Evening star., 1924-03-30
THE Purple OR THE RED. BY
Charles Hitchcock Sheriff., author
of Prime Ministers and PreSi-
DENTS" etc. New York: George
IL. Doran COmnanY.

uenlS, etc. New 1DTh. btOFSt
II. Doran Company.
~ BE thought underlying the
vigorous and spirited per-
sonality of this book is that
king-the head of Il consti-
tutional monarchy-may become an
effective barrier To the rise of bolshe-
vsm in his own country as the presi-
dent of a republic could not so be-
come. The idea is that the king is
the vehicle of body Of tradition that
appeals to the deepest seated emo
tions of a people, that goes into the
quality of the blood, that has shaped
the common feeling for centuries, that
has inspired the finest Royalties. The
hing is the symbol of a past that.
after all, stands as the sole common
possession of monarchical peoples. \
republic has no such symbol Its
president passes. The Office remains
10 be sure, less tangible thing than
the stimulating person of reigning
monarch. Gen. Sheriff. did not pick
this thought out of the air. He found
it in the mind Of Mussolini, former
socialist, now the most constructive
force in his own country. When Mus
solni foresaw what red radiCalism
would mean to his country he. being
clearly Il patriot with imagination.
offered himself and his black -Shirted
bands of young Italians to the service
Of the king. The other side of the
story is that the king is also patriot
md a wise man as well. So he ac-
CeptNd this offer of young blood and
high ideals. And around the king, the
symbol OF Italian unity and power,
the best Of young Italy gathered. \
plausible theory, certainly one well
IA ip,tr inf 4. Sh.ar
with this vision in his pocket. moved
over into Spain. where. with such diff
ter"nces as lay inherent in another
strain of blood. in other local intlu-
ynces. he tested out the theory with
AlfonsO Mi and Gen. Primo de
Rivera cooperating, in effect, to-
ward the protection of the people
against the destructive workings Of
uulShe eViSm. "A new use for kings
is the apt naming for the succession
If otserva tions that this author made
IN other kingdoms-England Belgium,
Norway. Sweden. Denmark and Japan
at the back door Of bolsheVism." The
study sums to picture Of the useful
SoVereignS that have survived. use
fully. the world war. These are nom
political forces. symbols of stability
against bOlSheviSm. Deeply interest
ing and suggestive.
WANDERING IN NORTHERN CHINA.
BY Harry \. F'ranck, author of "A
Nagabond Journey Around the
World etc. illustrated with
photographs by the author New
York: The Century Company.
Holding himself free to take any
turn in the road that at the moment
calls to him. Harry Franck is now
about midway in his WanderingS
through northern China. This book
500 pages bis-turns over to readers
the outcome of this first lap of the
1Wo-Near adventure. Korea. MauChu-
ria Red" Mongolia. Shantung and
other areas in this northern strip of
the celestial empire provide the
groundwork of that literal treatment
If various PARTS of the earth'S sur
face for which this traveller and
writer stands conspicuous. - leisurely
jaunt to wherever new clues to inter
est led me" is MIR. Franck's own des-
iEuatiun of the journey. Having as
serted his Independence as to time
and route, this traveller Immediately
abandonS sany other kind of latitude
Tor the strict business of seeing an
hat he can and of setting down this
all in as exact a form can be
reproduced through the medium of
words. That is this authors usual
method-up to a certain point a pho
tographic process Of accurate projec-
ton. Then, once in while, Mr..
Franck brings the mere picking up
of facts TO a pause, in order that
these may be assembled and ar
ranged and interpreted for tke sake
istic and special features of tho re-
Sion which he has so Sedulously
CLEANED. An admirable method if ones
aim is to provide clear views of un-
familiar parts of the world. An ad-
mirable aim we'll. There is moth
ing Of the romantic adventurer about
this man. He is the much more un-
common figure of the adventurer after
Therefore. while this book looks
packed, maybe heavy, and SO not
superficially alluring, il proves to be
very full account, obviously bent
upon literal reproductions. of the re-
gion through which the author has
been taking a leisurely and obser-
Want way.
STREETS OF NIGHT. BY John Dos
Passos, author of Three Soldiers"
etc. New York: George II. Doran
Company.
Into the heady atmosphere pro-
duced and left by the war John Dos
PaSSoS projects the three whom he
has impressed to carry on here. This
hey do, chiefly, through the medium
walking the streets of New York,
H. silly by night, when the great city
is most illusioning and provocative.
The long walks give rise to the longer
talks through which the business as
a whole gets ahead. These talks. as
such, illustrate again the fallacy that
conversation is a means of communi-
again that it is as d rule tumble of
nonologues, wherein each tries to
outtalk all the others. That is what
all talk is-a speaker cornering a
more or less unwilling audience.
However, these three are interesting
and Illuminating, too, for they are in
step with the hour-this eager, ex-
cited, expansive, vocal and voluble
hour. This girl is all for her work,
her career, her new freedom. her GER
tain entrance into a wide-open and
welcoming world. There are thou
sands of her at the moment-all sin
cere, all unconscious, one accepts,
and roundabout road to the common
destiny-to the ardently desired des-
tiny-of all women. The two men are
filled with equal self-hope. One talks
himself clear through to the general
futility of any effort-and steps off
into eternity. The other dwindles
a final complacent contemplation of
. the realized dreams of others-pic-
lures, poetry, the feel of easing fab
surfaces. Absolutely real people,
prove any day, in any place. Project
cd, too, in a speaking likeness of their
own flesh and blood reality. Three
children, tossing gay balloons, which,
striking against the prickS Of actu-
ality, fizz down into limp and depress-
ing rags.