Evening star., 1928-05-20
IDA GILBERT MYERS.

N unknown lr1Sn girl, 10 years
n old. First novel. Three items
N that, as rule, would serve 10
\ lead readers straight away
from the book. Better not turn
YOUR back upon 1t. For these pitS Oh
personal gossip are not the device OF
cai1ny publisher to make GOOD on an
indisCreet picking of his own Settlng
her story in Ireland, the girl KNOWS tfie
home ground spread here down 10 us
roots and even below, just as she Knows
the irish folks of the commonalty
round about. And, though In her teens.
this writer bears none of the marks
of the prodigy. Looks much more ike
the clear genius. Perhaps not. Maybe
this is her only story, but 1t is nne
one. Fresh theme and a substantial
one. Clean action moving straight TO
it's objective. Suspense? On, yes,
suspense of the true breath-holding
kind. And such lifehke Irish men ana
women YOU could hardly imagine-not
overdone, not underdone, just exactly
right and as they really are instead.
And the outcome? Oh, Lord! Don't
ask me.
Haven't you yourself, many a time,
wondered what must be the secret
feelings of any public executioner-oi
the one who adjusts the moose and
surings the trap, or turns on the cur
rent? To be sure you have. To be
suite. YOU have pitied this man who mas
to live with himself all the time in his
hideous memories and terrifying pic
lures. That is what this story is about.
It is the story of Hanging Johnny,
as he was called. 1t is the story of the
thoughts and feelings that sometimes
frightened him and sometimes halI-
fascinated him. A sensitive fellow was
Johnny. Maybe not all there. accord
Inp 10 common opinion. Married? Yes,
after a while. A little boy, too. But
closer companions than these two, even,
were those pictures of condemned men.
swinging off into death. This writer
is very relentless young person
Something like destiny or fate, or what
ever it is that drives the human along.
Never once does she let up on the
ultimate hour of Hanging Johnny,
though her pursuit of him Is most in
nocent-like I'm its natural handing OF
every days plain doings. Pitched to
the common life of average people here
il a story of doom, Of the doom that
every dav works increasingly to the
fashioning of people according to the
nattern OF their own individual lives OF
thought and activity. Yet, such a
simple story in Its outline and action
and unpretentiouS unfolding. All really
tremendous things seem to be OF simple
cast. And this is one of that sort. 1t
win be interesting to watch this young
woman. Maybe she can do 1t again.
But, in any event, she has ALREADY IN
hand a story that Is bound TO stand
out. to stand well to the front OF cur
rent fiction.
EVERYDAY LIFE IN THE NAVY. BY
Rear Admiral Albert S. Barker
Boston: Richard c. Badger.
TN form and intent this Is autobiog-
raphy. In effect, 1t Is record oi
public service, so long sustained ana Sc
well carried out, as to constitute
period of history bearing upon the
United states Navy itself. In its auto
geographic capacity the story covers the
early wears OF the writer. his ancestry
place Of birth. boyhood. schooling
Very soon. however, "At Annapolis" IN
dicates the beginning OF a career IN
the service of country. Thereafter the
story Is that of the Navy, or OF those
PARTS Of the Navy with which this
Young man was making his way IN nIe,
under Farragut in the Civil War" gives
the time reckoning OF this DAWN
ing career. Then--an over the world
or so it seems. Fighting In Peru. VIM
tering In Korea. Lighthouse duty on
the New England coast. Hawalian
Islands-an important and vital point
In this career as well as IN Ine iaFgeI
career of the United States itself. On
to the Pacific Coast in command OF the
oregon. Then the Spanish War. In
command of the naval force on Asiatlc
station. Commandant Of New YORK
Nayv Yard. Commander -in-chief OF
North Atlantic feet. Such Is the nril-
liant sum of high lights In the career
of Admiral Barker. 1t sounds Ike pure
adventure-~-itist as seafariIlg OF any SORT
il hound 10 be. Yet. back OF the ac-
tivitv and growing honors Is q long and
strenuous period of patriotic service:
that rnelts gradually into the history OF
the country itself rather than To stano
ant as the story of any one man. 1ne
mere reading of these various points o1
duty and service proves the quallty OF sL,e
man behind 1t all wish 1t were possible
to convey to you some idea Oh tnls nial'
behind the naval ofhcer ana CON-
mander. kindly. gentle, smiling nuniof-
Gus. the prime story teller. mouess a.
q woman about his own acNievetIisI.sss' I
though no end proud OF nus nsn MY ~
his service~~here Is conhpal.lun "a "a
sss t,@st essence. Here Is q man wnom
vo,,ng men would delight 70 follow. IN
deed this is a book for the young men men
IN read. for out of 1t they VIII gatleT
yIs,on courage. heroism that does not
hnast manliness that goes INTO tue
service OF country. Spsenaio'
THE RESTLESS PACIFIC. BY Nichelas
ROOSEVELT, author Of The PhlHp-
nines. A Treasure and a Problem.
New York. Charles Scrihner's sons
WITH the East In a turmoil OF war
w and problems pertaining 70 tns
issues of war, Mr.. Roosevetts s'uuy VI
the Pacific becomes matter OF nIll,hs nm.,
diate Importance To readers gensEaai,s.
OF special moment to America .ne
situation on the other side ol ens
Pnciflc. The Panama CanAi ls eng "
NJ world tension and uncertainty. Singa~
nore il the other one. Between these
Two spreads the great political arena OF
the twentieth century, Upon TINS mo-
mentous fact Mr.. Roosevelt bases a
practical and thorough study OF the
clements which enter into the compost
tion OF political structures and purposes
The foundations Of the politics OF the
East are here presented In authoritative
exposition OF the conflicting national
interests that meet iIY this quarter oil
the world for adjustment and recipro-
eally advantageous pursuit To meet
such purpose the author defines anew
the geography Of the countries neigh
boring the Pacific, their approaches and
relations to one another. The natural
resources, those agents of production
and markets and competition. are given
In clear summary The policies that
have heretofore aetuated one and ana
other Of the nations In their relations
with the East are redefined, The
Oriental nations themselves are studied
for the racial and cultural peculiarities
that in all future dealings must be