Evening star., 1925-12-27

w
etc. Preface by William Allen
White. New York: d. Appleton &
"HE New Year resolution
time.worn with defeat, has
passed into the perennial joke.
But has il in reality so passed?
.~r Rather, Is not it's common ac-
ceptance as occasion for tippant VII
and the protective coloring that
man--along with many other ANIMALS
and certain plants-takes on FOR the
upmolested pursuit of himself In the
pattern of his best growth? Is it not
true that under the familiar badinage
there does 20 on at this annual re-
beginning the desire and the deter
mination in every mans heart 10 lace
souarely about against this hinderlnS
habit. against that mistaken we"
Such is. believe. the common state OF
mind fronting upon the New Year.
And into it's sensitive and secret re-
solves help from the outside often
comes with special efficacy. 1T is here
that the human adventure, narrowed
to this man or to that one III MS own
time and place. serves one OF It's best
PURPOSES There are thousands OF
these adventures. But thousands IN
the abstract are feebler in effect than
a single one at hand in it's actual sub
= = :: :;
HEORTY Years Of It." by Brand
Whiciock, is a. prime New Year
adventure for anybody TO undertake.
For, at the outset one is not scared
away from it by impossible things set
ND TO be achieved, nor does Il through
out its course leave reality for pleas
ant excursions into the blue. The ad-
venture begins in the plain colors of
yesterday and today-thonGh this yes.
terday was something over 80 years
ago, when the world was in certain re
spects distinctly other than it is to-
day. An American boy, drifting about
a bit at first to find the place that fits
fairly his changing mind. Newspaper
work and then the law. Finally, poll
tics and official position and foreign
embassy. Such is the sum of this rec
ord in its eNternels. II is the content
Of these various posts, however. that
delivers the adventure over TO the
heart oc the reader. II was the young
reporter and the young lawyer. how
ever, who found the people-the great
ma jority - determining the work of
that youth Tor the rest OF his life. as
that which centerS upon the inalien-
able right Of every man to life and
liberty and happiness. Here he reach
ed the settled disbelief in capital pun
ishment and many another established
wickedness Of the old has-beens that
sustain modern statutes. Here he
whole-heaft edly espouSei the cause oi
the under dog, applied TO the indus
trial conditions OF that feudaliStic pc
liod of 50 years ago. Here in these
earlier days he came upon some kin
dred spirits - Clarence Darrow. one
with him in his hatred OF numbering
n man under the law simply because
that man had murdered outside the
law. You can't overcome hatred by
hatred. but by love alone" he says. in
effect, here and there along the way
Of his work.
+ Golden Rule jones' is another
friend OF this adventurer. and so is
Tom Johnson; great mayors OF Ohio
cities both. So, the record runs
through a distinct period OF American
life. in which this unassunlinG yatIns
man, getting a little older m years
but not. in purpose. identifies himself
and his work with poor. folks and
criminals. and the urtaught, and the
unknowinE. and the bewildered and
the nlisdoing. Probably the real rea
son why this book is SO stirring. SO
inspiritinC. is its seeming simplicity.
Anybody can do these thinCs-juSt a
hand over there, a vision in that clear
direction. a sense of the i'll balance of
lie, q good energy OF, pursuit, an apt
device for betterment. That's all
Read the book now. II is a hopeful
book. Times are growing better. The
human is feeling more and doing more.
1t is a companionable book. as we'll
with artists and writer's and honest.
unpretentiouS reformers joining in the
adventure here and there. 4 true ac-
count, not pointed upon. reform In
any sense, but mighty good for your
New Year resolutions" all the same.