Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-10-02

"SL DIS VI Wlu6 TdHHS Oh human
nature come to the front in a press
of appeal and interest and personal
stimulation. Among the pioneers of
the Middle West here is a man to
study for the qualities that gave him
power and influence, qualities as much
in demand now as they were then or
ever have been. A book Of mellow
wisdom, calculated to serve the pres
ent at some of the most critical points
in the questions of today and to.
morrow.
THE OUTLINE OF SANITY. BY G..
K. Chesterton. author of 1.-THE
Wisdom of Father Brown" etc.
New York: Dodd. Mead & Co.
TO 1.-THE Outline Of Sanity" Mr..
Chesterton brings a backward-run.
ming mind and a forward running
speech. All said and done, these re-
fuse to come together in any effect
upon the reader. naturally. Pungent
and epigramatic in his way with
words, direct, blunt, witty and provo
cative. this writer may be counted
upon to provide reading OF an exciting
kind. He does it here. even If one at
the end remains cool toward the argu-
ment set out. For the purpose of this
discussion Mr.. Chesterton takes his
stand In the midst Of modern indus
try and its effects-its disastrous eff.
fects-upon modern life. Capitalism,
big business, the generally mechan.
lied routine of current life, the sub
mergence Of the individual within the
mass. the situation Of the land in its
unequal distribution and relatively
meager production-the common run
OF questions. you see, that are agitat.
ing the publicists and reformers. Upon
these topics In turn Mr. Chesterton
exercises his remarkable and familiar
gift with the paradox of absurdity.
the lightning of epigram, the thrust
OF a keen wit, the bludgeoning of
blunt accusation-in a word, he is the
famous Mr.. Chesterton having a
grand time with words. Drawing
away from the discussion to pick out
It's substance, one finds the author
dead set against the tide Of progress
that Is setting in from an enormously
productive world acted upon by the
applications Of science to industry.
turning his back upon this reality,
save for few suggestions that liz.
more the reality of the situation. Mr..
Cnesterton grows tuneful over the
ola days when the individual crafts.
man wrought so well-as he did in
his time and place. And so in every
modern instance this writer, instead
OF meeting 1t. save for few childish
plans not possible to realize, retreats
into the simple past for models of
present purpose and method. AS
discussion of the reality Of modern
life, THE Outline Of Sanity" clinging
to a vanished past, possesses neither
sane outlook upon the present nor
considerable approach to its compe.
tent understanding through a full an.
probation of that past in its bearing
upon the present and the future.
WE KNOW BETTER. By James
Aswell. Illustrated by Don Millar
Charlottesville: Gordon Lewis. pub.
Usher.
ONCE in while poetry comes to
hand that one accepts without
any reference to the laborious grub
pings and findings and labelings of
the school men as to what is poetry
and what Is not Music is an essen.
tial of this poetry-perhaps rhyme.
perhaps not, but certainly cadences
TO mt the eternal measure Of heart
peat. OF sleep and waking, of night
and day, Of Summer and Winter. Life |
ltselr IS rhythm to which the best Of |
poetry pays heed. Reflection and
imagination belong to poetry-to see !
and measure the deeper things of |
human existence, to wing them into |
general acceptance through the gift |
or fancy-these too. are essentials of |
poetry. The particular point of view
OF lndlVldual poets does not matter so !
much, but to certain fundamentals
they must hold allegiance, Just as does
other d. lSA
tie book that, according to any sincere
and intelligent judgment, must take a |
good place in the ranks of modern
poetry. Modern, yes, clearly that
with its frank wisdom that lands lust
this side OF disillusion; with it's yearn. |
ing for the retreating beauty of life in !
the face of passing youth and the an. |
proach of cooling age; with it's bra. |
Vado OF gesture before these inevita.
bllities. Both modern in fashion and |
young in spirit are these poems by
James Aswell
Listen to the immemorial love story:
She would believe in fair frail things
IN 4 ~ wedding cake and angel wings
ana she stayed late each Yule because
She still believed in Santa Claus.
s Ere. saa re e.; each one where it sat.
-~~S" ~4Ao AiS-SIC Acpt tndb.
A man Of honor:
He checked his ledger carefully
And when each note came due
ne PAID and never tearfully
with Harness through and through
Once. in a dark days rummagins
Upon a spidery shelf
He found the bill for One Lost Snrin1
AND gravely shot himself"
X y
THE EYE IN ATTENDANCE Bv
Valentine Williams, author of "The
Man With the Club Foot" etc.
Boston: Houghton Miffiin Co.
THE first point Of promise in this
mystery rises from the fact thar
at the outset its author smashes the
honorable formula upon which these
tales so unfailingly and so wearyinelv
depend. One Is not here immediately
confronted by a murdered man or
woman. Instead, having introduced
the figures who are to contribute to
Inc entertainment, Mr.. Williams puts
Conoa1ocxv. If inter-