The Washington times., 1923-03-04
SIR PHILIP GIBBS
VIEWS WITH
ALARM
His New Novel, "The Middle
of the Road" Portrays the
Gloom and Unrest Which
Permeate Europe.
By ANIEs KENDRICK.

determine whether Philip
Gibbs "The Middle Of the
Road" is novel or the voice of
one crying out in anguish over
the mess in which Europe finds
itself after the war. The book is
constructed on broad lines: its mar.
rative thread unwinds first in
England, then in Ireland, and later
- France, Germany. and Russia.
Wherever the pen Of the author
Wanders. invariably is shown the
same picture Of unrest and con-
fusion. the same bitter contention
Of factions wide apart as the
poles. with apparently no common
ground on which to get together
and evolve any plan looking to a
solution Of the matters in dispute.
II il be the authors intention
% show that a middle-of-the-road
course-that is. for each faction to
cOncede something to the other
fellows point Of VIEWS the way
out Of the mess, he has been un,
fortunate. His main character,
Pollard. carefully tries thisspolicy
OF looking at both sides Of the
shield. and as result leads
hectic existence throughout the
greater part Of the long story. In
fact. about everything happens to
him. short Of death, that is pos
sinle to occur in the lifetime of
any book parsonage since the days
Of Job or Ulysses.
Bertram Pollard has every ex-
euse besides inclination Tor choos-
ing the middle of the road and
feeling that there is something to
b said on both sides. He is half
Irish, and his only sister has
married an Irish revolutionist
who eventually is captured and
executed for treason. His father
IL a member Of parliament. and
his father-in-law is the Earl Of
0ttery. related to most of the old
blood In England. His wife,
Joyce. Is q pure patrician, entire
" out Of sympathy with the de-
mOcracy Bertram brought back
with him out Of the war, and
which he has not been able to lay
aside with his uniform and his
rank as major. Had their baby
lived. things might have gone
differently. Instead, Joyce with
draws from him, gives all her
time to her own crowd, the crowd
of idlers and ultraconservatives
whom he despises. Quarrel fol-
lows quarrel; the crisis comes
when Bertram, out Of job, re-
fuses what his wife calls HE
tsplendid chance" to be deputy
director for the South Coast, to
lick men into shape" for home
defense work. But as Pollard
sees It this defense force is really
20 snob force for giving hell to
workingmen who want a living
wage" He says:
II fought with the mob. I saw
& going over the top on morning
Of battle. I walked through its
dead bodies afterwards. learned
to know It's spirit, and liked 1t,
On the whole. I'd hate to shoot
down fellows who used to salute
me In the trenches. and whom
sAluted az the salt Of England.
I know something about
machine guns. I served 'em In
the great war. I'm not inclined
to turn them against my own
men-unless hell breaks loose.
And / don't think hell
. going to happen"
It IL this attitude Of Bertram's
which brings about the final
break. you say you love me-"
Joyce tells him. ''Why do you
always jeer at my friends and
my ideas? sulk In my drawing
room? Behave like q boor to my
crowd7 Ally yourself with paci-
fists and pro-Germans and rcvo-
lutionaries? That offer tonight
wvaa a fest of iovalfv Yo,, failed 20