Evening star., 1923-04-01
OUR VANISHING FORESTS. BY Ar
thur Newton Pack. New York
The Macmillan Company.

The Macmillan Company.
- HIS is a schoolbook-no, not
for children-still stalled in
that sacrosanct institution of
public education, the seat
and-desk. 1t is a schoolbook for you
and me who have the free use of
ourselves to walk about and see what
Is going on in the tree world. What
are the trees doing and what would
we better be doing for them? Under
the leadership of this book, wood
hunting turns into something of
game, by way of which We finally
round up the innumerable uses to
which wood is put, the great extent
TO which II enters into the sum of
everyday life. From matches to
houses. from toothpicks to press
paper, and a hundred ways in be-
tween. we come upon this indis-
pcnsable contribution to the comforts
OF daily life. One might have known
something of this widespread use, and
one did know something of it. But,
having read this book. he knows
good deal more about it, This, how
ever, is but one side OF the matter
presented here. There is an end to
everything, you know-So, in effect,
the book says-an end even to trees
the source of this multifarious use of
wood. Then, facing squarely about
the book puts the pertinent question:
What are you going to do about it?
Are you going to let the supply of
wood run out just because you are
too lazy or too ignorant to plant
trees against such a calamity?" Of
L q nf q 10
exact words-for this is polite
book, written by an editor But that
is, after all. exactly what the book
means. Then we are told just what
ought to be done to avert a future
calamity. We are shown what
already has been done and are given
plans also for continuing the work
of making trees grow to fill the
places of those that have gone into a
thousand articles of use and con-
venience. This book will help mate
rally those who have eyes to see and
the will to do in d case where seeing
and doing are immediate and impera-
tive demands.
TITANS. BY Charles Guernon. New
York: Duffield & Co.
A first novel, one judges. Certainly
a strong one Taking as his theme
the hardy fishermen of the north, the
author sits down beside this situation
in study of the effects of that kind
of life upon the character and con-
duct of human beings. men and
women. A small village; the one
absorbing interest. that of harvest
ing fish from the sea; the hostile
climate; the narrow, intense views:
the common round OF dull and un-
lovely life-these are the elements
which control life and love and
mating. the common occupations of
humans all over the world. Charles
Guernon knew while he was doing
this that he was not making popu
lar novel, something to appeal to the
feeble and fraZZled imagination of
silly readers. but this fact seems not
TO have counted. Under the impulse
of the life of this place he has writ
ten story for intelligent readers.
for those who feel the truth of his
artistry, for those who read to be
stimulated and taught rather than to
be sent off into impossible dreams of
maudlin fancy
FROM MCKINLEY TO HARDING;
Personal RecOIlectiOns of Our
Presidents. BY II. H. Kohlsaat.
New York: Charles Scribner's
Sons.
mir. Kohlsaat tells us here about
writing to Mr.. Harding to ask the
new President if he wanted a brutal
friend" And about the latter an
swering in his kindly fashion that a
brutal friend" was the one thing
above all others of which he stood
most. in need. That. at least. is the
impression which the story leaves
with us. Going along with his story,
Mr.. Kohlsaat adds comfortably that
so far. however there has been no
need for functioning in this capacity,
as the President is really doing very
well indeed. He did fear once that
It might be time to don his brutality
duds. but the danger passed, for
Harvey is not doing half badly over
there, after ALL you know. One is
not free to wonder about a Presidents
state of mind. If he were he would
do little along that line in respect
to various Presidents who have come
within the range of Mr. Kohlsaats
friendly brutality. The theory under
lying this book of personal recollec-
tions and ministrations is that, not
wanting any favor within the hand
of a President to confer, the author
possesses that particular kind of in
dependence that frees one from con-
sideration and courtesy. Like the
woman, you know, who, proud of her
"frankness,' turns upon you with
some slashing unkindness and rude
ness. People in the majority will
like these recollections. They simply
eat up this sort of thing. One won
ders why: There is no answer. There
is just the fact that they will take
the sharpest delight in seeing through
the minds eye the discomfort of Mr..
This or Mr.. That-prominent official
squirm under the open pronounce
ment here of some matter that by
every conceivable notion of proprie-
ty is in the nature of official or per-
eonal privacy.
DOWN THE MACKENZIE, THROUGH
THE GREAT LONE LAND. BY