Evening star., 1915-12-19

j. d.
pany.
R~R 4HENEvER and wherever
Nv deep and widespread dis
NAx aster befalls, one invariably
w sees in the press, notices Of
the swift mobilization OF
the Red Cross forces upon that point.
Out of such repeated readings one mas
come into state of clear confidence IN
the pure philanthropy and the high
efficiency of the Red Cross organiza :
ton. But knowledge so gained is. at
the best, imperfect, requiring broader
view of the Red Cross, more intimate
approach to it's operations. in order to
round it in ones mind to its right pro-
portions The book in hand supplies
this view and fulfills this requirement.
Here is the full story of the Red Cross
in its origin, it's aims, its organlZa-
ton and development, the story of its
activities and achievements up to the
present moment-the story, too, of its
.on-pressing needs and its future hopes.
1t is hardly conceivable that a plain
recopd of fact, such as this is, can take
on all the vivid colors of pure invention
as this plain record does. Set always
in the stresses of disaster-followin
swiftly in the wake of fire. flood, fam
the cyclone, the terror of, the earth
quake, the horrors of war-the Red
Cross appeals to the deepest feelings
that can stir man in his relations to
mankind. The story is told here with
the sympathy that lies implicit in the
theme itself, and with the sympathy
also that is sourced in the writer's
personal knowledge of the Red Cross
- and in her very real participation with
every phase of its existence. The mar
rative moves swiftly forward with the
spirit and energy that the theme itself
is bound to kindle. Illustrations COM
bine with the text to show the broad
sweep and the multlform activities OF
the Red Cross. This, the first compre-
hensive and complete history of the or
ganization. is offered. at IL moment Of
supreme trial-at a moment when the
Red Cross is gioriouSly and triumphant
ly justifying itself on all the battle
fields. offered to the public at this
time and under these circumstances, it
comes at the moment when the public
is most eager to know more of the
amazing story of the Red Cross.
ASHES AND SPARKS. By Richard
Wightman. author of "Soul-Spur,
etc New York: The Century Com
pany-
A sturdy optimistic manhood, on the
one hand, and a profound feeling for
the sheer natural beauty of the world,
ties that stand clear in Richard Wight
mans poems. The first sings ruggedly
and robustly here. The other sets it
self a-song, more quiet-wise, about one
or another of natures innumerable
lovelinesses. And in between these two,
taking from both, are love tunes TO
lady with many names. And there is
q finely noble love tribute also that
sets off with
you Frances dog
And was just man.
Here, too, are cadenced musings on
the deep mystery in whose greatly
puzzling maze we are all moving for
grim:
am my ancient self:
The Turing light before;
Behind. the rod;
And in the beam and blow
The misty God.
am my ancient self.
My flesh is young
But old, mysterious words
Engage my tongue.
And weird. lost songs
Old tarts have sung.
j have not Jared alone
In mount and dell
The one / fain would be
Stands by me WE'LL
And bids my mans heart list
To the far bell.
Give me goal
Only the Way
A bit of bread and sleep
Where the white waters play,
The pines, the patient stars,
And the new day.
What is and what is not poetry will
furnish food for contention for all time,
no doubt. And one can see the potter
ing critic mulling these verses for
strain at this point and f1eck at that
one. He will, of course. This is his
Nevertheless these
will be loved for the new places of
feeling and enjoying to which they lift
the reader. They will be loved for
their beauty. for their spirit, and for
their well nigh f1awless measures
GLIMPsEs OF THE COSMOS. BY Les
ter F. Ward. LII. D., author of
Dynamic Sociology" etc. New
York: G. p. Putnams Sons.
This is the fourth book in a series
OF eight volumes, planned to cover the
life work of Lester F. Ward. IncIud-
ing the years from 1885 to 1893, this
volume shows the direction and quail
ity of the writer's thought between
the ages Of forty-four and ffty-two
Immediately following the period in
which Mr.. Wards great Dynamic So
GEOLOGY" was brought to completion,
the eight years included In this volume
mark the taking up of matters that had
lain waiting for the fulfliment of the
greater work. The substance of this
Volume " in the series consists of
notes on the character and progress of
Nr. Wards scientific reports to the
United States government. of magazine
articles and addresses made by him
from time to time. and each stamped
with the date and place and occasion
OF its production: of glimpses of BIZ
ograpFy; of bits of personal experience
and touches of history. This forms a
wide range Of scientific theme. Ar
ranged in the order of their occurrence,
the topics sum not only to a wealth OF
historic material in the domain of
science and applied science. but they
serve to constitute, also, mental auto
biography of the writer himself. Pro-
found and self-exacting as man of
science. Mr.. Ward was. at the same
time. conspicuously simple in his meth
od of thinking. And his writing is Of
piece with his clear and uninvolved
thought-processes. Therefore this
story of a mans mental life, revealed
by way of the story of his life work
has a general appeal which is not confined
TO the scientific reader alone. No other
plan could have served quite so ef-
fectually to bring the reader into a
personal relation with this distin-
guished thinker and writer as the one
chosen for developing "Glimpses of the
Cosmos"
ANOTHER BOOK On THE THEATER
By George Jean Nathan. New York
b. w. Huebsch
This book is of little use except to