Evening star., 1927-07-24
IDA GILBERT MYERS.

Jacob Wassermann. author of THE
Worlds Illusion" etc. Translated
by Otto p. Schinnerer. New York;
Boni & 1iveright.
HAPPIER introduction TO Jacob
N Wassermann, German novel
IA list, could not have been de-
4 \ yised for American readers
generally, than The Triumph
of Youth" The historic background
OF the story, though German in origin
and feature, is. nevertheless, identical
in substance with an important chap
Ter in the history of Colonial New
England. ASain, the romance which
embodies the clear power of youth as
Such might easily be construed as
parable of our own lusty young coun-
try. If the comparison be looked upon
as far.hroucht and fantastic, certainly
no fault can be found with THE Trl-
umph of Youth" as symbol of the
modern outfaring of the young the
world over in a new Crusade OF the
Children crusade dlsturblnSlY
manifest TO the elders of America
Once more as point of appeal and in
vitation, Wassermann is so obviously
sincere that this quality saturates his
work. BY way of such sincerity, so
instantly felt, he makes straight for
his objective without even one beck
oning gesture toward possible by
ISLANDERS and on.lookers. His bust
ness. to create on German soil and IN
the German likeness, that part of the
seventeenth century in which the
Christian religion was rank fanatl-
cism; that period when Satan himself
took a hand every hour in the day
TO thwart man in his progress toward
salvation. A peculiarly petty devil,
meddling in even the smallest or hu.
man concerns. taking possession OF
women and children and those en-
feebled by disease to serve his malign
ends. And so. to circumvent this evil
agency, torturings were invented and
hurnings and drownings. A gloomy
and frightening time. when the godly
themselves were not entirely safe.
You recall how this period worked out
with us up Salem WAY and roundabout.
And the dark picture so exactly paint
ed in by Wassermann is of family
likeness to a part of our own history.
one not to be denied. 1t is within
such sinister setting that the bright
story itself grows, grows by the force
of one little boys innocence and joy
in life Out of sunshine and play, out
of a fancy shaped to beautiful gift
OF make believe. the child Baron of
Ehrenberg builds A happy world of
his own in the midst of the very un-
happy world about him.. And into this
blessed place of play and laughter and
wonderful tales of his own making all
the other children troop. And many
grown folks. too, gather into it out
from the dark terrors roundabout
them. You know the next step. You
can see the sharp looks that begin to
turn upon this boy from the fierce
- ,.iert1
see his own seizure and sentence. But
YOU do not know. maybe. of the amaZ-
ing and glorious rescue Of the boy
Baron Of Ehrenberg. From far and
near they came like homing pigeons.
Armies of children came, f1ocking and
huttering around the prison with
fierce little cries of protest and def
ance. And the press of them was so
great. the din of their efforts at rescue
so terrible and confusing. that the
elders dared not refuse that which
might be a clear sign of the displeas-
ure of Heaven itself. And that's the
end of a story that is as beautiful as
the finest of fairy tales; one, moreover,
that is of the pattern of life itself,
wherein the youth of each generation
is in revolt of one sort or another
against the sobered outlook and eau.
tious precepts of their elders.
\ X
ANN DECIDES. BY Robert Keable,
author of Simon Called Peter"
etc. New York: G. P. Putnam's
Sons.
THE half dozen novels by Robert
keable have in the main con-
cerned themselves with a single
theme. 1t is a big theme, however,
covering question vital to every one
in the world. This question nothing
less than that of mans relation to
God as it is expressed in one or an.
other of the formulae of organized re.
ngion. To reduce so large a subject
to the purpose of the novelist's art
Mr.. keable, as a rule, embodies it in
single individual, in man come to
the crossroads of doubt and its COM
mon sequence, revolt. In this case,
1T is a young mission priest in South
Africa. He has used both the South
African setting and the rebellious
cleric in an earlier novel. quite as
matter Of course. since with the in
timacies of each he is deeply and per-
sonally familiar. The story in hand
begins with the happy and useful
work Of Dick Thurstan, priest, in a
mission Of this distant region. Right
hare is a. most interesting cross-sec-
fion OF South African life, indubi-
tably authentic and vivid. Soon. how.
ever, the conflict in the mind of the
man comes to the fore, a struggle that
drives him away from his charge out
into the world for a possible solution
Of his tormenting problem of mans
relation to God and the universe.
Women have ever been the answer,
the temporary answer, to mans un-
ease of soul. So Ann comes as the
response to Dick Thurstan's search
for truth. A strange answer, for Lady
Ann Carew is a beautiful wording,
just out Of a court of law, divorced
for cause. For time, at least, she is
this world and the next one too, to
Dick Thurstan, and there is nothing
new about that. The trouble is, both
with Dick and the rest of his kind,
that the answer to the great problem
is SO pitifully imperma How.
ever, the good God looks after Dick
by way Of the tragic uncertainties of
an airship. And this is a beautiful
deliverance for an honest and most
lovable youth. Just a sketch of the
general run of the story. There is
something else. Robert keable is al.
ways interesting, largely by virtue of
the fact that he will not suffer either
fools or dullards. Nor do his char
acters, on the other hand, scintillate
increasingly, whi h is almost as bor-
ing as bana1ity itself. Highly intel
ligent himself, and gifted with the
sense OF picture in human moods and
behaviors, or trained to that sense.
Mr.. Keable may be counted upon to
deliver over to readers in strongly
dramatic effect matters that are of
deep concern to the general run Of
humanity.
X y
THE SMUGGLERS' CAVE. By
George A. Birmingham. author of
king Tommy" etc. Indiana polls:
The Bobbs-Merrill Company.