Evening star., 1919-08-31

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setting Forth the High Lights OF
Irish HistoFy. BY George Creel.
author of "Wilson and the Issues,
etc. New York: Harper & Bros
A REVIEW of Irish history.
~ which sums to an unqualified
~ exaltation of Ireland and an
equally unqualified condemna-
tion of England. The purpose of the
production is clearly that of propa-
ganda. It's direct object is to enlist
support of Ireland's present demand
for political independence. to gain Of
fetal recognition of that demand in
this country. and to assist in remov-
ing Ireland from the domain of Eng
lands domestic considerations. Mr..
Creel here retells the story of horne
rule; Of 500 years of Irish war; 200
of Irish rebellion. He gives, also.
summary of the ulster problem.
This long story the writer recounts
with fiery ardor and in leaping. move
ment. Out of it two facts stand start
lingfy clear. One of these encom-
passes the tragedy of the Irish people
under English domination. An un-
speakably bitter tragedy stands stark
and accusing here. The other fact is
that of the English people-the Eng
1ish government the writer would. no
were to judge England from this sur
vey-then the Hunnish tribes have
nothing on the English nation. IN
speakable in cruelty, despicable in
treachery, dishonorable in every sin
gle attitude and gesture is that Eng
land of this book. Yet, as nations go,
there is a pretty good record back of
That same old England. And one
thinks that Mr.. Creels story would
have met its obvious purpose better if,
Just now and then, he had conceded
another side to this completely one
sided view. Everything has two sides
TO it-everything save Mr.. Creers sur
vey OF 1reland's fight for freedom.
THE MOON AND THE sIxPENCE.
BY W. Somerset Maugham, author
OF OF Human Bondage" ETC. New
York: George H. Doran Company.
Imagine. if you can. a successful busi-
ness man-forty years old and more.
married for twenty years at least
who suddenly walks or out of this
complex of respectability and betak es
himself. first to Paris, then to the
South seas. where he paints gorgeous
pictures, chooses a half-barbaric mate
fathers some semi-savage young ones
and dies triumphant in the freedom of
his own deliberate choosing. Impos-
sibie? More than likely-and yet out
of this fantastic situation Mr.. Maug-
ham builds in unerring analysis and
with clean precision human being
who, in spite of one, commands, ac-
ceptance as a brother in the human
tribe II it were possible, let any one
oeJectify his secret dreams, expand
himself to the measure of his own pri-
yate self-appraiSals, choose the stage
that his inner personal self hunKerS
Tor. seize upon the wide field of his
souls desire-why, then, there would
appear a man as different from the
one who looks in his glass and knots
MS neat tie of morning, and walks
with tidy steps along the street, and
hedges himself Sedulously in the
round of social hypocricies as is this
man of Maugham's terrifyingly clear
portrayal from the staid Charles
Strickland. stock broker, with whom he
set out. No one is going to do this,
outside of a book. He doesn't dare
But he reads the story, accepting here,
the courage at one point. glad that
he has not at another-all the time
convinced that this is remarkable
exposure of truth. truth dug out from
under the outside layers that a fear
ful society has imposed, for the gem
eral safety. upon that most fascinat-
ing and most mystifying of all phe-
nomena-human nature. A revolving
story, because it Is such a naked one
and anything naked, even truth. is
revolving. 1t is, however, a remarka-
BILE and a remarkably daring, work of
genius.
THE WAY TO VICTORY. BY Philip
Gibbs. author of The Soul of the
War;" etc. New York: George H.
Doran Company.
while was listening to this tale"
says Philip Bibbs at random OPEN
ing of The Way of Victory guns
were firing over the ridge ahead of
us. and a German aeroplane was
lowering above watching our move
ment of men and horses. and Arches
were shooting hard, and at the same
time. not far away. . band was play
ing The Wearin' O. the Green and
close to me an Indian soldier was
chanting the Koran to a number
of other soldiers of his race squatting
around him. 1t is all like fan
tastic nightmare, this war of ours,
but in such scenes az this one hears
the truth of great realities. straight.
things in the midst Of tragedy and
sometimes of mems weakness" A
picture, you See-colorful, dramatic,
a concrete bit of war lifted bodily
into the open and excited conscious
ness OF the reader. So, throughout.
these two volumes serve to transport
one to the actual scenes of war
those scenes that inclose and vitalize
for US remote from the war itself the
critical year lying between Novem-
armistice. The first of these volumes
rises step by step to the impending
menace of the German offensive in
the early months of this decisive year.
From this it passes out, in the second
volume, to the allied repulse of the
Germans. to the deat ruction of the
invulnerable Hindenburg line; to our
armies in pursuit: to the last battle
OF Flanders: Of the signing of the
armistice. Amazing pictures. COM
tial war stun. combine here in a
gigantic panorama of war. Overfed
with war stories? 1t may be- But
nowhere else. one thinks, is to be
found quite SO complete a blend of
truth and picture and perspective
as these two volumes by Philip Gibbs
bring to hand.
JIMMY THE CARRIER, A Felix Com
edy of Rural EnEland. BY Israe]
Zangwill. author of Children OF
the Ghetto" etc. New York: The
Macmillan Company.
In his new novel Mr.. Zangwill takes
the reader into fields that are fresh
and unexpectedHa quiet corner OF
England where war and race animosi-
ties are unknown, where the current
of life is smooth and untroubled-a
place where the fighting, numbering
world outside is as remote as Mars
Here, in peace and Quietude, the sur
rises and shines all day long upon the
falls for the greening Of lovely fields
and the winds blow for the freshen.
ing bodies wearied with honest and
peaceful labor. Within this so restfu