Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-16
By IDA GILBERT MYERS.


THE VANISHING RIGHTS OF THE
STATES. BY James M. Beck, au-
thor of 1.-THE Constitution of the
United States" New York: George
II. Doran Co.
n n UGH wisdom goes to waste by
NU virtue OF the fact that it is
not on hand at the critical
L 4 moment requiring It's immedi-
ate application and use. This
study by James NJ. Beck on the fading
rights of the States OF the Union
stands, however, as a notable excep-
ton. For here is a clear body sea
sOned historical wisdom offered at the
moment OF q possible political pre-
cipitancy and danger. The back
ground of this monograph is the Con
stitution itself, a subject which this
author lives with and breathes with.
Against this general background he
draws the defining lines of its gradual
wearing away, at this point or another
one, under the succeeding storms of
political upheavaI and under the
changing tides Of public opinion. Then
quickly, the study centers upon a
single aspect Of the erosion taking
place In the Great Charter 1t is, in
enect, a challenge TO the right of the
Senate OF the United States to refuse
to seat a Senator who has been duly
elected under the rules and regula-
tons OF the sovereign State to which
he belongs. In other words. he chal-
lenges the right of this body to nullify
the action of q State, thereby reducing
its power In respect to a Senator to
that of a mere nominating body This
is the one point projected by MIR.
Beck. Upon 1t, however, he expends
his profound knowledge OF the Con-
stitution itself In both substance and
Its spirit. Upon the particular point
under discussion, he lays the illumi-
mating story Of John Wilkes, who more
than $50 years ago proved to George
III that he could not be expelled from
Parliament against the will of the
people who had sent him there. A
story so close to the case in point. so
dramatic and brilliant in projection.
as to unite that past and this present
in 81 principle underlying the rights
or the people wherever a constitu-
tlonal government exists. Here are
spread out all the provisions of the
Constitution bearing upon this par
ucular matter. Here are explained.
also, the regulations bearing upon
primary elections. Here, in a word
either in the body of the discussion or
In appendices calculated to add in
formation and light, is a comprehen.
sive. learned, a straight and a most
Illuminating discussion of single
point in the Constitution for readers
OF the daily press to study for the full
ness Of its pattern and intent. The
book Is so fitted to the need of the
everyday reader, of the common
student. especially fitted to the need
OK the voter, that it can hardly be
overrated, either for it's own quality
or for its mission to the political I'M
derstanding Of the people at a single
vital point OF constitutional govern
ment
EARLY AUTUMN. BY Louis Brorn.
field, author of 1.-The Green Bay
Tree" etc. New York: Frederick
A. Stokes Co.
OUIS BROMFIELD gathers up the
substance Of New England life
and character in this story of the
Pentland family. Such, at any rate.
Is his assumption, one that is bound
to meet sturdy denial from the
quarter set out in this sweeping dra-
matte inclusion. Working to a degree
in both the manner and the spirit of
the scientist himself, MIR. Bromfield
here attempts to make a record of the
ultimate fate of that passionate, pro-
testing. Hebraic spirit of selfless re-
ligion that drove the Puritans across
the sea to COLOMBO the New England
Coast. Once here. the question of
the Puritans gradually became that
of a thin soil and scanty returns.
OF arduous labor unmellowed by
leisure and pleasure and expansion
Quite inevitably, both the religious
and secular life OF the New England
people became an ingrowing influence,
exclusive and narrowing, inexpensive
and self-absorbed. 1t is under some
such findings as these that this author
must have conceived the romance of
the Pentlahd family. The Pentlands.
one and another, nodded by the
gloomy influences that made their
forefathers, objectify more than one
of the forms Of disaster waiting in
their blood to overtake them. A ro-
nance of gloomy atmospheres. with
characters of defeat and Illustration
to carry it forward in Il pride that
has no foundation, in a self-esteem
that is without rootage. The title of
the story comes from the life of the
young woman of another stock who
has married into this somber stu
alton. 1t is the futile beating of her
wings against the bars Of New Eng
land tradition and pride and self
containment that names the romance