Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-14
NEW BOOKS
AT RANDOM
CENTURY OF INDUSTRIAL
PROGRESS. Edited by Frederic
William VILE Doubleday. Doran IL
I. C.. NJ.

IT. is obvious that Frederic William
Wile's editorial approach to the subject,
embodied in the title of this book. Is
one of high zeal and deep enthusiasm
Happily for the reader such mood Is
communicable one, delivering over 10
him the full substance of this remark
able survey. No wonder that the book
produces amazement. For never with
in the long past and at no other point
on the face of the earth Is there eVi-
dence, nor legend even, OF period SO
astounding in achievement as TO the
one of which we are ourselves now
living part. To have the whole matter
summarized and set out as high adj
venture is enough to stir the magma
ton Of even the most phlegmatlc.
Here is Romance" says Mr.. VINE.
Here is Truth stranger than Fiction.
Here are Homers in recital OF OdyS-
seys" more wondrous than tales OF
myth and fable.
Beyond a short introduction In ex-
PLANTATION of the source and purpose OF
the study, Mr.. Vile promptly marshalS
these modern HomerS, 80 or more, each
Of whom contributes out OF MS own
special equipment for the task some
single aspect of the fabulous march Oh
industry through the century now run
ming its course. The first OF THESE pro-
vides broad outlook by Herbert
Hoover upon the fundamental forces
underlying the prodigious actlVltles' SO
vital and diverse, that characterize the
industrial situation of the present and
it's immediate future.
Quite naturally, the story of the soil
leads the procession, Senator Capper is
the particular Homer of this saga OF the
pioneer and the settler. OF narrow sea-
board farms widening out. mile upon
mile. into the golden reaches OF wheat
and corn spanning the Middle West,
marching onward across the ROCKIES 10
meet the fruit soils of the Pacific Coast.
Within this hundred-year lap the farm
house in its multiform activities mas
been relieved by the rise OF the factory
Today it differs but little from the
complete equipment OF the city mouse
Industrially too, the farmer is emery
ing from the individualiSm resulting
from his earlier isolation. He is giving
up some bits of himself for the sake OF
sharing the advantages of modern CO.
operation and organization. He is
waking up politically. waking up on
his own account rather than at the
urge of agitator and demagogue.
great story whose later chapters are
yet to be told Romance? Mr.. Vile Is
right. Adventure? OF the highest and
most thrilling.
Here is another one. This is the
story of lumber and the gigantic in
dustry that has come out of the woods
to supply the multiplying needs of a
swift-growing population. This is tale
that is close to the story of the soil,
matter of deep moment to the soil as
well. But here it takes a turn away
from this next of kin, so to speak. 10
enlarge upon the theme of manufac-
tured products to suit the requirements
of the day. Time was. you know. when
the log cabin and firewood and the
convenience of the forest as weather
shield pretty we'll summed the demands
Of the settler upon the big trees. But,
like everything else in this panoramic
view, the woods have moved on into a
thousand ways of supplying the needs
of the day.
There arc exactly 81 of these stories
Each one should have deep attention.
by virtue of that which each possesses
for the information and pleasure OF
any reader. Taken together. they
provide moving picture Of the preoC-
cupation of the people OF this country
with the ways of peace and with the
purpose of more general prosperity,
ways Of lifting the general level many
degrees toward comfort and happiness
and the pursuit Of enduring things
This pageantry OF labor moves for
ward in fair sequence of inherent re-
lationships, an arrangement that adds
greatly to the interest of the whole
From the story Of lumber the mind
turns 10 another great enterprise -
that of ships and Shipping" A note
of warming words of counsel, go along
with the survey of this industry at the
hands of Edward Hurley. who, in war
time was at the head of the United
States Shipping Board Speaking of
ships. there follows deeply interesting
story of our Foreign Trade" by Julius
Klein. expert on the subject of both
domestic and foreign trade, who each
week tells the world. over the radio.
such graphic and useful facts upon this
subject. Mines and Mining" along
with Steel" and Machinery and
power'-with Foster Balm and Charles
Schwab and Dexter Kimball back of
them-round up great tracts OF modern
industry. round them up in fair de-
tail of exact knowledge, while at the
same time they maintain the quite
lawful and legitimate glamour that the
great theme holds as part OF its own
blood and Drawn and breath.
The story of paper reaches back into
lumber and forward into print. Here
comes survey. stirring survey o.
James Brown, of Journalism anu
Publishing" an outlook upon the great
Fourth Estate in its purposes and pol
icies and power--power either way. for
good or i'll according to the wisdom or
unwisdom of individual opponents OF
this greatest Of all modern agencies OF
contact and information.
Here is story Of science, Research,
Science and Invention" The story o!
investigation coming out into the field
of industry. taking part in thousand
ways with every days simplest occu-
pations and acts. This is one of the
best of these epics, certainly one more
fun of wonders than any single recital
could be expected to be. But here it
is-~-and all true. Next to it--indeed
part of it's The Electric Industry"
by owen D. Young. known to us chiefly
as the Dawes plan man" though OFF,
cially he is at the head of General
Electric Co. And so these stories run,
not leaving out a thing. Motion pic
lures are here in the expoSitory treat
ment Of Will II Hays. Ant here is
Aviation" and Radio" - everything
that has come tn pass so far gathers
into this surprising volume Of modern
content and significance.
Interesting 70 know the source or so
compact a body of fact whose applica-
ton in daily life is manifest in innumer-
able ways The public spirited sponsor
for SO useful publication IS The
American Institute" And here Edwin
Forrest Murdoch. its president, gives an
account of the rise Of this institution
of its work, It's influence. Its purposes
for the present and the future The
American Institute II appears has been
since It's founding. the foster mother of
industry in America from the time of
the War of 1912 Before that time. we
recall our manufactured things came
from England. the mother country
But the war changed that We no longer