541
Reviews of Books exercised by no particular individuals,
GILMORE ON PARTNERSHIP
that they have no institution of individ
Handbook of the Law of Partnership, including Limited Partnership. By Eugene Allen Gilmore. Hornbook Series. West Publishing Co., St. Paul.
ual property, and that their life affords a perfect example of communism and of the political and economic equality of all members of a socialistic state. If the latter conclusions are candidly surveyed, albeit from the standpoint of the ill-informed reader, there may be reasons to doubt whether the life of
HIS new Hornbook is not a new edition of the well-known George on Partnership, but a successor to it;
—for the most part entirely re-written. Like other books in this series, it is in
tended primarily for students, and its citations, while including the leading
ants is so destitute of individualism, and whether the comparison to a socialistic
cases, are not exhaustive. The aim of the author, as stated in his preface, was
colony can be so closely drawn. One thing seems certain: namely, that the dependent males, which perform none of
to make a clear and definite statement of the leading principles. This he has
the work of the community, and have in
comparison with the queens and workers only a vestige of brain tissue, are in the position of an inferior caste. Sover eignty, then, would appear to reside either in the queens, who, as a matter of
done with admirable clearness, and in this will be found the great merit of this book.
The subject of partnership, which should be essentially simple, has been made exceedingly complicated by the failure of the courts to recognize the practice of merchants and the insistence
fact, do not appear to direct the affairs of the group, or in the female workers, who seem to co-operate en masse without any individual leadership. Moreover, the
of judges on the application of techni cal, legal principles derived from two or three different sources which different
gentleness which ants show toward one another, and the voluntary submission
be applicable to this subject but which, in fact, were entirely foreign to it. The
of ants to the collective will, scarcely justify the inference of the want of any means of discipline or of the absence of a system of customary law sanctioned
result is a hopelessly inconsistent body
judges, from time to time, thought to
Among ants, as among all
of law which can be unified only by the code which the Commissioners on Uni form State Laws will soon complete. Professor Gilmore’s lucid statement of
other beings, the anarchistic, highly developed state is an unthinkable con tradiction of terms. The lawyer will read this book with in
tions of the subject, and will aid an un derstanding of any code that may be enacted.
by force.
the existing law will clarify our concep
terest, seeking parallels between the life
of ants and human society, but while he will discover many instances of the appar
BOOKS RECEIVED.
ECEIPT of the following new books is ac knowledged:
ent existence of laws, he will find among ants no individuals fit to be described as law-givers. The remarkably devel oped altruistic instincts of ants, and their perfect solidarity, seem to render them unnecessary, but the mystery is
Hopkins Press, Baltimore. Pp. 178 (index). ($1.25.) tion. The Dutch By Frederick Republic Edlcr, and M.Dipl., the American PILD. Revolu~ Johns
how they can perform such wonderful feats without leaders.
Hopkins University Studies. series 29. no. 2. Johns Hopkins Press. Baltimore. Pp. 252 (index).
Maryland under the Commonwealth: A Chronicle of the Years 1649-1658. By Bernard C. Steiner, Ph.D., Associate in English Historical Jurispru dence. johns Hopkins University Studies in His torical and Political Science, Series 29, no. 1. Johns
