Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-17


our first task is to secure free and equal
transportation privileges by rail, pipe and
waterway is evident, 1t is not an easy
matter. 1t is one which may require oper-
ations which will seem severe; but the
whole system of discrimination has been
nothing but violence, and those who have
protlted by 1t cannot complain if the cur
ing of the evils they have wrought brings
hardship in turn on them. At all events,
until the transportation matter is settled,
and settled right, the monopolistic trust
VIII be with US, a leech on our pockets,
barrier to our free efforts.
las for the ethical side, there Is cure
but in an increasing scorn of unfair play
an increasing sense that thing won by
breaking the rules of the game is not worth
the winning. When the business man who
fights to secure special privileges, to crowd
his competitor off the track by other than
fair competitive methods, receives the same
summary disdainful ostracism by his fell
lows that the doctor or lawyer who is I'M
professional, the athlete who abuses the
rule, receives, shall have gone a long
way toward making commerce a fit pursuit
for our young men,.
DIVORCE. By Paul Bourget of the French
Academy. New York: Charles Scrlbners Sons.
This years output of divorce-problem
novels Is unusually large. perhaps finding
its cause. in this country at least in the re-
vival of the church discussion of the ques-
ton. That France is concerned as we'll over
the issue is attested by Paul Bourgeois
story, offering phase of the case which
can have only a feeble counterpart In the
western world There are lacking here the
conditions, both of church law and of state
law, which give rise to the situation he de-
scribes. Temperamentally, too the people
of the United States are unlikely to be in
volved in the dilemma he creates. But
those differences do not initiate against the
strong appeal of the story as a narrative Of
intense human feeling, nor does it lessen
the illumination 1t sheds upon an altogether
problem. AS a novel it fails to
reach the readers acutest emotional inter-
est, for it is too prolix, and its dialogues are
too prolonged and involved in argument. In
fact, the story itself is q, slender structure,
built out to considerable proportions by the
profuse discussions of the various questions
involved in the theme between the untiring
characters. A woman of high social posi-
ton Is divorced from her husband some
years before the story begins and is remar
ried and lives happily with her husband and
her children, a by the first marriage
and a daughter by the second. Her con-
science troubles her. however. as to her re-
lations with the church, and she seeks the
advice and consolation of a priest, who adj
monishes her that the second marriage is
null and she should abandon her happy re-
lations. At this crisis in her life her son
a
woman with an unfortunate past. This girl
had previously been deceived into union
with rascal without legal forms in conse-
quence of her philosophical teachings. Thus
is offered the contrast between the predica-
ment of the mother and Of the son. Some
strong scenes occur, with much dialogue
however. and the story goes to a rather
confused conclusion, with every indication
that the storm has passed and consciences
are stilled and the hearts of all united at
last.
PATHFINDERs OF THE WEST Being the Thrill
Discovered the Great Northwest = Radisson.
author Of Lords of the Norh e.
by Remington Goodwin, Marehand and others.
New York: The Macmillan Company. Wash
ington: Brentano's.
Miss Laut has become an enthusiastic
champion of the claim that Pierre Esprit
Radisson and Medard Chouart Groseilers,
fur traders of Three Rivers. Quebec were
the real discoveries Of the northwest, rather
than Marquette, Joliet and La Sale. For
her assertions to this effect, with citations
from records which bear every evidence of
accuracy and authenticity, she has been
vigorously assailed in print and letters.
Her present work, when published serially,
evoked a storm of criticism which has in
no degree lessened her belief that Radisson
Is really the pioneer whose name deserves
to be commemorated for the first invasion
of the region beyond the lakes. One reason
for the skepticism of today in this regard Is
that for many years the records of Raids
sons expeditions and discoveries were Sc
questered in effect from the public view,
and 1t Is only in recent years that the
archives of Paris have been searched for
historical data. Miss Iaut bases her claim
that Radlsson discovered the regions be-
yond the lakes upon records which she cites
and compares with those of other expedi-
tons and discoveries. Her showing is
strong one and her narrative, apart from
any controversial interest, is dramatic and
entertaining throughout.
FAR FROM THE MADDENING GIRLS. By Guy
wetmore Carryl. New York: Mcclure Phil
lips Co. Washington: Woodward & Lothrop.
1t is a genuine pleasure to stumble across
a charming book such as this, in the mass
of publications. good, bad and Indifferent,
which deluge the reading public at holt
day time. Mr. Carryls wit always was
keen as a rapier and as flashing, at times
requiring the exertion of much mental
nimbleness to follow it to dodge the
thrust of the blade.
In this book he keeps the pace. The
theme is the struggle of a confirmed bach
elor against the inevitable onslaught of
The fate the victim at first
shuns. he naturally runs to overtake when
the book relishes with great gusto, at the
outset, the defiance of the bachelor, and
his scathing criticisms of the pitfalls of
matrimony "Ha," says the hapless bene-
dict, there is man who escapes the COM
mon fate of ALL and laughs to scorn the
clanking of the matrimonial chains shaken
in his face" But. alas, AT the end the
benedict needs must sigh and admit that
the fate of the rash bachelor was inevitable
and. indeed justifiable. Who was he in
deed that he should hope to escape, when
men just as worthy had been fettered?
Speaking of the bachelor, the author says:
"He is magnificent In his isolation in his
Independence OF that preposterous, corpu-
lent little boy with the wings and the bow
and arrow. who sets half the trouble in the
world afoot. And If he ever feels that 1t
is necessary to his peace of mind to cum
Der himself with something which is at
once exorbitantly costly and readily de-
ranged, then, / warrant you, he will have
the good sense to see that what he wants
is an automobile and not wife.
AN automobile keeps up a continual
ciamor whenever you take 1t out; an auto
mobile gets into the habit of blowing you
up at regular intervals and of running
down your neiehbors whenever oppor-
tunity offers; an automobile is forever in
need of new and expensive trimmings and
fittings-but then you can always exchange
an automobile for something useful. l can
say all the rest for a wife, but l can't say