New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-09-13
SOCIAL SERVICE.

4 MANS WORLD. BY Albert EDWARDS.
Emo, DID. 3i2 The Macmillan Compan|'
Mr.. Edwards long ago established his
rizht TO speak with authority as an III
yestixator of social and economic con-
ditions among the poor abroad as wen
as in this country. Much mas peeH
written these many years about Ne"
Yorl's Stun life and the crime anu
vice which Il fosters and which fecd
upon il. yet IL is safe 70 say that few
more searching pictures have even been
drawn OF the misery Of the submerged
and OF the bewildering difficulties tnat
con,ront the resolute struggle for bet
Ter conditions. We have progFessed
from the sentimental 10 the scientific
view in dealing with this subject IN
our fiction. and az we have progresses
the admlxture of fiction has grown
loss. that OF facts unadorncd greater.
The book purports 20 be the AUTO
biography Of a male "Tomos angel, 4
volunteer missionary, whose mission
was not spiritual but practical ana
whose right of admission 10 the oiu
prison was based upon an appointment
as county detective. given to him oy
tho powers that were twenty years
ago and that still persist. Judges
iailers, the District Attorneys Office,
the "Old Man" in lith street himself
all were ready. and even anxious, -
assist him In his efforts to soften, II
not 10 abolish. certain evils, provided
ALWAYS. that he closed his eyes 20
others. which had a political connota-
ton. Particularly interesting is the
authors contrast between the injustice
and cruelty and unspeakable baseness
az the system" AS q whole. and tho
kindheartedncss of its members az M
diyiduals where the misslonary's inter-
ference did not conflict with their al
fairs. We all have known this for
many years. but Mr.. Edwards gives II
a vivid human touch. He, or rather
his photographed protagonist, has
nm l'|Ipi'hl az 10 WV 80 aAa'
cal theories, but he deals mainly with
the facts from which ne has dravp
them, and even here he warns his
reader 10 distinguish between testi-
mony and the truth, II that be posi-
bic. Employing the fctional form, he
has his hero and heroine. of course.
tho child white slave Of the slums and
the retormer who inarries her on tho
chance OF retaining her. but they in
terest us less than do his numerous
obscure cases, where justice is douo
through his influence even as his OWN
uncommon personal experiences OF tho
emotional life are OF less significance
70 Wy than he attaches to them.
Here, indeed, ono approaches the
feature Of the story that will puzzle
many OF its readers. and provoke the
protest OF others, the Introduction OF
the trained nurse who places her am
bition and its Observation-Disclosures
cal blology-above marriage, but who,
instead Of paying the price Of conse-
Grafton and ''enial. compromises with
love In the union libre" OF anarchistic
doctrine. She no doubt. belongs 10 the
flctional part OF the story. or at best,
represents u sporadic case that has
come 10 the authors attention. Il
proves nothing. IL has certainly far
less meaning outside the mission
ary's personal life than his biographer
appears to believe. In the end the
reader takes leave OF this record Of
twenty years OF battle with q feeling
Of hopefulness, with conviction that
the world is staggering onward anu
upward toward the betterment Of IN
tolerable conditions. II Is striking
book that should attract wide atten-
ton.