WHENEVER Mr. Villard sits down to do an article on some aspect of the American press, we can expect an intelligent, well-informed, and sympathetic appreciation that is not always characteristic of his weekly when it ventures on other grounds. Undoubtedly the fact that Mr. Villard was himself once a newspaperman has something to do with this. At any rate this re-print of the series of articles that were published in the Nation last summer is decidedly well-worth a second reading by persons interested in the immensely vital problem of the press of this country--its present state and its trends.

The various topic headings he considers are the Associated Press, the United Press, the chain daily, standardization of the daily, the conditions in Philadelphia, what is wrong with the "World" (R. I. P.), the copper trust monopoly of newspapers in Montana, and the opportunity in the press of the small cities. His article on the now lamented "World" is particularly of timely interest and presents fairly clearly a number of the problems which the younger Pulitzers found themselves unable to solve.

This reviewer wishes Mr. Villard had seen fit to consider specifically and in detail the conditions in the "poor farm of American journalism", as he characterized Boston in an earlier work on the press of this country. It would be interesting to hear a well-informed person speak on the too close connection of the "Herald" with the big banking interests and the gradual sensationalization and cheapening of its news columns recently, within the outer shell of its respectable typography and make-up. It would be a pleasant boon to Bean-town if the good-natured but generally sloppy "Globe" could be prodded into over-coming its reluctance to tamper with its golden formula. It could be made into a first rate paper. And why should not the "Transcript" be chided into forsaking its snobbish contempt for the technical advances of the past quarter century in the newspaper world? In fact, would not Boston and New England profit if our local papers decided to forsake complacency for a little, first-class, cut-throat competition?

And while we are asking for articles on the moulders of public opinion, it should be suggested that there is room for comment on the heavy editorialization of the Hearst Metrotone News Reels. Another important influence that will probably grow in power in the next few years and tend in some ways to supplant the newspapers is the radio. But in the meanwhile, in waiting for Mr. Villard or some other qualified writer to offer information and intelligent reflections on these problems, you will benefit from reading the slightly less than 100 pages that make up this pamphlet.