The Little Brown Brother. By Stanley Portal Hyatt. (A. Constable
and Co. 6s.)—This is a "problem novel," but the problem is not of the usual kind ; it is of race. The scene is laid in the Philippines and the time is of the American occupation. American politics, the way in which party necessities at home tell on Government action abroad, and cognate subjects make up much of the action of the story. This we leave alone. But all through there comes up the question which concerns Britain more than any other nation in the world: Can you leave political control in the hands of non-European officials ? This is a question, it may be said, not to be answered by a novel. Very true ; but a picture, vigorously drawn in striking colours, by one who knows what he is writing about, may be very helpful. The great advantage that the story has over Blue-books and Reports is that it will be read,—no one who takes up Mr. Hyatt's story will lay it down unfinished. Politicians who talk of colonial self-government being given to Oriental races might do well to look at it.
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