Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-05-18
Reviews of New Books

New Books
theme, sourced over and over again
in reality. If one given to story tell
ing, can only hold himself to restraint
whore unrestraint solicits at every
turn. he is bound to embody in ro-
nance what has been seen many q
time in the actual life Of these four
years. And this is exactly what this
writer has done. The whole develop
ment here rests upon the fact that
when the gods arrive the half-gods go
when big things confront one he
bigness as he himself possesses. Three
people stand out In this story. Mr..
Josiah Munt. proprietor of the Duke
OF Wellington - arrogant, bullying,
hard-handed Josiah Munt. In war
time this tyrannical father and towns
patriotic enterprise. carrying people
along in the fire of his own enthusi-
asm and efficiency. Any writer might
be proud to have made that domineer-
ing. right-hearted old man. Then
there is Sally Munt-a rebel against
her father, but, in the war call hero
Inc of the best kind. And, again. there
is Bill Hollis. despised son-in-law Of
old man Munt. Hollis could not run
store, because, you see, he was an
artist at heart. But he could go to
war-and did: He could die for Eng
iand-and did. So. all of them, these
three. out of a lot Of human handi-
cap. worked. through the common
danger to country. into something big
ana enviable. Your part in the read
ing Will be to weep-toward the last
OF it.tears of joy for Josiah Munt
or al Co1I
tears-of Joy. too. for William Hollis,
"undefeated" at the last. The SIM
piest and straightest work imaginable
and nightly impressive.
TWELVE MEN. BY Theodore Dresser.
author Of Sister Carrie" etc. New
York: Boni & Liveright.
The first of the twelve is Peter. One
reads the initial half-page, the whole
OF the second, and part Of the third.
At this point Mr.. Dresser throws out
the question: DO I seem to rave?"
You not only seem to rave, Mr.. Drei-
ser. you do rave-wandering about
inside of Peter in a joyous rediscov-
cry of the wonderful spirit that
makes of the man "a veritable spring
In the great waste Of American in
tellectual dreariness," then jumping
incontinently to his outside to mark.
in an equal laudation, the general
messiness of Peters waistcoast and
the tousel habit Of his hair. And this
turns out to be Mr.. ~Dreisers way
his method, If you will. And not SO
bad way, after all, since 1t delivers
the man in hand over bodily to the
reader in a curious intimacy Of recog-
milton. in curious tenacity of appeal
Wordy beyond all patience. irrelevant
to utter vexation, hit-or-miss in ap-
proach and attack, Mr.. Dresser is, but
these men-all twelve of them-be-
come, nevertheless, instinct with life
and as real as the folks across the
street. 1t occurs to one that this
method corresponds ex-
actly to the manner in which we actu-
ally make our friends and acquaint-
ances. this fact accounting, more than
likely, for the vividness of these
friends Of the writer. One OF the
ly interesting experiment is its clear
revelation Of Mr.. Dresser himself.
LOVE STORIES. By Mary Roberts
Rinehart, author of 1.-THE Amaz-
ing Interlude." etc. New York:
George H. Doran Company.
Five Of the seven stories Of this vol
ume are hospital episodes elaborated
into romances out Of the unromantic
daily circumstances Of turning from
probationer into a full-fedged
nurse. A probationer implies youth.
A hospital implies the young doctor.
The sympathetic author of these tales
in each case adds beauty to the youth
of the probationer. and susceptibility
to the nature Of the youthful inferno.
Then, in the between whites OF feed
ing and washing the patients, the
% n q n q
tering indictments, q courtship buds
and blossoms most prettily. Mrs.
Rinehart has grace and humor and a
fund Of human feeling. Innumerable
her engaging stories. These serve to
project the main issue in a complete
lffelikeness that captivates the reader.
These hospital stories suffer the least
bit by being brought together. The
suesIand Being monotonous Is the
last thing to be said Of this verse;
tile and fascinating writer. The last
story in the book is a sea story Of
splendid fiber and striking appeal.
that dramatizes the unconquerable
quality of the stricken folks Of war
time. A very tender insight and q
genial power OF recital mark all Of
these inventions.
FORTY DAYS IN 1914 BY Maj. Gen
Sir F. Maurice, X. c. NJ. G.. c. B.
New York: George H. Doran Com
pany.
1t is long time ago-that summer Of
1914. But an unforgetable time. The
Hun head-on for Paris. The allies re-
treating from Mons woeful period for
the world. outside Of Hundom! Then.
suddenly. something happened. Paris
was still safe. Between it and the
enemy there stretched an electrified al
lied army. Hope was born again, forces
were solidified. recreated army was
ly about-the first battle Of the Marne
was fought. One general, commander
of q division both at the Mons retreat
and the Marine battle. became nightly
curious to know what the Hun had been
doing while that retreat was going on.
plans to permit a battle whose victori-
GUS outcome won the war of 1914 for the
allies. To find an answer this general,
the writer of the book in hand, began
to gather in evidence from every avail
able authentic source. With the evil
dence secured Gen. Maurice here re-
constructs. from the German side Of the
line, the plans Of campaign and battle
that animated the minds and prompted
the movements Of the German general
StaH. mlHtaTy history ana German
military theory illuminate and explain
the particular point under consideration.
An equally important point Of this ex-
position Is the manner in which the
German theory was met and its practice
nullihed by the ready readjustments and
enormous resiliencies Of the allied
armies. Maps supplement the text at
crucial points in this turning tide of
battle. A constructive line Of critical
comment accompanies the analysis OF
battle movement. And with it all there
is an ardor Of appreciation for the her
culean work of the allied soldier and