Evening star., 1926-06-08
NEW BOOKS
AT RANDOM
I. G.. NJ.


Claude G.. Bowers. Houghton
Mifilin Company.
For the second time Mr.. Bowers
demonstrates that a political period of
moment possesses both the substance
and form Of drama itself Such period
centerS invariably upon a distinct and
exclusive question, as drama also is
conf1ned to its chosen subject. In this
case the political theme, definite in
content, in aim and in development,
projects contending human forces
drawn up on opposite sides of the
matter at issue. These are the ac-
tors IN the play. The outcome Of the
struggle stands as the next step in
political advance. This is the climax
Of the drama. Around both play and
players stretches the stage, the back
ground of related events, determining
the character and quality OF the ac-
ton itself.
The purpose of this author in dram
atizinG National politics is to repeople
political history with living men, to
reNitalize Old issues to fresh service,
TO bring into closer and more influen-
tlal union separated parts of a single
line of political endeavor. 1t is ito
re-create, If possible, q heroic pic
turesque and lusty age; to make the
men of the steel engravings flesh and
blood; TO stage the drama of a day
when real giants trod the boards"
X X X X
'The Party Battles Of the Jackson
Period issued in 1922, first presents
Mr.. Bowers. historian, in the role of
political play maker. a vivid perform
ance, from which certain determin
ing points in the political history of
the United States emerge in the very
body and spirit OF the men who stand
as the rcsolute and enduring pro
ponents Of these vital measures.
Here in the Jackson period. and not
earlier, does democracy as a fact step
into clear vision, where hitherto but
its shadow had fiiclcred across the
political path, only to run away again.
1t is here that the voting class be
comes so greatly expanded as 10 de-
mand q, more general education in
practical politics. This program of
education means organization, the
clear and passionate devotion to gov
! ernment by parties. Strict party dis
cipline, as eXacting as that Of an
army, reaches its apotheosis in Tam
many itself. The party press. for the
first time, brings the newspaper into
active campaign service. Congression-
al speeches so upon a rampage of
ernment IS ardently advocated and
passionately pursued. The political
convention is established. The kitchen
cabinet. Haunted by it's discounted
opponents. is n marvel of ingenious
neWS-S getting that has been emulated
sedulouSly from the Jackson period TO
the present. The spoils system is
born-medum Of rewards. not wholly
an instrument of Vindictive repriSal.
An amazing period out from whose
| fecundity of political invention star
Ting innovations spring and then set
tie gradually to the accepted political
technic Of all the following years. A
bitter period OF party strife, ap-
preached in our political history but
twice besides-"at the foundation Of
the Republic and in the last two years
of the Wilson administration" TO
the turmoil and the rancor, TO the
! great fighting figures. to the political
strategy. TO the achievements in the
cause of stable republican govern
ment, and to the huge background of
oil this does Mr. Bowers supply, splen-
didly, the dynamics of a genuinely
dramatic projection.
# x x
In Jefferson and Hamilton he
| pursues the same method and achieves
proportionately greater effect out of
greater. more epic theme. In the
period represented by these two, de-
mocracy itself is born. The vital issue
of this great Republic is fought out
between them. Heroic figures-Hamil-
ton on the one hand, jefferson on the
other. Embodying separate and
| hostile theories of government. each
sought with his utmost of power TO
pattern the new Republic upon his
own design. Hundreds of important
and notable men people this great
story. Men whose names are history
come and so within it. Yet, so know,
ingly proportioned and arranged is
the heroic drama that these two
dominate the movement throughout.
while at the same time the others
follow their own rules to the true
historic letter. 1t is such sense of
proportion constantly operating that
gives the keen contact the driving
effect. the portraiture of drama itself
as against the less vivid effect of
plain record.
The average of us having studied
our history lessons are more or less
familiar with the outer layers of fact
bearing upon the beginnings of gov
ernment in the United States. Stu
dents quite above the average know
a deal besides concerning the theories
of government evolved by the fathers
for a new and hitherto untried scheme
of government. To both classes. as
well as to the even deeper student
of history, Jefferson and Hamilton"
will come as a revelation of reality
and immediacy of effect. This book
is life itself. Men possessed of per-
sonality, character. temperament and
special turn of idiosyncrasy come and
go here-actively, naturally, convinc-
ingly. Even more convincing than
the statesmen under our eyes, since
here the hidden springs of individual
motive are revealed, the laid-out plans
of procedure are made plain-elements
these that lie hidden in those working
politically in the flesh today.
Claude Bowers is a surpa ssing pic
ture maker and this art he applies
here to the recreation of an epochal
day and of the men who filed it. His
backgrounds are life itself-the back
ground of New York and Of Philadel-
phia, each the seat of government for
a time. These settings are not drawn
for picturesque effect alone. They
are a part of the political thought of
the time, separating the people into the
two great classes reflected in the
Federalist group on the one hand and
the two great classes reflected on the
other. Ropance itself never had a
better subject than Alexander Hamil-
ton. Here, however. he is presented as
the fiery and flaming advocate of
monarchical ideas to be engrafted
upon the new state. On the other
hand is the less captivating jefferson,
ardent for the partaking of all the
people in the affairs of the young ma
ton. 1t is by the activities of these
two, opposing each other in warfare
open and secret, that the moving
period of history walks before us.
Illuminating as a chapter of our own
political history, fascinating as a pag-