Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-09-05
Reviews of New Books

ICYy BY. Charles H Sheriff., au-
thor Of 'Modernising the Monroe
Doctrine" etc. New York: Charles
Scribner's Sons.
A SINGLE purpose animates the
~ admirable study in hand. That
~ purpose is to promote a better
understanding between the far
east and our own country. To serve this
purpose the author presents certain fun
damental facts that must be taken into
account in any adequate solution Of the
rising problem Of the Pacific. The prob
lem itself centers In the probable future
policy Of Japan. The facts bearing
upon this problem include not only
Japan to the far west Of the Pacific,
but 1t includes rs well the Anglo
Saxon haH.ring to the south and east
Of the Pacihc-Canada, United States,
Australia. Contact points here mig ht
be-outside of a generous and just
craftsmanship from all hands-the
Caroline Islands taken over from Ger
many by Japan, islands that stand di-
rectly on the way between the United
States and the Philippines. In the in
terest of the understanding for which
the study is made. Mr.. Sheriff. makes
a graphic record of his own findings
in Japan and the far east generally.
is neither an advocate nor detrac-
! tor Of Japan. He is, on the contrary.
just an open-minded man. trained in
observation OF peoples and events,
practiced. also. in plain statement
but not statement so plain as to have
lost either the color or the warmth
inherent to the subject One sees
Of appraisafs that stand sturdily by
facts and the general behaviors Of
human nature the world over. Here
natural accommodations, a rational
give-and-take course is laid down.
Recent history in the east. the new
international outlook. the expanded
obligations Of all nations. particular
ly our own-these are the elements
that enter into this wise and fore
seeing study. One recalls here the
reasonable sanity of Mr.. Sherrilrs
"Modernizing of the Monroe Doctrine"
The same big qualities mark this
study. An Introduction by David
Jayne Hill pays tribute to the value
Of this writer's opinions. The reader
pays his own modest tribute Of graft
tude also.
VISIONS AND BELIEFS IN THE
WEST OF IRELAND. Collected
and arranged by Lady Gregory.
New York: G. p. Putnam's Sons.
In these two volumes Lady Gregory
has collected hundreds Of the stories
that in the west OF ireland have been
told to one generation after another
body the imaginings and beliefs of
the immemorial Irishry. 1t is the
mission, the religion Of race, on the
part OF Lady Gregory to seize and
hold the main body Of this Irish folk
lore against the astonishingly swift
inroads OF modern ways OF thinking
and doing. So here one comes into
the company Of witches and wizards,
Of seers and healers. Of banshees, OF
the evil eye and touch. OF charms
and magic Of many another sort. In
the reading one wonders. all oyer
imagination-so sensitive. so believ-
ing. 30 familiar in its neighborings
with every manner OF invisible thing,
both good and evil There's no doubt
Of thing in other countries. but you
hear more about them in these parts
because the Irish do be more familiar
In talking about them" It may be
20. but one doubts 1t. Two essays
By w. 2: Yeats gather up into some
| -
pnraive view the material which
Lady Gregory has given here In the
parts and fragments that were given
to her from the Irish peasantry itself
through her years Of work In col
Letting from them these folklore
taleA
3HE RAPIDS. BY Alan Sullivan, 4u-
thor Of The Inner Door, etc. New
York: D. Appleton & Co.
Once in long. long time. life pro-
duces human being who works more
like . force of nature than like spas
modic and easily frustrated man. Such
one has Mr.. Sullivan expended him
self upon In this story Of Industrial
pioneering. Robert Clark collaborates
here. so to speak. with the rapids of
st. Mary'S for the expression of nat
ural resources in the form of mod
ern industry. To the vision Of Robert
Clark the tumbling water Of the
rapids Is for the turning Of wheels,
for the erection of great factories to
transform hinterland Of forest and
mine into products for the support
and comfort Of modern existence. I'm
der this tndomitable force miracles
grow day by day in the neighborhood
of St Masy'a Profit is not in this
mans scheme Of things. Personal
glory II far away from 10 plans He
u possessed by q spirit Of creation
~ other men are in the mastery Of
the spirit to create in print. in paint,
in marble. To the average reader the
story Is colorful and exciting adj
venture in the western wflds. To the
occasional reader it is a remarkable
study conferred upon . type OF which
one catches only an fnfreQuent
glimpse, but a most compelling type
when it does appear.
JANE. BY Anna Alice Chaplin, au-
thor Of 'The Eagles Mate" etc
New York: G. p. Putnams Sons.
You will find yourself recalling Jane
at intervals for long time after
reading about her here. Jane is a
runaway from home. BY pure acct
dent she becomes a member of a thea
ter band of the "one-ni ght-stand'
variety. The scheme of the story
matters very little. It is Jane that
counts. The writer has achieved a
good deal Of a triumph in this little
Irish girl, who 10 entirely believable
in her goodness, in her heavenly kind
ness, in her joyousness. No, this is
not . sunshine" story. Far from it
BY q raro good fortune this writer
has bean inspired to select her human
qualities and to combine them with
50 keen . feeling for their values as to
set before tho reader 4 wholly accept.
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