Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-09-12
Reviews of New Books

AERBERT HOOVER, The Man and
His Work. By Vernon Kellogg,
author OF Headquarters Nights.
- etc. New York: d. Appleton Co.
r ERBERT HOOVER is known
- the world over as head OF
the United States Food Ad-
ministration during the war,
and as head of the American Reilef
Administration for Europe since the
war. But as boy and man and pr1-
yate citizen ones information about
this particular American is sketch!
and insufficient. Vernon Kellogg
story of the life and work Of Hoover
is directly calculated to I'LL out the
sketch to somethink like the full
measure of the man himself Inc
account begins with the Quaker an
cestry of Herbert Hoover. with the
early loss of both father and mother,
with a boyhood like that of the aver
age American boy, with the incldent
that turned him toward the klnd OF
Z schooling that produced the mining
engineer, with his work in Leland
Stanford University. and his maj
emergence into the profession or MS
choice. Beyond this point the story
is that Of the administrator. pure and
simple To reanimate dead or dying
mines, to oc,s>ct men and material,
to coordinate and project and achieve
that is the story. In LONDON, IN
Australia, in China. back to New YORK
and San Francisco-wherever the
place. whatever the special problem
the attack and the achievement are
merely the administrative projection
of the man himself. Mr.. Kellogg pc
1ieves in the BOSS" and admires him
prodigiously. He keeps steady
hand. however-so far as one is aole
to judge-not allowing the train OF
his appreciation to dodge any es-
sential fact in the public service OF
Herbert Hoover. The story is as full
of interest as it is of suggestion ana
Inspiration.
YANKEE INGENUITY IN THE WAR.
BY Frank Parker Stockbridge. IL
Illustrated. New York: Harper q
Bros.
From many sources of ohcia! au,
thority Mr.. Stockbridge has gathered
into the available compass OF the vol.
ume in hand some of the marvels OF
Yankee ingenuity applied to the bust
ness of prosecuting the war. The au-
thor himself says that he has taken on
only the top of these inventions, dls-
coveries. devices and achievements.
Here he shows how science and in
dustry. modified as partners, pro-
duced the liberty motor. developed the
airplane industry and the military
airplane. He describes the chemical
conquest of the air, overcoming the
German monopoly in this direction.
He pictures certain feats in ship
building, gives account of the WON
ders of war wireless. enumerates in
Vulnerable dollar-saving devices, as
courses upon camoufiage and, in the
last chapter, sets down some of the
surgical and medical achievements
worked out by the Yankee medical
corps. Each OF these chapters is a
sort of miracle story. Out OF officia!
record as the skeleton of the account
the author has produced fiesh-and-
blood body of substantiated fact that
is calculated to put into permanent
retirement some hitherto fascinating
Inventions about the wonders of the
world. A very absorbing book.
THE BATTLE OF JUTLAND; The
Sowing and the Reaping. By Car
lyon Bellairs, NJ. p London: Hold
der & Stoughton.
This book is in no sense mere mar
rative Of the battle Of Jutland whose
victory by both England and Ger
many. On the contrary. this is an ar
raignment, a challenge. the one side
of controversy. Its specific founda-
Of the feet under his command in the
battle of Jutland. This report, how
ever. but constitutes a center from
which the author moves out into
wide range Of scathing criticism of
system SO Anticipated, SO short-sight-
= ed. SO land-ridden by shore bureau
Gratis. as to produce out of its own in
herent weaknesses the fasco OF Jut-
land. The immediate arraignment,
consisting of twelve specific charges
plea for the return to the historic
doctrine of warfare that animated
Nelson At Trafalgar. that, on land,
was the guiding star of Napoleon, of
Frederick the Great. or another of the
world conquerers. The study is. in
effect. a contrast Of historic vision to
the dull routine of material perfection
of gunnery. discipline. too close and
indexible an anchorage to the Office
Of the admiralty. too secure a faith
any foe Of England. The study is of
revolutionary intent. 1t is book Of
expert knowledge. It is book whose
animating spirit is. clearly. patriot
mand it must prove to be a most ar
resting book. To the mere landsman
1t Is an informing and fascinating
story. not only Of a famous war
event. but of the whole subject of
English sea power.
PRESIDENTS AND PIES; Life In
WasAinEton. ls97-1819. By Isabel
BOSTON,
Houghton Miflin Company.
Some politics. a touch Of history.
- dash Of description. with q flavor Of
social affairs"-such is the filling"
OF the Washington pie" that Mrs.
Anderson offers to those who. with
her. find endless charm in the lovely
city itself. as well as in the unique
and shifting content Of it's social life.
Swimming the period between the
Spanish American war and the world
var. this writer with an easy motion
lifts into ones passing interest that
blend Of statesman, politician, diplo.
mat. soldier and civilian that consti-
tutes Washington society. Visiting
celebrities, royal and otherwise. throw
occasional high lights upon the pic
turSeque procession. Sketch and por-
! trait. scene and incident, crowd one
another for place here. These are
punctuated by amusing comment.
frank disclosure, shrewd touches of
analysis and a generally waywise
method OF approach. An admirable
sense Of humor and good fun carries
the whole matter across to the reader
in just those light balances of effect
that are suggested. and even imposed,
by Mira Anderson's original purpose
in producing this sketch Of Washing
ton life under four widely varying
presidential administrations.
THE OTHER WOMAN. By Norah Da-
Wis, author of THE Northerner."
etc. New York: The Century Com
pany.
This is the story of man-young,
successful. happy-with a wife and
son, with friends and standing in the
community. The man disappears. For
seven years no trace of him can be