Evening star., 1921-11-13
Reviews of New Books
FROM THE AMERICAN EN-

RUSSIA FROM THE AMERICAN EN-
BASSl,A.'fi. lJits-..Sssm (.
By David r. Francis. Illustrated.
New York: Charles Scribner's Sons.
a s United States ambassador to
n Russia between the years
IA 1s16-1s. Mr.. Francis saw this
country pass out from under
the car into prov SOMA
snent, then to revolution, then to anar-
chy. The book in hand Is an intimate
and informal record Of the salient
points in this transition. Himself on
the ground by virtue Of his Office, Mr..
Francis was able to seize at first hand
the various manifestations Of this
disintegra+ion Of a great empire. He
was able. also, to co-ordina.e these
widely separated manifestations into
an Illuminating unit for the world
outside Of Russia to gather for its in
formation. In addition to this COM
prehensive. view the book gives in
Vulnerable side-lights on the Russian
ly with certain conspicuous persons
who are behind the downfall Of Rus
sta i.nnin. the outs;"7 o.
openly declared to be German agent
Of disruption in the empire. Others
come N for an equally iran" app. --Is
al. Made un Of sonal ,ette-s o
communications both official and un-
Official. of independent reflections
upon the passing phenomenon before
him, the book in hand Is invaluable to
the student of Russian affairs, both
by virtue of these facts and the posi-
tion>of the writer In relation to his
sources of information and to the
government of Russia itself.
HAIL, COLUMBIA! Random Impress
siOna Of q Conservative EnEliSh
Radical. By W. L. George. author
of "Cakiban," etc. illustrated by
George Wright. New York: Har-
per & Bros.
Mr. George justiaes his claim to
conservatism by waiting six whole
months before writing up" the
United States and the people thereof.
One judged that the foreign visitor
with a bent toward expression took
his pen IN hand at the port Of New
York and kept it flowing till it went
of into the Pacific. This restraint
accounts. one assumes: for the gen
vations on the big country. He is i'm
raensely Interested. There is no
doubt about that. Sometimes he is
puzzled. despite an effort to conceal
this failure Of his mind to function
simultaneously with some of our per-
1oA Aa0hSSS. o3S0u h0 10 0HluSSas plCdo~
antly amused. But not or a single
minute is he naughty. The naughty
Englishman must have gone out Of
fashion, or else he stays at home.
Certainly he Is a r v. in this 10
cality. By way OF Mr.. Georges jour-
ney-in at the east door. down to the
gulf. out to the coast and back again.
we get q new view of our own coun-
try-a gratifying view. too. on the
whole-we see how 1t impresses this
waywise and intelligent visitor. we
straighten up bit under the kindly
scrutiny, pull down our vests,
straighten out our ties and hope, sim
cerely, that he will come again. We
like him. We like what he thinks
OF US. We do not object to his occa-
sional fits OF bewiIderment. He is,
you see, as young as the country is,
so he expands and enjoys its lusty
youth just as We do.
THE ELEPHANT GOD. By Gordon
Casserly. New York: G. p. Put
mans Sons
Not once in a blue moon does one
come out Of a novel bringing with him
an actually alive person. As a rule,
as soon as the book Is read, even the
best OF Its characters retreat into their
own essential uprea!ity of feature and
behavior. Not SO here, however Out
OF this romance Of India one rescues a
naan-vivid. appealing. persistent More
than that. He makes the acquaintance
and forms an admirng friendship for
Badshah. the great elephant. This is,
In sum. the story Of the love that lay