Evening star., 1923-02-25

RIDERS WASHINGTON, A Guide
Book for TravelerD. Compiled ny
DR.. Frederic Taber Cooper. under
the general editorship of Fremont
Rider. New York; Henry Holt d
| Co.
4 COMPACT book, handily fit
IN ted by size and shape to the
side pocket of a coat. A wise
bit of forethought, as any
traveller will admit. The book itself
presents more than 500 pages Of solid
substance-the text supported by
helpful loose leaf maps and plans of
certain public buildings This ma
terial-selected, verified, organized
and classified-meets, with business
efficiency, the need of the traveller
who in a short time desires to gather
up the essential features of the cap
description Of the city, of its sur
rounulngs, of it's geological founda-
lions, adding an excellent sketch of
its history. From this broad general
approach 1t passes Immediately into
the business of being brisk and ca
pable guide. 1t meets one at the city
gates, gives one complete and reli
able information about lodgings.
ard time-saving the city is divided
into sections, each of which is eX-
hausted in respect to it's points of in
terest. Admirable sketches. descr!p
treatment of Washinglon's public
buildings-White House. Capitol and
SO on. The book, a part of Mr..
Riders series of american Baedek
ers." Is a notably complete. we'll ar
ranged, authoritative guide to the
Capital city. Not trave,ers alone. but
residents of the city as well, would
find this book a source of immense in
struction and pleasure. We know, for
We are trying 1t.
THE SHAFT IN THE Sky. By John
Temple Graves, jr. New York;
George H. Doran Company. -
The title of this romance places
the matter at once in Washington.
There are several Washingtons with
in the capital. The one occupied here
Is that section where social. political
and plutocratic elements meet in A
wholly unique complex Within this
the author develops the story of a
rising young politician, who well
nigh comes to smash through the eff
ficient trickery of a young woman,
her vanity hurt at the rutfianly hands
nf this horrid man. OF course, she
is in love with him. Love acts that
way often. And it turns out. as the
man discovers finally, that he is in
love with her. The business OF the
story is to permit this beautiful and
busy young woman to come within
an ace of spelling the man in his
career This done. the next job is to
repair the damage by love and mat
ri1nony. A clear case of kissing the
hand that smote. An equally plain
case of sheer force on the part OF the
author. To be sure, Mr.. Graves mas
no inteut to turn the young lady out
wicked and unscrupulouS. Not at an.
She is intended, one gathers. for the
role of Egeria. To the reader she Is
essentially foolish thing. lan9rins n,.a
under the deluslon Of being aroiter
Of at least one mans political destlhS.
Tie full design here is to set TO
drama the deep intrlgues that gro"
and flourish in this complex pnase OF OF
clever journalistic way the author
does make an entertaining picture OF
Washington life in one of its aspects
and he does create the real Nasnins
ton air-the look and the feel OF the
rity az il goes about its business Ga!
by day. Live stuff with quality in II.
WHAT'S WRONG WITH OUR GIRLst
By Beatrice Forbes Robertson
Hale, author of Little Allies" etc.
New York; Frederick a. Stokes
Company.
Nothing at all-not even with the
fappers. In support OF this 6eilel .ne
survey OF the field surrounding the
young girl of the present. This IS a
new world, or, at least. world
changed and greatly liberated by the
world war. The new outlook, the new
freedom. affects verybody-fathers
and mothers, no less than the children.
From the world itself the author passes
70 study of the parents OF today. TO
glance at the new responsibilities
imposed upon them by the changed or
der 1t is through this double medium
OF change that Mrs. Hale approaches
the physical, the mental and spiritual
raining of the girls themselves. A
sympathetic and understanding person
is behind this study. That accounts,
chiefly, for its outstanding characters
tic. plain, common sense.
MYSTERY AT GENEVA. BY Rose
Afacaulay, author Of "PotteriSm,"
etc New York: Boni and Liver
right.
Tired of work. She was going to
play. And since all the playthings she
had were words she tumbled these
out, hit-or miss, in big pile beside
her Now for some new pattern.
Whato a mystery? All right. but no
nicayune mEstery-mind you-Just
The disa appearance of some one In
considerable human, followed by the
futile hullabaloo of pseudo -sleuths.
Nothing like that. This was to be a
regular killing, lots of folks falling
light off the edge. leaving no trace
stretched back of that kind of per-
formance. a peace conference. Quite
the thing So, sitting on the floor
among her words she built a peace
conference.-the great room. the
green table, the stately chairs. SOL
phrases, grave gestures, resolvings
and dissolvings-then the same all
over again with nothing real ever