Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1920-01-31
REVIEWS OF NEW BOOKS
Open Gates TO Russia" ny Malcolm w.
Dnvis illustrated New York City:

i To many persons in this country, Rus
STA is sealed book Its vastrtss OF ter
ritory, variety Of peoples and general in
accessibility, especially during the past
! few years, coupled with the exciting cpl.
sodes of the revolution and tho present
governmental turmoil, have operated t.
prevent the dissemination of reliable In
| formation as to Russian conditions to the
outside world.
Nor do many of the people Of Russia
understand their country, especially since
the tremendous uphcaval brought about
| by the war. This is most Interestingly
shown by one incident related by MIR,
+, Davis in this book:
in another village the peasants greeted
an old friend from a nearby city one day
some months after the revolution of
March, 1917, in great perplexity What
has happened in Russia they said.
Something is wrong in Russia. We do
not understand and we want someone to
| tell U.S. This is how it is One day some
weeks ago n student came to our village
| from Petrograd. We had never seen him
before and did not know at all who he
was However, he told us there had been
revolution, and that now we were all
| free. and that the Gar had given up the
| throne, and we are to have a government
of the people in Russia. He SAID he repre-
sented a party--we have forgotten the
name-and that if we would vote for. his
party it would do everything for the IN
terest of the peasants and look after
them. We were surprised, but thought
this very fine.
Some time after this there came a
workman from Moscow We had never
seen him before, either, but he said he had
come to explain 10 us about the rcyoiu-
ton. We told him that the student had
already been here and told us about Il,
/ but he said we must not believe what the
student had said to us. He said that the
student was lying when he told us his
party would act for the welfare of the
people. He said that he represented
another party, the party of the working
people, and that the peasants should unite
with it. If they did that, he SAID, IT would
he the strongest party and would do
everything for the good of the people.
Then. some time later, there came
woman TO the village. She SAID she had
come to explain about the revolution.
We told her about the other two speakers
who had come. and asked her If she could
clear up what they had told us. She said
she could. and said we must net believe
the real party OF the people, welfare. III
We would disregard all the other speakers,
she said, and would vote for her party,
she could promise that everything would
be done to give US the land and everything
we need Now we do not know what to
think We want TO advise with some one
whom we know. We want you to explain
to us what it is that has happened TO
Russia, and what II Is that We must do.
Here we see a large class of the people
Of Russia, and it is no wonder they were
the prey of rabid propagandlsts. But they
are the Russian people, and they coDstl-
tute n country with possibilities and with
needs MIR Davis. IN his very entertaining
book deals with this phase of the situation
and shows Russia as a country with vast
opportunities through reconstruction
opportunities for development, expansion
and trade with other countries. He deals
especially with the trade opportunities,
and shows how they may be awaited OF by
capital and enterprise In our own country.
Mir Davis vigorously challenges the
present American indifference to Russia
and the possibilities Of profitable inter
course. The opportunities are especially
open TO us In fact, he says: iii remains
with Americans to keep the gates to
Russia open to them for the years OF
come.
Received of the publishers.
ssThe Friendly Stars" BY Martha Evans
Martin Introduction by Harold Jaco1y
Phi. D., Rutherford Professor Of As
tronomy at Columbia University. New
York City; Harper & Brothers
The heavens are subject of amending
and untiring interest TO thousands OF per-
sons. even TO those who never give any
attention TO the formal study OF as
tronomy. The brilliant armament, with
its myriads of stars. hold their attention
and incite their wonderment. 10 these
persons this book will be source Of
pleasure as well as instruction, while it
Will prove a veritable delight to those who
have an interest IN and some knowledge
Of the science OF Astronomy.
Miss Martin has studied the stars as
one studies human beings. To her they
are friends, and IN her book she shares
with the readers the pleasure she had in
what NAV be called "a relation of per
sonal friendship with the stars. Zone
has a fine sense of companlonship with
the stars when he has secured this kind
of acquaintance with them-when on
looking out of the window at any hour of
the night he can see familiar face twink
ling at him IS if IN friendly recognition of
the fact that he must know IT Is due at
that hour and Is expecting 10 see IT.
SAYS Professor Jacoby IN his introduction
Well, this rs what the author has done.
The reader is introduced to the stars, 10y
name, as he is introduced 10 another per-
son. and also is fully informed Of all the
interesting characteristics and habits Of
each star thus introduced. All the fa-
miliar constellations-the Great Dipper,
for instance-are explained, most OF them
by diagrams that fully set forth The
formation from which they derive their
names And from the instructions given
no reader can fail to accurately locate
them, with ease
Also. the reader may become familiar
With the movements of all these heavenly
bodies, the courses they follow, the time
tables they adh-re to with such amazing
regularity so as TO know when and where
10 look for any or all at stated times. All
the heavenly leaders are introduced hy
name Their total number is gwen, their
light and their distances All sections OF
the skY are covered, above and below the
equator, stretching to the extremes of the
North and South Poles Very interesting.
also is the information of the meaning of
the names Of many stars.
So here is a book OF information and
pleasure. an opening t. the reader of the
opportunity of familiar acquaintance
with THE Friendly Stars"
Received of the publishers.