Evening star. [volume], July 21, 1918, Page 14, Image 49

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

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Reviews of New Books
6c7 TO WIN I Tie story ?( America
11 ******* By Conlngsby Dawson,
author of "The Glory of the
Trenches," etc. New York: John
Lane Company.
READ thla book right away. Go,
by way of it. Into the high
place where you can see. Give
over, for an hoar, the daily
war flurries that confuse and torment
and incapacitate. -Use the hour, in
stead. in the sightly place that this
book sets and, through It, look over
across to Prance, where, transplanted,
there is a United States?young,
clean-hearted, strong-handed, capable,
keen, efficient?a United States that
Is **Out to Win." First the book shows
us our soldiery?more than a million
of khaki-clad boys, marching along
> the roads of France. Their cadenced
steps beat out a meaning that, shap
ing into a refrain, iceeps company
with the marching feet: "We've got
four years to do this job"?"We've
got four years to do this Job." Grim,
man-hearted boys, these?Out to
Win.
Then the book takes us to the Job
behind the fighting line?the job of
war. An amazing picture of straight
business on the part of* the United
States in France. Harbors deepen and
?preaiTior the incoming transports.
Pocks reach wide from the waterside.
Acres of munitions find shelter. Ware
on undreamed-of ampli
tudes. balvage houses assume gigan
tic proportions. Railroads multiply
and engines are stalled in thousands
Waiting their turn for the front. An
astonish in* unit of American business
a method, ready and co
ordinated for war service. Out to Win.
?A?*. ?gain, the book leads us to that
glorious Instrumentality of the war
of compassion?the Red Cross, the
?/ .<Joctor? end nurses and aids.
SliiEi . work of winning dead
t0 *?d broken bodies to
wholeness and shattered spirits to a
"** rtolon. Out to Win, surely, thla
war of compassion. And we sea clear
it*' tllr?ughout this whole
? "PromUe-keepIng"
* ?f the world are being
knit Into a brotherhood of common
understanding and respect. The sol
b?'""nir thla brotherhood,
fighting the Hun they are
H?* the relics of old anl
r^8l.Ve* "d old prejudice So. these
r*. ^ut to wtn not only the war
Knt ? ?hat Germany means to them,
bnt to win also the lasting friendship
nations of the world.
And this, the book makes clear, is the
best and the only warrant against
other wars. Here the book turns
around upon us to drive deep into our
hearts the fact that if we do not
learn the anguished lesson of this war
we shall not have kept faith with
! who are dying for us. "Out
'? ? book, projected In
?.^?i t if *f cl**r "d practical
as It is enheartening and inspiring. If.
,'A *? fll,d within ourselres
any small hindering elements of feel
ing or action, there is but one thing
to do?to do these to death, and come
out keen in body and soul to be of
service in the true spirit of service.
and GIory of the
Trenches Bave Coningsby Dawson
the voice of authority in the meanings
?' *ar- This gives him equal au
tftority in the wider Afield that it oc
cupies. Read it.
axss^vhsm awd 8o^Ai' i>k
MOCRACl. By John Spargo, au
tnor of Social Democracy Ex
New York: Harper
John Spargo, from the standpoint
of an American citizen, here restates
the case of socialism in America.
Under the universal problngs of war
the socialist party In the United
States was brought to the surface,
as was every other -considerable
project and institution, to submit
first of all, to the-teat of its unim
peachable Americanism, in the St
Louis convention of 1917 the social
ists, facing a certain declaration of
war by the President, redeclared
their socialistic faith. This declara
tion was not unanimous. It uncov
ered dissenters. John Spargo among
iS??*is ln the "?ht of that event
that Mr. Spargo here reviews the
theory of socialism as it bears upon
ths geniijs and institutions of the
United States. The aim of the dls
?cusslon Is to lead one away from the
developments of that convention, since
these disclose a perversion of the
socialistic doctrine. That St. Louis
convention was, according to this
writer, so un-American ln attitude as
to be really pro-German ln effect.
This spirit Mr. Spargo does not ascribe
to a willful pro-Germanism. Bather
is It due to a failure on the part of
the socialist party to keep up with
the march of events in America. '
Bather is It due to an overlong de
votion to the German source of so
cialism in this country, a devotion
which, in this crisis, took on the
color of half-hearted loyalty to Amer
ica. Therefore, It is In the spirit of
an undivided American citizenship
that Mr. Spargo restates the political
and economic program of socialism
** this bears upon the future of- the
United States. However much one
may disagree with the points In the
doctrine of socialism, he can but be
grateful to the writer for a clear
and direct statement of its essentials,
for a serious consideration of the
adjustments required, by socialism to
meet the political and economic sit
uation of the United States, for a pro
gram of practical intent, for restraint
of speech, and, above all, for a spirit
of true Americanism at every point
of thla exposition. .
THK UNPARDONABLE SCTt A Novel.
By Bupert Hughes.' author of "We
C^n't Have Everything," etc. Il
lustrations by James Montgomery
Flagg. New York: Harper &
Brothers.
Here Mr. bughes sets a realistic
haad to the business of building a
novel upon the enforced motherhood
?f ? couple of Hun babies by two in
nocent and refined women?American
Win, at that-t-enottir a<v* daughter, i
at that Caught In Belgium at the
moment of the Hun aggression, these
two, with thousands of others, became
victims to the blood-mad lust of the
German soldiery. The story moves
forward by way of the search for
these two fugitives, rushing away,
anywhere, to avoid the open declara
tion of their misery. The pursuit is
carried out by a young American girl,
daughter and sister of these victims
of the war. Now, a grUnmer tlwme,
a more terrifying a*% of conditions,
cannot be imagined than these upon
which Mr. Hughes has chosen to ex
ercise his hand. And In the develop
ment this writer's familiar method cf
realism does not step aside, nor beg
one's pardon, nor shift at any point to
the easy way of the pure romancer.
Therefore, If one is ready to see and
feel?not merely to gather in at
second hand?and be torn up by one
of the most unspeakable features of
this war, just let him take this novel
and follow its leading into Belgium
when the Huns broke through the
bonds of Its sworn inviolability. Why
did you write this novel, Mr. Hughes?
Did you do it for us?or for you? Is
it another goad to us? Or is it a dar
ing literary chance for you? For our
life we are not able to say. If this
point were clear?and you should have
made it clear in this so urgent case?
the efTect of your novel would not be
divided and weakened through our in
voluntary speculations as to you* real
intent. ? s,
NINE TALKS. By Hugh De 'selln
court, author of "A Soldier of
Life." eta Introduction by Harold
Child. New York: Dodd, Mead A
Co.
Back of these stories, It is easy to
see, lies a well grounded confidence
ill the general beneficence 6f life as
a whole, pro Tided only that one. with
the means at hand, takes advantage
to test and prove this good Intent of
the world. And by "the means at
hand" the writer has reference to the
Individual himself, to those things
that he accepts and makes use of for
his own development, for hls own ad
justment to the general trendof l"e
in all of its considerable "pects.So.
these tales have to do with the sim
ple occurrences that cometoeTery
body to prove the stuff that is in
him. A satisfying
them all is that they begin right
where the man- er woman under con
sideration happens to he- That is.
they begin with the next obvious step
In one's dally life?making thede
steps, small and uncertain as they
may be, the way to lead up or down
along another level. Mr. De Mjji
court looks on the happier side pf_ the
way. He la no pessimist. So, these
stories?or studies?are along the
hopeful reaches of existence. That Is.
ay ( whole. The first one, however,
and the unhappiest one in effect, goes
back to the ancient notion of sacri
fice as a propitiatory rite. A woman,
whose husband has gone to the war.
becomes possessed of the Idea that
her baby Is the very thing that God
wants as a sacrifice in order that the
war may come to an end. Fine crafts
manship and a very delicate way of
handling do not make this a *>>**?
ing story. The same workmanly In
vention and the same delicate insight
make the remaining stories on Hap
pier themes a delight to the lover
of a line literary sense and art Har
old Child, by way of introduction to
this volume, makes an admirably
sympathetic and discriminating es
timate of Mr. De 8ellncourfs work
as a whole.
BARBARA PICKS A HUSBAND. By
Hermann Hagedorn, author of
"Where Do You Stand 7' etc.
Frontispiece by J. Paul Verrees.
New York: The Macmlllan Com
pany.
This novel Is a bit of the lightning
transit capsuled food, speed-up spirit
of the moment Within a hand's
breadth of space and a^ two-day
stretch of time Mr. Hagedorn assem
bles here wlthvlavlsh hand the parts
of a whirlwind social comedy. With
people enough and Incidents enough
for a five-act drama, the writer, In
a wizardry of handling and a mastery
of fortuitous vanishings, condenses
this bewilderment of material into
a neat body of social to-do that sits
in uncrowded ease within the borders
of this hour of reading. The whole
fuss centers around a girl who has
the pick of three men to provide her
thereafter with food and clothes.
Spoiled. In the overself-appralsals
that afflict so many attractive girls,
this heroine pretty- nearly succeeds in
placarding an entire city with "busi
ness suspended" while she pursues
her devastating way of husband
choosing. However, the turmoil is,
under good management, brought to
an orderly process of doings, with
some bits of sardonic humor here
and there, and humor of the gentler
sort all along Its course. The peo
ple are not only human beings, but
they are. in tha main. Interesting
human beings each in his own way.
It is easy enough to be human?out
to be Interesting! Oh, no! And this
difficult achievement Mr. Hagedorn
has gained. Highly condensed as is
the substance of this invention. It
is, after all. a recognisable picture of
the great social game of husband
hunting under the gentle refinements
of polite procedure. An Interesting
comedy of workmanly build and
clever Interpretation.
CHEER-VP LETTERS. By Torrey
Ford. New York: Edward J.
Clods.
Here is a handful/of letters from a
private with Oen. Pershing, a mem
ber of the ambulance service. In
addition to these honors is that of
being Sewell Ford's boy. This by
way of Introduction. The Important
thing, hojvever, Is tor get to the let
ters, for the sake of the sheer grit
and good nature and sense of fun
that bring them straight across into
one's hearty approval and enjoyment
Understand?this boy knows he Is
at war. There Is no pretense here
that he does not know this, nor that
he la trying to edge Off the realities
of his experience. He has chosen,
simply, to set down here little things
that come along every day with a
smile In them. And, If the smile is
not there; it, on the .contrary, the.
toatter is somewhat gWm.
to admit it, and, in lieu of a grum
ble, be Juat pins a grin to it and
sends It oft in a letter back home.
He has seen real war business?
don't make any mistake about that.
Indeed, he was among: the first of
the Americans who were cited for
bravery by the French government.
Of this he says: "Of course, I don't"
deny having been brave, but I can't
remember it very distinctly." A boy
of that stamp naturally would write
letters that are worth while, like
these.
THE TIME SPIRITS A Robmbcc. By
J. C. Snaith, author of "The
Sailor," etc. New York: D. Apple
ton & Co.
In "The Time Spirit" Mr. Smith
turns the best-beloved of the themes
of old romancers to the uses or the
present. The general drift of the
story shows the breaking. down of
English class distinctions. This pur
pose is, however, not an obtrusive one.
The prime object of this writer is to
tell an engaging story. This he
achieves. A foundling baby starts
the progress of events. As foundling
babies occasionally do, in books at
least, this one is carried straight to
the refuge required for succeeding de
velopments. A beautiful and winning
child, a charming woman of many
gifts, Mr. Snaith makes of this door
step waif. A lover of the modern
type of young Englishmen sends the
story along in pleasing complications
of courtship. The little Mary?in
good old-.fashioned way?turns out to
be the daughter of Duke Somebody
or-Other, through his secret marriage
with a fine upstanding girl of the
next step down in the social order.
This fact serves to wind the .stery in
and out in an interesting web of near
by happenings that turn out, as they
should, not only to Mary's marriage,
but also to Mary's share in the privi
leges of her father's class. However,
father or no father, Mary's independ
ent career of personal success makes
her well worth one's while for her
own sake. The fringes of high so
ciety where Mary had her origin are
fringes only, which the writer uses
with good taste and good judgment
to play their subordinate part in a
sterling story, of modern Intent and
substance,
THE STANDARD-BBARBBfl i Tree
Stories of Heroes ?f Law aai Or
der, By Katherine Mayo, author of
"Justice to All." Illustrations by
Capt. Louis Keene. Boston: Hough
ton Mifflin Company.
These short stories?fifteen, all
counted?are built upon incidents and
adventures drawn from the work of
the Pennsylvania state constabulary.
Each is an incident that marks some
critical point in the activities of the
state police for the detection of crimi
nals and for their, pursuit and seis
ure. Each is an adventure wherein
the heroism of one or another of
these groups of the state constabulary
stands out as an exciting: and stimu
lating example of personal courage
in behalf of the state's power to pro
tect its citizens. The character of
these men, their behavior In the pur
suit of crime, their bearing: under the
secret and open dangers surrounding
them, make them fitting subjects for
hero tales. The incidents themselves
are cut out from the criminal records
of the state, records which set forth
occasions upon which member!" of the
state constabulary have pursued and
apprehended criminals. These stories
savor of the adventures of the mount
ed police of the Canadian northwest.
The book as a whole serves to il
luminate by concrete case the writ
er's earlier studies of the Pennsyl
vania constabulary, studies which
were embodied in a general vay in
her former book, "Justice to All."
The two books constitute ^ propa
ganda whose intent is to lead other
states?particularly the state of New
York?to follow Pennsylvania in the
establishment and support of a state
police. However, quite apart from
their utilitarian purpose, these stories
are finely stirring tales of adventure
that have the added value of being
undeniably true accounts of personal
courage and daring.
THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A PEWW
SYLVAMIAX. By Samuel Whit
aker Pennypacker, Governor of
Pennsylvania, 1903-1907. Philadel
phia: The John C. Winston Com
pany.
In this "unaltered, unexpurgated
and unedited" chronicle, the reader
gets the impressions, good. bad. but
never indifferent, of one "Pennsylva
nlan" concerning: the men and events
of his times. In a book of more than
500 pages covering many years of
puhUc life, there is, naturally, room
for criticism of certain human antag
onisms, with whom the author came
in touch. So pervading is the pun
gency of fair play, however, that any
lambasted politician who cares to see
himself as Samuel W. Pennypacker
saw him will have to admit that the
picture is uncolored by any vindlctive
ness of personal grudge. Warm praise
is as readily accorded, notably, in a
chapter eigitled "Miniatures." in -
which, for one illustrative quotation,
"Uncle Joe" Cannon is etched as "a
tall, grissled, gaunt and homely man,
with a fund of anecdotes from the
prairies, and with rugged bluntness of
phrase he gives the impression of pos
sessing character and resolution."
Wise in the knowledge that "the
life of every man has a value as well
as interest for his fellows," the au
thor begins with Bis birth "upon a
Sunday," which gifted him with "the
power to pow-wow and to see fairies
as the opportunity arises." Also, he
-had the colic. There is a lovable
glimpse of his first years in a wonder
ful old house that stood on a high
bluff in the town of Phoenixville, Pa.,
and a more intimate acquaintance
with his growing decades, until the
attaining of manhood, in the early
days of the civil war. There ar*
many chapters descriptive of Gov.
Pennypacker's public career, and of
the official honors which his state
showered upon him along the way, but
one feels that as his years mellowed
into the age of biblical limitation he
loved best t<$ write of the ancestral
Pennypackers, who willed him the
heritage of the sturdy Dutch virtues
and the brain power that made him
one of the most prominent figures in
the history of his state.
BOOKS RECEIVED.
HOW TO SELL MORE GOODS: Se
cret* of Successful Saleamauahlp.
By H. J. Barrett, author of "Dol
lars and Sense." New York: Har
per & Brothers.
THE WHITE ROOK. By J. B. Harris
Burland. New York: Alfred A.
Knopf.
THE MAX FROM BAR-20* A Story of
the Cow Country. By Clarence E.
Mulford, author of "Bar-20." etc.
Pictures by Frank E. Schoonover.
Chicago: *A. C. McClurg & Co.
THE PAWNS COL'IfT. By Phillips
Oppenheim. With frontispiece by
F. Vaux Wilson. Boston: Little,
Brown & Co.
THE LONELY STRONGHOLD. By
Baillie Reynolds, author of 4*A
Castle to Let," etc. New York:
George H. Doran Company.
A DICTIONARY OF MILITARY
TERMS. By Edward S. Farrow,
late assistant instructor of tac
tics at the United States Military
Academy, West Point, N. Y. New
York: Thomas Y. Crowell Com
pany.
THE EASTERN WINDOW. By Sid
ney Williams. Boston: Marshall
Jones Company.
WHY PROHIBITION! By Charles
Flint. New York: Service.
MODERN SEAMANSHIP. By Austin
M. Knight, rear admiral. United
States Navy. New York: D. Van
Nostrand Company.
-KANrAL FOR LOCAL DEFENSE. By
Henry A. Bellows, major. 13th
Battalion. Minnesota Home Guard.
New York: The Macmillan Com
pany.
YOUR NEGRO NEIGHBOR. By Ben
jamin Brawley, author of "A Short
History of the American Negro,"
etc. New York: The Macmillan
Company.
ALCOHOL i Its ArttoM oa the Hum
Orguiim. New York: Longmans,
Green & Co.
GREAT BRITAIN, PALESTINE AND
THE JEWSt Jewry* Celehrattoa
?f It* National Charter. New York:
George H. Doran Company.
PLAYING THE GAME. By Zebediah
Stelzle. New York: George H.
Doran Company.
Aviatrix Lauds Flying as a Woman's Sport
//XT OTHING is beyond your
|\ I reach if you go after It
1 hard enough!" That la
the motto of Katharine
Stinson, champion cross-country fiier
of all men and women aviators in
America, who has been in Washing
ton to volunteer her services In con
nection with the war savings stamp
campaign.
Jt was her firm convicition of this
fact that grave her the courage, at the
age of seventeen, to leave her home In
Jackson. Miss., enter an aviation
school, qualify as a flier and receive
one of the first licenses Issued by the
Aero Club of America.
It was the same theory that inspired
her to accomplish so many "firsts" in
the hazardous sport of the air, and to
attempt and accomplish what less
courageous fliers declared to be im
possible.
Hiss Stinson was the first hativ*
American girl to drive a plane.
She was the first woman flier to loop
the loop.
The first woman toJly at night with
fireworks attached t<Kthe machine.
The only woman flier ro carry United
States mail, and the only woman flier
engaged to chart new air mail routes
with emergency landings.
Katherine Stinson and her sister.
Miss Marjorie, who is also a skilful
flier, were the only woman teachers of
American aviators.
? .
* *
Katherine Stinson has proved her
self an absolute master?or mistress,
if you please?of this daring sport.
She has reproduced the most daring
stunts of man fliers, many of whom
have lost their lives performing the
same feSts that she has done, and
goes on doing, with calm assurance^
What manner of woman is it, then,
who has been braving death for six
exciting years and still goes on mak
ing records a little faster than other
people can break them?
Miss Stinson is twenty-three years
old.- She looks more like sixteen. She
weighs just 101 pounds, and if She
wants to look over a man's shoulder
she has to climb up on something, or
take a flight (in her airplane. She is
dark and slight and petite in every
way. Her eyes are big and brown,
and she smiles as only a real girl can
smile. /
Katherine Stinson Is a girl flier, and
Is not ashamed of it. She wears
regular girls' clothes when she
flies, and has not found. that skirts
are any obstacle in executing the
nose dive, the spiral, the loop and
the falling leaf. She is not of the
"strenuous" type, generally regard
ed as such. She refuses to get excit
ed about woman suffrage?she has
found another avenue to emancipa
tion.
There Is no stage play about her.
Thoroughly characteristic was the
first remark she made upon alighting
after her sensational flight from San
Diego to San Francisco over Bakers
field and the Tehachapl mountains.
She luUt breakfasted in San Diego,
and flew over Bakersfield about lunch
time.
"What was the moat difficult part
KATHRRINE STINSON IN HER AIRPLANE.
of the flight?' an interviewer asked in war flying:. The 'nose dive* and the
her when she arrived in Frisco in 'loop* and the failing: leaf and many
time for dinner. other stunts have saved the lives of
"Somebody was having: ham and many fliers at the front, and their
eggs in Bakersfleld," she replied, "and mastery is part of the essential equip
it was an awful temptation to come ment for a fighting flier.
down for lunch!" Such was this bird- "But before going on for stunts an
girl's idea of the greatest hardship aviator must learn straight flying, and
in achievingra flight that had been a straight flying emerged frpm the haz
rainbow lure for aviators from the ardous stage long ago. I really do
time that flying started on the Pa- not regard my own work as particu
ciflc coast. larly dangerous, for the safety of a
* flier when doing trick work depends
* * largely on the condition of the ma
On a recent visit to Washington chine.
Miss Stinson had some interesting "That is another reason that I say
?a flying is a woman's sport as much as
things to say about her profession as a man.s Women are to have a
a women's sport. particular capacity, for taking pains
"There is going to be a lot of flying and looking after details. I never
dose in this country after the war." take tfce condition of my machine for
she said, "and it stands to reason that granted. I do not believe in taking
the women are not going to stand chances. Never-ending patience is a
back and let the men do it all. Just Prime requisite of the game, and
as women have taken to motoring, many a clever flier has crashed Just
so they will take up the great sport because he got tired of eternally go
of flying when they realise that ? It ing over every wire, every bolt, every
isn't really anything to be afraid of. P?rt of his motor, and making sure
"Of course. I will not be so rash as that there was nothing wrong."
to say that any woman can fly as Unable to take an active part in
well as any man. But It would be the war. Miss Stinson is doing her
equally wrong to assert that any best to help things along on this side
man fly as well as any women, of the Atlantic. Besides having been
It la entirely an individual matter, a engaged for the post office air mail
question of temperament and inclina- work, she has worked energetically
tion and natural aptitude. and has given her services freely in
-I know nothing in flying that promoting war work. "v
makes it exclusively a man's game. She made a series of sensationVl
Women are meeting men on an even cross-country flights from Buffalo to
footing at tennis and golf, which Washington in the ifitefest of the Red
actually are no less strenuous than Cross last yeafTauring the week of the
flying. Flying isn't strenuous, any- first Red Cross war fund, and has dis
way. Like all other real sports, it is tributed Red Cross and liberty bond
largely a matter of knowing how. literature from the clouds in many
"A. man or woman who takes up parts of the country.
aviation as & sport will not neces- Her services have been volunteered
sarily have to become a stunt flier, also to the recruiting forces of the
Stunts must be mastered by war a via- Army, Navy and Marine Corps, and
tors, for every one of the things that she helped to stimulate enlistments