Book Reviews and Notices : The Indonesian Story. By CHARLES WOLF, JR. (New York: The John Day Company. 1948. Pp. xi, 201. $3.00.)

• Date: 01 September 1948
• Published date: 01 September 1948
• DOI: 10.1177/106591294800100349
• Author: H. Arthur Steiner
• Subject Matter: Articles

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The Indonesian Story. By CHARLES WOLF, JR. (New York: The John
Day Company. 1948. Pp. xi, 201. $3.00.)
Mr. Charles Wolf, Jr., was American vice-consul in Batavia during
the early months of the Indonesian Republic and his account of the &dquo;birth,
growth and structure of the Indonesian Republic&dquo; is based, in a large part,
on information, materials, and impressions gathered at first hand. The re-
sult is an excellent analysis of the situation-informed, objective, well-bal-
anced, and faithful to the facts. This is the first major study of the sub-
ject-and too brief, it is-that avoids the treacly tones of the voice of Aneta
or the voice of Antara, the news services of the N.E.I. and of Indonesian
governments. Every professional student of the colonial revolt in South-
east Asia will want to read the book, and many who teach the subject will
be tempted to adopt it as a text.
A special note of tragedy in the Indonesian story arises merely from
the fact of conflict between the Dutch, probably the most realistic and un-
derstanding of modern colonial administrators, and the Indonesians, prob-
ably the most sensitive, conciliatory and agreeable among all colonial peo-
ples. Forebearance and mutual appreciation have prevented the develop-
ment in Indonesia of the intense bitterness that characterizes the colonial
struggle in such areas as Palestine and French Indo-China. Indonesians and
Dutch have substantially modified their attitudes toward one another dur-
ing the past three years. Mr. Wolf depicts the evolution of these attitudes
carefully and realistically, with full attention to the dynamic political, eco-
nomic, and military environment in which they developed and by which
they were conditioned. Although well aware that lip-service to the idea
of agreement by negotiation may mask deep-seated distrust and suspicion,
he seems hopeful that real reconciliation may yet emerge on the basis of
the Linggadjati and Renville agreements although making it clear...