Evening star., 1926-04-18
LIZA GILBERT MYERS.


City OF Washington is
great university. The super
fetal difference between the
i Capital as a seat Of learning
and other we'll known institu
tions OF the kind--Yale, Harvard and
the State universities Of this VESTS
Of advertising. No pros pectuses are
sent out, no enthusiastic aluptni boosts
the alma mater. Therefore, as great
seat Of learning Washington Is not so
we'll known. This surface distinction
covers I fundamental difference be-
tween the two. In the typical univer
sity learning. as such. IL the pursuit
10 which students are formally invited.
In the Government university, on the
contrary, the fruits Of resea rch carried
forward by expert investigators are
applied to the more eff
cient service rendered by the United
States Government TO the business OF
the country itself. An Institute for
Research issues from
time to time certain bodies of practi-
cal and authentic information bearing
upon one and another OF the basic IN
terests of the country. These Service
constitute the reservoir
Of authoritative knowledge and pre-
scribed practice upon which all may
draw for their own increased efficiency
and profit.
The Bureau Of Stands rds" stands
as one Of these agencies OF usefulness.
Everything that Is bought and sold
has to be measured. Weight. length.
ca pacity, power. light. heat. whatever
property material contains must he
measured for the uses to which each
Is applied. These measurements
must be accurate. They must be uni
form. There must be. therefore. some
central unit whose business Is 10 main
tain standards Of measurement. Such
central organization is the Bureau Of
Standards. which stands as the Gus
todian Of all the basic official stand
ards for the United States.
This particular service monograph
by Gustavus A Weber presents the
history, the activities and the organ
alton Of the Bureau of Standards. 1t
shows how scientists. statesmen and
others have striven for over a century
TO secure the established use Of uni
form standards. 1t tells how these
standards are maintained. how special
laboratories conduct their researches
In relation to this subject. how the sci.
ence and industry Of the whole coun.
try cooperate with this pursuit. II
goes on to show how the bureau Cup
plies, in many ways. the needs OF sci.
ence, art, industry, commerce. And il
tells. further, how all Of these activi-
ties are organized in a central institu-
ton. Right here picture is given OF
the extent Of the plant devoted 10 this
work Of Standardization. Looks like
little town. beautiful one, seat ed
in the creenery Of woodland quite
near TO the city. itself. 't
] The author describes the work Of
the Bureau OF Standards. And this
work is Of deeply interesting sub
stance. touching upon so many things
close TO hand. All the buildings
around us in their material-building 6
atone, concrete. brick. A study OF rub
her. leather. paper. textiles. study
Of metals in their va rious applications
TO usefulness. Pottery. glass. ceramics,
enameled metals come into this story.
Service to home owners and 10 cities
themselves. A whole chapter in chem
istry applied to paint and varnish and
bituninous materials. A study of au-
tomotiVe plants and a whole section
given up to electrical work. Radio COM
munication offers an interesting dis
cussion. These are but a few OF the
absorptions of this great bureau. A
few and very sietchily set down here.
The monograph ends with descrip.
ton of the bureau orsanization--its
officers and their duties. the various
supplementary instrumentalities for
the ef1lcient projection Of the whole.
A very complete study that will
prove to be Of great interest to even
the average reader. since 1t opens so
many fields Of surprise at the close
connection between this bureau and
the daily life. The prime purpose OF
the monograph, however, Is TO provide
accurate and adequate information 70
Lawmakers and to administrators In
industrial lines. 1t IL intended also
to iay the basis for critical and con-
structive work for those upon whom
responsibility for such work rests.
BREAD AND CIRCUSES. BY W. E.
Woodward. author Of Bunk" etc.
New York: Harper and Brothers.
W. E. wooDwARDs books are
W. called novels. But they bear
little resemblance to the common run
of this species Of literature. To be
sure, they break up into chapters, and
through these certain definite groups
Of people wander. each person clear
entity possessed of about the common
run Of peculiarity and idiosyncrasy.
And something happens right along In
each Of these books. And these hap
peninss come to a conclusion on a
level somewhat higher than that OF
their general course. the climax and
conclusion this level would be II any
of these books were novel.
This author Is not bit concerned IN
telling a story. His theme Is too big
for such cribbcd and cabined treat
ment. The theme is lifc-just the life
spread all around him, and US, with
its fear and caution and make-belfeve
and lack Of honesty and all the rest of
the paraphernalia that badly scared
mortais wrap themselves up In with
the hope Of getting by this monstroue
puzzle Of being alive. 1t 10 rather
smiling business that this man Is en-
gaSed in, the business OF looking
around on himself and the rest or us,
and a startlingly honest business. For
the purpose OF putting the matter
over he. has an agent, Michael Webb.
Really, to have created Michael Webo
Ia enough for any man to have done.
80 there IL nothing against the author
that he puts the burden OF all the wis.
dom In this book upon Webb. WIS
dom and wit and the job Of thin king.
That's Webb's business-just to think.
A great job. as you think OF 1t, for 1t Is
so rare an achievement, merely TO
have on independent thought day.
that you. do not wonder that. hnaliy.
1t has been set up as real business. TO
do active. honest thinking for us lazy
and dependent mortsls. Great run.
this book! You'll break out into
laughter all by yourself while reading
it And the kernel Of the fun lies In
the truth about ourselves that
chuclxles its way through these pages
of such fine wit and finer wisdom.
RIDERS OF THE WIND. BY, Els
wyth Thane. New York. Frederick
A. Stokes Co.
DR0ADI.Y sneakinE the Throw