Evening star., 1927-03-13

political America. To such projection
the author has brought an impartial
spirit of investigation, thoroughness
of research and structural skill SO
admirable as to give the effect of sim
plicity to an enormously involved
theme by way of the fine proportions
of the whole. The work itself steps
easily into the class which, for want
of a better name is commonly called
monumental BY way of its clarity
of vision, it's fair judgments, its read
able ease and grace. we are brought
face to face with facts and implica-
tions that cannot be evaded. that can
| not be ignored. The unacceptable prob
| lem involves $4,000 900 negroes, pri-
marily brought to this country by
force, landed here as slaves, in the
course of time set free and now max
| ing headway at a rate that is as prom
Using as IL is surprising. The second
aspect of the problem posits the rest
of the American people either in an
attitude OF helpfulness or hindrance.
| However, this book is in no sense
propaganda. IL is, instead. mastery
setting out of fun body of fact bear
| ing upon the negro from the time OF
| his involuntary arrival in this country
up to the present. A background of
history sketches the negro in Africa
before his setting out for America.
From this point the study deals with
the race both in the North and the
South. beginning, properly, with its
present status lin both sections. A
most useful body of information is
here given as to the everyday life of
the negro in work, in education, in art
and literature, i'm economic worth, In
political growth. The negro i'm the
World War provides n stimulating
survey. His own problems coupled
with the problems that he puts up to
the rest of the American people are
clearly stated. His future is forecast
along the lines of an inevitable pro
gression. A study of SURPRISING quail
ity and usefulness upon a theme of
equally surprising momeh'
X
COLLECTORS LUCK IN ENGLAND.
BY Alice Van Leer Carrick. author
trated. Boston: Little, Brown &
Co.
MRS. CARRICK'S proverbial luck
40 is, this time, transmitted TO read
ers by way of a series of charming
letters that tell about browsing around
shops and houses and dipping into
sales of both public and private cast
First of all. this lady is an enthusiast
and after that she is COLLECTOR
combination that serves to point the
chase. to multiply the quarry and to
diversity il, to give to others when the
hunt is over and done the joy of her
own adventure. More than that. one
gathers from these buoyant letters
store of information about no end of
old things that once were a common
~ fNf oil oh ire nd 9th ftrv-.
niture, quilts. candlesticks, prints
well, you know, the collectors open
and hospitable hand for old things and
for new ones that just get together in
a beautiful group and carry the col
lector off in spite of herself IL you.
by chance have not the enthusiasms
of this particular tribe-don't let that
deter you from reading these letters.
They are joy and enthusiasm, as COM
municable as common sunlight, emo
tions that will go along with your par
ticular pursuits, no matter how duh
and stodgy these may be. Delightful
either as entertainment or as learning
about some of the collectors whimSi-
cal fronting upon her particular form
of adventure.
SAINT MICHAEL'S GOLD. BY Fl.
Bedford Jones, author of 'Rodo-
mont" New York: G. p. Putnam's
Sons.
THE novelist addicted to making
headway by way of hazard and
escape, in swift succession, can hard
ly do better than to betake himself
TO France in the time of the Revolu-
ton This is what Mr.. Bedford-J Jones
has done to serve the sheer adven-
ture of saint Michael's Gold"
Against a turbulent background OF
inf1amed and blood-thirsty mobs,
pricked by the sinister figures OF
Marat, Robespiere and Danton. ne
traces the dangerous course or a
young American bent only on the
sane course of getting himself out
of this distracted country and into
the safety of his own. Nobody, how
ever, could escape distrust and sus-
picion in that turmoil of the peas
antry against the nobility. Natu-
rally, therefore, this innocent young
man runs from one trouble to an
other on his way out of Paris to the
coast by way of st. Michel. To be
sure, being a man with heart and
no end of courage, he does take over
as his own some of the dangers that
threaten his companions on the way.
These fellow-travelers in themselves
provide danger, since they, too, are
secretly plotting against one another.
Among them is more than one dis
guised royalist, taking his chance
with the dealiest of his enemies. The
journey to ST. Michel is chiefly am
buscade on the one hand and open
attack on the other. The end of the
adventure is treasure, said to be
concealed in the ancient rock-bound
pile-fOrtress, sanctuary, dungeon, all
in one. Against this treasure there
is more than one dark design by the
secretly hostile members of this band.
Plots, direct encounters and secret as
saults continue to the very end of
this crowded adventure, leaving only
bare time and room for the necessary
triumph of the young American in
this great hazard of his life. Oh,
you'll like it, if this is the kind of
thing that you do like.
x + &
KINGDOMS OF THE WORLD. BY
Margaretta Tuttle. New York:
G. p. Putnam's Sons.
TO many novelists the modern young
woman is irresistible. In story
the f1apper, as admonition and awful
warning, serves many a good turn
of invention, despite the fact that in
actuality she is more likely to stir up
emulation than to produce disgust and
avoidance. She is, however, a flash
20