speak the French language. They lead an indolent

life in this fine climate. They can support themselves by working

two or three days in the week. They dance and fiddle the rest

of it."

What more did he want, pray tell? New Harmony never

achieved that!  And what do you mean, Stuart Chase, that an

economy of abundance lies ahead of us?

HOWARD H. PECKHAM

Indiana Historical Bureau

 

 

The War of 1812. By Francis F. Beirne. (New York, E. P.

Dutton & Co., 1949. 410p. $5.00.)

Francis F. Beirne, associate editor of the Baltimore Sun, writes

of the War of 1812 in a sprightly style likely to revive the interest

of Americans in that too-often-forgotten conflict. He is not writing

for an audience of academicians, and the professional historian will

find no new material nor any new insights. The author candidly

states that his two chief sources are Henry Adams' History of the

Administrations of Thomas Jefferson and James Madison and

Benson J. Lossing's Field Book, the latter a secondary account writ-

ten more from the point of view an antiquarian than an historian.

Apparently previously unacquainted with the many anomalies of

the conflict and many of the facts of the struggle now common

stock in American history survey courses, the author approaches

his material with an unsophisticated enthusiasm kindled by what to

him were new and exciting discoveries.

The military and naval aspects of the war furnish the main

theme. Only ninety-five pages are devoted to the events leading

up to the war and one brief chapter to the making of the peace.

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480   OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

 

There is no attempt to deal with the economic or social develop-

ments of the period.

In writing of the military and naval battles, Beirne excels in

giving clear and concise pictures of the personalities involved, the

relative strength of the combatants, the particular problems faced,

and the strategy employed by the respective commanders. The

author, having mastered the details of every engagement, does an

exceptional job of giving the reader a clear picture. He is

cautious in his criticism of the military leaders, and even General

William Hull receives sympathetic treatment, although there is no

attempt to cover up the tragic inadequacies of the military leaders.

In his preface and in his conclusion Beirne seeks to justify

his writing on the War of 1812 by pointing out certain lessons to

be learned. These pages detract from an otherwise straightforward

account. Beirne sees in the experience of 1812 the futility of

American faith in neutrality when a general European war breaks

out. The American people, according to the author, have repeatedly

deluded themselves into believing that there was nothing that they

wanted and that therefore they could stay out of the struggle. In

the year 1812 they did want trade with Europe, although they

assumed that they wanted nothing, and therefore became involved

in war; but having deluded themselves they were wholly unprepared

for the hostilities. In the two more recent wars the allies staved

off the enemy until the United States could prepare. "In the case

of the War of 1812," writes Beirne, "we had time to prepare but

we made no use of it. As a result the war was waged at our fire-

sides and we knew the terror and distress of invasion." Beirne, in

his conclusions, assumes that we went to war in 1812 in order to

protect our trade, a thesis often refuted and one which the author

does not support in the earlier part of the book when writing on

the causes of the war.

While the facts of the present world situation argue for a

policy of preparedness, the arguments based on the experiences of

the United States in the War of 1812 are not very convincing. One

could as readily contend that the war was brought on by expansion-

ists, that it settled none of the issues outstanding between the two

antagonists, and that it was an unnecessary and futile struggle.

Nevertheless, Beirne has written an excellent popular history

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which is free from error, does not falsify facts for the sake of

arousing interest, and has an admirable tone of restraint in passing

judgment upon the past.

PAUL A. VARG

Ohio State University

 

 

The University of Wisconsin, A History, 1848-1925. By Merle

Curti and Vernon Carstensen. (Madison University of Wisconsin

Press, 2 vols., 1949. Vol. I, xx +  739p.; Vol. II, XII +  ⁶⁶⁸p.;

illustrations, bibliographical essay, and index. $10.00; separate

vols., $6.00.)

In the ranks of American higher educational institutions, the

University of Wisconsin has long held top honors. Everyone inter-

ested in education is familiar with the extensive roll of its distin-

guished faculty members and its service to the state and nation.

To name but a few of its teachers and scholars will recall the

university's astonishing breadth of interest: Richard T. Ely in

economics, Max Otto in philosophy, John R. Commons in labor

history, Frederic A. Ogg in political science, Grant Showerman in

classics, Willard G. Bleyer in journalism, Stephen Babcock in dairy

technology, Charles Slichter in mathematics, Harry Steenbock in

dairy research, and, of course, such famed historians as Frederick

Jackson Turner, William L. Westermann, Carl Russell Fish, and

Frederick L. Paxson. In addition to pioneering in research at a

state university, Wisconsin, under such renowned presidents as

John Bascom, Charles R. Van Hise, and Edward A. Birge, has

prepared thousands of students for life work and intelligent citizen-

ship and has rendered outstanding "service to the State" politically

and economically.

In their centennial history Professors Curti and Carstensen,

aided by a corps of researchers, have presented seventy-seven years

of the university's history in overwhelming length.  Indeed so

voluminous is their history that the reader fails to grasp the story

of this great university's founding and development. Mere length

need not per se militate against a history, yet in these 1,327 pages

length, in this reader's opinion, precludes a clear understanding of

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482   OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

 

the university's growth. For example, John Bascom, philosopher,

psychologist, political economist, prohibitionist, advocate of wom-

an's suffrage, is widely separated from John Bascom, president.

Two chapters are devoted to this stout leader, but the story and

significance of his administration are lost. Similarly, the career

of President Van Hise, Wisconsin's remarkable president from

1903 to 1918, is not accorded the unity which would have resulted

from a briefer more compact treatment.

Those who possess sufficient perseverance to complete these

volumes may well question what segment of the population Pro-

fessors Curti and Carstensen had in mind when designing this

monumental history. Certainly few "old grads" will plow through

these rather colorless pages, or will many others muster enough

interest to read more than a few chapters. Unquestionably only

a relatively few people interested in higher education will read

this history. A shorter, more compactly, more brightly written

account would have found a wider audience among alumni, academic

groups, and even general readers.

For the specialist interested in the history of higher education,

these volumes bountifully illustrate the problems surrounding the

founding and growth of a state university. At the very outset

arose the question of the character of the university, i.e., should

it teach only the classical subjects, should it provide practical

courses for farmers, mechanics, etc., and should it also include

law, medicine, theology, and teaching. All too soon began the

interference of the board of regents, many members of which be-

lieved in the board's right to prescribe curricula, set administrative

policies, and maintain discipline. These men, it should be noted,

would have served better had they given more careful consideration

to the choice of president and then placed full authority in him

and the faculty. Similarly, the university felt strong pressures

from numerous sources: the legislature, the state educational sys-

tem, the smaller denominational colleges, and from sectional

groups. Yet despite these handicaps and a legislature perennially

reluctant to grant sufficient funds, Wisconsin forged ahead to

world-wide reputation chiefly through the effort of her great leaders.

Other state universities have not been so fortunate.

The University of Wisconsin Press is to be warmly congratu-

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lated for the beautiful format, typography, binding, editing, and

painstaking scholarship of this history. It is an artistic triumph.

All publishers should examine these volumes as examples of su-

perb bookmaking. The authors likewise may be complimented on

their exacting research into all phases of the university's history.

EVERETT WALTERS

Ohio State University

 

 

The Army Air Forces in World War II. Edited by Wesley F.

Craven and James L. Cate. Vol. I, Plans and Early Operations,

January 1939 to August 1942. (Chicago, University of Chicago,

Press, 1948. xxxi +   788p., foreword, illustrations, maps and

charts, appendixes, glossary, and index. $5.00.) Vol. II, Europe--

Torch to Pointblank, August 1942 to December 1943. (Chicago,

University of Chicago Press, 1949. xxi + 897p., foreword, illus-

trations, maps and charts, appendix, glossary, and index. $6.00.)

According to the present plan the story of the army air forces

in the last war will be completed in seven volumes. It is the inten-

tion of the editors to make it a comprehensive report "for the

people to whom that air arm belongs," without any glossing over

of "the mistakes and wasteful sacrifices."

From the viewpoint of this avowed purpose there can be

little criticism of the first two volumes. The tragic confusion at

Clark Field in the Philippines during the first Japanese attacks,

the mishaps of the paratroops over Sicily, and the tremendous

losses of men and bombers in daylight raids over Germany are

told without apologetics. Also, in matters still under dispute the

writers give all sides and all evidence a chance to speak before

advancing their opinion as to the most probable answer. In some

cases, for example, the events of December 8 and 9, 1941, in the

Philippines, no last word is possible from the available sources

even though the historical office of the air force has used every

means at its command to set the record straight.

These first two volumes are based chiefly upon the official

documents of the air force and the field reports of historical officers

attached to the different war theaters and air commands. There-

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484   OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

 

fore the story is told from a one-sided view and is not definitive

in a large sense. Fortunately the German air force documents

were available for a hasty survey before the second volume went

to press and some of their disclosures are used to correct the

American records.

This use of enemy sources to compare American claims with

actual German losses provides one of the most interesting sections

in Volume II. The purpose of daylight raids was not only to

cripple German industry but also to destroy the German air force.

American claims of enemy planes destroyed were from the first

considered high and were trimmed down before being released in

communiques. It was obvious that the German air force could not

survive such losses for very long. The corrected record tells a

vastly different story. For instance, on October 9 and 10, 1943,

American bombers claimed 122 and 204 German fighters destroyed,

with a loss of only 28 and 30 bombers. Now it is known that the

Germans lost only 14 planes on October 9 and 22 the following

day. Thus American figures, considered conservative, were ten

times too high-in fact, the Germans were only losing one fighter

for every bomber. Much the same situation prevailed in regard to

the estimated damage to German industry. Allied bombing did not

disrupt German production to the extent supposed. Furthermore,

the decision not to make the electric plants a priority target was a

bad mistake as three-fourths of German industry was dependent

upon this source of power.

The organization of this vast and complex subject deserves

special commendation. The editors have avoided a strict chrono-

logical account, although the story of the different theaters, com-

mand decisions, maintenance operations, and home front activities

are fitted within the larger framework of the time element. Volume

I deals with the air forces during the first months of defeat, small

scale operations, and frenzied preparations, and its locale is prin-

cipally the home front and the Pacific war. Volume II is devoted

to European operations and is conveniently divided into North

African and Italian operations and the bomber offensive based in

England. It is planned to continue and conclude the European

air war in Volume III, with the following two volumes being de-

voted to the air offensive against Japan. Volume VI will deal with

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BOOK REVIEWS                     485

 

the home front, while the last one will include an account of the

air transport command and other related air branches.

The editors are also to be congratulated on the even and con-

sistently good writing of the contributing authors. The stylistic

differences so apparent and distracting in most joint authorship

enterprises are not present, and the editors have maintained a care-

ful balance between the heroic exploits of individuals and the larger

story of the group to which these aviators belong.

The maps and charts and excellent illustrations add color as

well as value to the text, while the glossary is a necessity as

abbreviations are used copiously for reasons of space economy. The

long forewords are employed to acquaint the reader with the plan

of the work and the problems of collecting the information; it is

to be hoped that the editors will continue this practice in the

succeeding volumes.

It would be a shame if an economy-minded congress should

halt publication of the history. Not only will the completed account

prove profitable to the military historians and air force personnel,

but the average citizen interested in aviation will find it a well-told,

comprehensive record of the greatest air armada of all time.

HOWARD D. KRAMER

Cleveland College, Western Reserve

University

 

 

A Bibliography of William Dean Howells. By William A.

Gibson and George Arms. (New York, New York Public Library,

1948. 182p., illustrations and index. Paper, $2.25.)

This bibliography by William A. Gibson of Williams College

and George Arms of the University of New Mexico contains a list

of about 200 books wholly or in part by Howells and about 1,200

periodical pieces published over a period of sixty-eight years. The

compilers have attempted to include everything which could be

attributed certainly to Howells except first editions published in

England and on the continent and reprinted works which do not

carry any revisions of the original text by the author.

The bibliography includes a check list of works and partial

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486   OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

 

works; a check list of periodicals, newspapers, and "departments,"

with dates of Howells materials; collations of works and partial

works; and a list of critical writings selected on the basis of intrin-

sic importance, the authority of the writer, and representativeness.

There is also a twelve-page index.

The collations are in the most approved bibliographical style,

are apparently exact and consistent; the attributions are made with

great care; and, judging from the scope of the compilers' research,

the list is complete within the limits set. The compilers are to be

congratulated on a scholarly bibliography of an important Ameri-

can author.

S. WINIFRED SMITH

Ohio State Archaeological

and Historical Society

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