Evening star., 1925-01-20
NEW BOOKS
AT RANDOM
THE CONSTITUTION Or THE
UNITED STATES; Yesterday,
Today-and Tomorrow? James
NJ Beck, LII. D. George II. Doran

GhE CONSTITUTION ot THE
UNITED STATES; Yesterday,
Today-and Tomorrow? James
NJ Beck, LII. D. George H. Doran
Co.
1.-THE Constitution is something
more than a written form of govern
ment-it is a great spirit"
James M. Beck, Solicitor General of
the United States, speaking.
The purpose of this study is, in
part, to remedy that spirit in the
personalities and situation and
events that gave it birth. In equal
part the purpose is also to follow
this great spirit" out into the sue
cessive stages of its existence and
influence for the sake of a reconsid-
Grafton of facts expressed in terms
of current understandings; for the
sake. well, of applying to this
spirit of the Constitution certain
| tests, both old and new, as to the
legitimacy of its birth, the sound
ness of it's nature, the pliancy of its
character, the rational evolution of
| it's inherent forces. No less, too, is
| 1t the purpose to bring this re-em-
bodied spirit forward for a further
| testing of its quality by the exac-
tions of a greatly complicated pres
ent and by future of inconceivably
expanded demands upon its powers
of modation and fulfllment.
Such, the triple intent of this study
of the Constitution.
The Solicitor General meets the first
of these three objects with a fresh sur
vey of the conditions out of which the
Constitution grew-itself a revolution
airy measure against the Articles of Con-
federation. already condemned by their
own utilities in the face of colonial
jealousies, political chaos, financial
bankruptcy, economic paralysis and
every sort of social disorder. Literally
nothing other, this situation, than the
bolshevism which today Is again pro-
claiming the deadly fruitage of all wars.
AS a background for this dangerous and
unpromising situation group OF colo
nial statesmen spread the capacity of
the colonists for self-government,
capacity inherited from their English
fathers who had won it for themselves
out Of their long struggles against old
tyrannies. And against this background
that handful Of dauntless patriots set
the drama of creating a new kind of
government An old story? That's true.
But new story, nevertheless. For here
II becomes DOIn adventure ana romance.
A great empire carried forward by gal
liant men-young men the most OF them.
A vital matter of immediate appeal and
Irresistible lure. One enters 1t, bodily,
in All actual partaking of the romance
Of its high hopes, of its noble action, of
It's brave plans Of achievement and
astute measures of fulfllment. One him
self shares the self-restraints for the
general welfare upon which the great
conclusion of the immortal enterprise
rested. A finely wholesome adventure,
| this. knowledge has gone into this por-
trayal-the general knowledge of the
scholar. the special attachments of the
professional man, the practical outlook
of a live man fronting upon live world.
But there is more here. And 1t is this
more" which sets the study apart. A
sense OF drama re-creates these men. II
you want cases in point, step over into
the convention to meet Franklin or
Washington or Hamilton as they pass
and repass before You. clear in
timacy, also, with both history and
literature Is turned here to illuminations
50 At and bright as to bridge with a
narrow span the years that separate
that momentous time from this one.