Evening star., 1928-01-24
NEW BOOKS
AT RANDOM
I. G.. M.
OUR TIMES: America Finds Herself
Mark Sullivan. Charles Scribner's

Mark Sullivan. Charles scribner's
Sons.
Smith calls it real history and let's
it go at that. Brown says that from
start to finish 1t looks to him most like
the heart of adventure itself. And Jones
AYERS that 1t is. first and foremost, ex-
pert Journalism, upon 1t the fine and
brilliant sheen OF this later art brought
to It's highest point. Then Doe asks.
why not all three together? For this
trio Is OF kinship as clear as the blood
bond OF single family. History Is but
fact. Fact in its rootage is adventure
OF one sort or another. And the two, in
their natural union, serve knights OF the
press as no other theme could posi-
bly, do.
However the controversy may run.
here is the book itself, Mark Sullivan's s
Our Times"
Climbing down from its plain capti-
vation and standing off for better
look at 1t as whole, / see the book
as big tree in the open plain It's
trunk--a century and a half in the
groWing-is the Mind Of America. Out
from its substance, out from the sap
and fiber OF this central stem. a thou
sand branches reach. Each is a nat
ural growth. All are akin. Each Is.
nevertheless. variant from the others,
And these branches are thick with
leaves, a bewilderment of shining facets
offering innumerable twists and turn
ings OF the common trends OF American
thought and outlook. Now the foliage
OF any tree Is its immediate attraction.
One sees first the sheeny mass of color
and movement So 1t is with this book.
Here, outcoming toward the reader, are
hundreds OF views. hundreds OF per-
sonal interviews Here is a genuine
pageant OF celebrities. passing so close
that one meets them shoulder to
shoulder in the march. Here are free
and friendly contacts by the score.
Here is procession OF vital incidents.
warm to the seasoned and Illuminating
comment OF Mark Sullivan. Yet. abb
sorbing as are the color and movement
OF this abundant LEAKAGE, 1t Is. after all.
TO the trunk and branch of this i'm
portant study that one turns for a
longer satisfaction. for deeper knowl-
edge OF the quality OF the American
mind working out in certain definite
iines OF purpose and achievement II
IL were Winter time. you could see. as
plain as day, the clear system OF trunk
and branch existing here-the mental
origins OF America set out. the method
OF growth defined. the contributing in
illences from stage to stage. But IL Is
Summer time and the tree Is thick
with leaves. In the contemplation of
these many reader will find his best
satisfactions. And it is truly a sump-
tuors output OF American personality
and American modes of action that
tnls View reveals. There are others
however. who will. fguratively to be
sure, but none the less effectually. strip
this tree OF its glittering foliage In order
70 get at the real quality of the Amer
ican mind. to get at the original sources
OF lis growth. at the character OF the
contributions by way Of which 1t has
taken on experience and Is acquiring
also culture OF It's own.
Right here Mr.. Sullivan has much Ia
say about education in America. wha;
Is the tradition that sourced 1t and from,
where did this tradition come? Com
panionably he moves forward to talk.
little, about the experiment of yokine
| religion and education In this country.
He speaks about the schools themselves
as the prime agency of culture in a
general purpose of the American
people. Here he reverts feeiingiy To
the near past in our education. pausing
TO pay tribute TO one and another OF the
really inspired leaders in this field. One
smiles, warmly agreeing to the exalta-
ton of "McGutfey's Readers" to the
accolade laid upon the shoulders OF
their author. Education soon passes
into politics here as 1t would, and does.
In no time at all. politics. education.
government. industry. mix In q blend
Of American life that might be a mere
confusion TO most. But IL Is all the
stuff upon which the newspaper man
has been brought UP. so 1t swings into
an orderly procession OF events here.
each element serving TO illuminate. TO
amplify. to interpret the others. The
big story converges upon It's central
theme-that America Is coming into a
mind distinctively It's own. In another
way of putting 1t, the big showing runs
TO the effect that America is coming
into a culture. peculiarly its own~-a
culture that Is coming 10 operate In the
common purpose OF American life as
this exemplifies itself in politics. In
business. In government and In society.
Enjoyment lies In every page OF this
book. Information OF the substantial
sort and sound Judgment upon many o
theme vital 10 American life come to-
gethcr here In the most friendly and
companionable way that can be I'M
agined. l think this 10 a great book
truly great. Don't You?
MONEY WRITES, Upton Sinclair
Albert and Charles Boni,
The sum and substance OF this book
Is that every considerable writer in
A HAa kR~t sN
good effect that practically only such
books are published as are acceptable
to the Interests II turns out that
there Is just one high-souled. unpur-
chasable author In America. This is a
great pity~-this man is a great pity,
Clearly an artist. able to write really
great things. Sensitive TO beauty, keen
In insight, tender in feeling. quite eN-
ceptional iii the gift Of beautiful and
forcetul expression. Upton Sinclair has
become SO enslaved In his own political
philosophy OF socialism as 20 refuse 10
others either honesty OF purpose or In
teiligence in pursuit. A splendid and
impressive wrtter~~or would be- If his
theme were not SO exclusive and II his
yituperatiuns were not SD inclusive, The
book Is In effect the death march ot
the condemned Hardly AT American
writer OF any standing that is not IN"
eluded within this blast Of externi!na-
ton. Yet. here and there. Is n flash oi
criticism. moment Of literary APP
praisal. that Is moi only sound but that
is as well, 81 put AS 10 eryStal'ise the
analysts IN unforgettahsc word ana
phrase In the main, however. wft'cfs
are weighed by Sinclair III the scales o'
socialist propaganda When Sinclair Is
erusading against society, against thr
interests, against the exploitation e
labor. he loses his sense " beauty ana
proportion. he loseS his tender ana
warm humanity. moving out ene'set~
ically into the field Of abuse and harsh
Judgment, yet he talks beautifully
about brotherhood. beautifully As ne
can talk Hut To inspire his support
the brotherhood must be OF MS own
making Of his own pattern Wage
NJ ID AN .,iI fAHgt 1 fhNtich{ III a