Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-05
NEW BOOKS
AT RANDOM
/. G.. NJ.

01O 6OS1 ba1Js Sa4Fnl r. f1dIlUW.
D. Appleton g. Co.
Radio. telegraph, telephone and press,
the mail service Of land and sea and
air-these stand together, response of
civilization and science to a basic need
in human life.
To tell 1t to somebody, this is the
universal and irresistible urge. To tell
it in all haste to Mary or John or
George-that latest happening, that
fresh experience, the surge of some new
and strange emotion.
Individual and tribe and clan, fam
lily and neighborhood, nations and the
world itself are mastered, controlled,
shaped even, by the instinct for touch,
contacts, communication.
1t Is long story, the story of COM
munication, immemorially old in its be-
ginnings and already a miracle Of
achievement at the present speeding
hour.
But, wait. Before moving into Mr..
Harlow's big story of the growth of
communication let us stand outside
while facing a truly epic moment in
that progression Yesterday, March 4,
at the National Capital, Herbert Hoover,
incoming President of the United
States, made solemn avowal of good
faith and devoted service to the great
Republic of which he is now the titular
head, In his own voice he spoke to
the actual hearing of practically the
entire world. Truly, communication at
its apogee!
Again, on Saturday, March 2, through
the cooperation of The Evening Star
and the Columbia Broadcasting System
there was set up in Washington radio
forum. The purpose of the enterprise
is to bring 100000 people In this
country within sound OF the voice or
Senator Representative, cabinet officer.
heads of Government bureaus, for the
sake of better schooling of the public
in the ways of Government business. A
better general understanding, finer CO.
operation, more ardent zeal for per-
sonal responsibility-these are the ends
sought by this undertaking. Commurl-
cation, instantaneous and widespread.
is again at a high pitch of practical
usefulness.
Once more. On that same evening,
March Q, the Washington Chamber of
Commerce invited to its house, so to
sneak. the thousands of visitors now
in the Capital for Inauguration. These
thousands listened, by radio, to the
voice of native son." one who, like
his father before him, has spent his
active years in the service OF this pc
loved and beautiful city. And the
story that he told them face to face,
in effect, was that OF "voteless WASH.
ington''-of half a million people. held
back from the inallenaoie rlgnt OF
every American.
These three citations are offered to
give pith and point, to give concrete
| immediacy and proper significance TO
the miracle of communication as 1t
stands today. And Is this the end?
Certainly not. That curious, prying,
delving, ingenious. creative, uncon-
ouerable animal, man, has no more
| than Just begun, is right now merely
getting his stride for the next goal.
But let us move out Of the excite
ment Of this inaugural hour, the world
absorbed In listening in. Let us slip
back into Mr.. Harlow's big story. where,
in orderly fashion, we may trace this
modern wonder from its beginnings,
may follow it through many vicissitudes
to its present hour Of triumph.
In It's prime point Of purpose "Old
Post Bags" Is a record OF the rise and
growth of the mail service, ultimately
the organized mail service OF our own
country. But, to meet such purpose
In a rich. human way, rather than by
the official dry route, Mr.. Harlow goes
far back for an effective running start.
He spreads his work wide, wandering
far In it's pursuit--into India and
Persia, across Europe by way Of Spain,
France, England and so, finally, to
quest and in every locality the advance
is primarily but an answer to the
essential and increasing call OF the
human for closer touch and Speedler
communication.
AS verifiable record the story reaches
from about 5000 years before our own
era up to the hour of the recently
established air mail service. But, hap
PLY, it touches upon a point OF time
earlier than this historic beginning.
It goes back, even. to that lar half
mythic period when man in his early
day of outstanding reached instinctively
toward association and support, toward
protection against the mysterious and
inimical behavior of nature itself-the
drive of storm, the battling OF the
winds. the thrust of the lightning, the
believing threat of the thunder. To
get together, to touch, to feel the
strength Of union-this was the impera-
tive of that age-old day. And, out OF
it, grew the marvel Of modern commu-
nication.
Time passed. Man grew in the ways
of human life-war ways in the main.
with only scant interludes OF peace
Information, exact and speedy, is one
of the sinews of war. So the press OF
today-the promoting. educative
friendly press-had its origin IN the
need Of fighting tribe or clan or rude
people to know, to get In touch, to
gather the news. And all along the
line of slow-growing civilization that
need has remained constant, giving
rise to the latest inventions OF the
moment for the carrying Of facts In an
almost instantaneous efficiency OF Ell
feet.
There Is hardly a more thrilling
story conceivable than that which here
covers the devices used for carrying
the news-news of victory, news OF dis
tress and need. The drum-beat, the
-tum-tum" sounding through weird
nights of jungle and desert-that Is
news, its medium a long line OF taut
drum-heads. The runner, spent ana
fallen as he passes his message TO the
next in line-he Is part Of the mail
service Of his own far day. The swift
couriers in relays, the flaring torches on
the Scottish hills, beacon lights. warn
ing or inviting-all news, all parts OF
the mail service that today declares
the enterprise and initiative of man.
The story of carrying the news moves
on up from primitive times into the
Middle Ages. into the eighteenth Gen.
fury and into the nineteenth century.
giving within each period its special
contribution to the steady advance
and expansion. The great medieval
messenger system of the Far East reads
like Haroun- al-Raschid for 1t charm
and wonder. The early day of the
British ports Is here pictured and so
Is the first city mail service Of Paris.
Then the author crosses to America
where he points out the early Colonial
posts. those of the Revolution DAYS. |