Evening star., 1920-03-21
Reviews of New Books

BY John Spargo. author of "Bol-
shevism," etc. New York: Harper
& Bros.
TINE aim of this book is to i'm
press the United States, it's
government and its business
men with the Importance of
securing a share in the volume OF
ton of Russia will offer to the other
countries of the world. That is, this
is the aim claimed for the book by
the author himself. However know
ing something of Mr.. Spargos gen.
era1 outlook, one seeks another aim,
or larger one, encompaSSing this
avowed objective, and he finds it in
the argument and appeal to save Rus
STA to western civilization rather than
to let 1t become orientalized as its
other alternative. The road to both
of these objective points is taken
through a very complete and convinc-
ing sum of illustration and argument.
Debauched by Germany on the one
hand. and in the way of being similar
ly debauched on the other hand by
Japan, Germany's second self in the
orient, Russia can be saved to the
civilization of modern democracy only
by the sympathy and the active as
sistance of the United States and the
other western powers when the right
moment for help comes. And here Mr..
Spargo draws the line between as
sistance and interference The steps
to this summary are, to the average
reader. of great Importance For the
author has placed compact, well or
ganized body of knowledge, both i'm
mediate and practical in it's essence
and bearing, into the hands of those
who want fair and dependable view
Of the dilemma of the Russian people
FOCH: The Winner of the War. BY
Raymond Recouly, author Of Gen
Jofre and His Battles" Translat-
ed by Mary Cadwalader Jones. New
york: Charles Scribner's Sons.
But for this translator we should
have missed the admirable story of
Foch at the hands of an admiring
compatriot, himself also trained
soldier in the armies of France. This
upon Foch. Only a touch or two to
give the setting of birth and early
years. and the account moves solidly
into the story of Foch, the student of
war. the teacher in a war college, the
officer in the field, the commander. and.
of the west. One can see any man of
military training absorbed in this
account, which has to do, about half
and half. with the technic of war and
with its embodiment in the personal
ity of single man. The fighting In
Flanders and on the Somme objec-
tify Fochs war theory here step by
step, and the leadership of the man
himself gives life and substance to
the technical conduct of the war it
self. One feature of the book is the
authors devotion to Joffre, who
stands here with Foch as the master
spirits of the French army. The whole
is pre-eminently worth the while of
any reader. To the army officer it
must prove a clear inspiration
MODES AND MORALS. By Katherine
Fullerton Gerould. author of Vain
Obiations" ect. New York: Charles
Scribner's Sons.
That for which the reader best likes
Mrs. Gerould in this volume of essays
is her saying outright what the reader
himself has thought, but did not say.
Through laziness, or cowardice. or the
equal crime of being without opinions
the most of us stay in the ditto class
Here is a writer who has moved sharp
ly out of it to exercise the right OF
independent thinking and speaking
This right applied to certain current
aspects of life and literature pro-
duces a group of essays that are
specially rich in fresh points Q. vieW,
in individual outlook, in an energetlc
and stirring mode of expression. These
are distinctly suggestive essays, as
well as substantially informins ones.
To people of reading bent The Re-
markable Rightness of Rudyard Kip
ling" will be as enjoyable in confirma. .
ton as is also the entirely different
outlook upon the group Of British
novelists-Hugh Walpole. Gilbert Can
nan, Compton Mackenzie and the rest.
with an aside for Wells and Bennett
and Galesworthy. Very fine and sound
work here. All of these ESSAYS are
however, tinctured with literature
even "The Newest Woman" and "Fash-
ions in Men"-for the writer is sea-
soned reader and thinker who inter-
prets much of the passing show
throw the medium of its literary por-
trayals.
POOR RELATIONS. By Compton
Mackenzie, author of "Plashers
Mead" etc. New York: Harper &
Bros.
1t takes no more than few dol
lars "over and above" to snug one
up nightly in the bonds of family
affection. One recalls, as if it were
yesterday, that first months pay as
teacher in Washington-$75, an un-
heard-of wage up in Chateaugay-
with it's immediate sequence or ram
lily letters. One from Uncle Bill
would be glad to give a m9rtgage mo
one from Cousin Tom, sure to- pay
it back in a couple Of months, and
one from Brother Will, would be
most awfully good of you. .odo
that these were all men-not so very
odd either when one realizes that this
, in
tive notions concerning the place OF
male and female in the social scneme e
of things. An unconscious Vetlgiai
outcropping of our human begln
nings. this. However. all TINS is
merely to say that one falls into MI.
Mackenzie's story as if it were his
very own, save that the poor relations
are swollen to a tribe in his story
and the benefactor is really sue
cessful and prosperous and popular
pIay-maker The book is deilc1ous
One savors it. from page to page, in
reminiscent partaking Of it's beau
tiful knowledge of human nature
when human nature goes out a gun :
ming for it's own satisfaction at the
expense of the other Fellow Cream
cut pictures, now sharply etcneo' now
smoothly washed in. but every time
true to the special manifestation with
which they have to do. One works
himself up to an excitement OF re-
sentiment for the unfailing good
humor and indulgence of this OPEN
handed man. And one halls with
actual relief the real girl who res
cues this man, loosening the family
knot to a degree in order to slip him
into the moose of her own pretty:
wholesome affection and sterling good
sense. This is delightful work in a
vein that diners greatE from MI
THE STARS INCLINE. BY Jeanne
hudson, author of Reckoning
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