The New York herald., 1922-01-01

| OF ALL TH1NGSl By Robert Bench
| ley. illustrated by Gluyas Williams.
Henry Holt & Co.
| = OLEMNITY is the first duty of
civilized man. Other writer's
~ may sometimes forget this
Mr.eBenchley never does. The passion
ate seriousness evidenced in his first
book presages better days for Ameri-
can literature. Realizing that mis-
taken sense Of humor and a disregard
of the real and concrete matters of
life are gnawing at the root of our
national development, this earnest and
responsible author has gathered to-
gether several valuable observations
upon contemporary customs in a
charming philosophical volume dedi-
Gated to Henry Bessemer in recogni-
ton of his seldom remembered yet
mighty contribution to American let
ters-the Bessemer steel converter.
Equally telling is the preface in
which Mr. Benchley reminds his read
ers that "ali men are created equal;
that they are endowed by their Creator
with certain unalienable rights; that
among these are life, liberty and the
pursuit of happiness. >. The his
tory Of the present King of Great
Britain is a history of repeated in1u-
ries and usurpations. all having in di-
rect object the establishment of an
absolute tyranny over these States.
To prove this, let Facts be submitted
to a candid world" Thus stirringly
ends the preface, signed modestly,
"R. C. b.. The Rookery,' Bree ming
Downs, Wippet-cum- -Twyne, NJ York
City, August "a, 1921"
1.-THE Social Life of the Newt" Is
an absorbing study of the tompora and
mores Of neglected race; Thoughts
on Fuel Saving" publication of which
was doubtless deferred by the publish
ers until after the war as being too
keenly cooperative with the Fuel
Administration 1.-THE Community
Masque as Substitute for War"
timely hint to the promoters of the
limitation Of armaments; The Pass
ing of the Orthodox Paradox" "A
Little Debit in Your Tonneau" and
Coffee, Megg and Ilk, Please" all OF
which are fascinating in their reve-
lation of the minuti@ Of Mr.. Bench
ley's researches.
Perhaps nothing illustrates this at
tention to detail so clearly as the illu-
minating survey of the business world
in From Nine to Five" The poignant
picture of a day in the life of a typi-
cal 10001 per cent. American thrills
the reader to the vertebrm. especially
In the paragraphs which follow:
When the mail is disposed of we
have what IL known as Memorandum
Hour. During this period every one
sends memoranda to every one else.
II you happen 10 have nothing in par
ticular about which TO dictate a MEM
orandum, you dictate a memorandum
&c some one. saying that you have
nothing to suggest or report. This
gives a stimulating exchange of ideas
and also helps to use up the blue
memorandum blanks which have been
printed at some expense for Just tina:
purpose.
."As an example Of how this system
works will give a typical instance
OF Its procedure. My partner, let US
say. comes In and sits down at the
desk opposite me. observe that his
scarfpin Is working its way out from
his tie. l call a stenographer and say,
Take q memo to Mr.. MacFurdle,
please. In re Loosened Scarfpin. You
are losing your scarfpin.'
"As soon as she has typed this 1t
Is given TO Mr.. MacFurdle's secretary.
and a carbon copy 10 put In the fiies.