Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-06
IDA GILBERT MYERS.

OUR FEDERAL LANDS: A Romance
of American Development. BY Rob-
ert Sterling Yard, author OF "Ihe
Top of the Continent" etc. New
York: Charles Scribner's Sons.
r OOKS like a promise too big for
fulfillment-that of creating ro-
nance out of a theme as dry
l. and dusty as that of the public
lands, upon Its surface, appears
to be. Where are these Federal lands?
What are they? What have they to do
with us? BY answering these very gen.
eral questions in his own way the au-
thor makes good, a6undantly good, on
the seeming contradiction In his book
title. Expert knowledge plus person.
atty and method, are paramount in
this work. BY an alliance of these an
important subject becomes vital ana
deeply interesting.
We all know many things that are
of no use on earth to us because our
minds are mere filters Of unassembled
parts-as irnpotent as an automobile
when it's multifarious elements are
packed away in separate crates and
boxes, standing here and there. Not a
vehicle not yet. Not much OF anything,
not yet. The parts brought together,
however, and properly related, the thing
becomes instantly a magic creature,
honking at the curb, eager to be off and
away 1t Is by such a process OF as
sembling facts of common knowledge,
such as we all have in possession. by
organizing these and unifying them
that Mr.. Yard has, in this case, pro-
duced book of Importance, one OF deep
interest as well. We know, vaguely,
that there are public lands, that these
have in our history, changed in scope
and status-that's about all We do know.
And right here this author lifts high
above the surroundings of private and
State and corporate ownership of land,
great empire of public land for OBJ
serVation, for information as to the
history of this possession, as to its pres
ent uses, as to it's future possibilities.
With this objective display go many
stories, all part of the growth and de-
velopment of our country. Here is the
story of the national forests and that
of national parks. Here is an account
of deserts to be reclaimed to fertility
and occupation. Here Is a record of
water power to be conserved, Of other
resources to be preserved Perhaps
most amazing of all Is the vivid picture
of our depleted wild life with which goes
many a plan for the rescue and perpet-
uation of that which now does exist.
To the few scattered items of informa-
ton in our possession upon beginning
to read this book there has been added
a body of fact of vital concern to every
American. Such interesting facts as
well. Such a good Storyteller as this
man is, too, dealing here with not a
thing but the truth, yet with truth
dressed in the colors Of personal inter-
est and an imagination that projects
fact as something alive and tremen-
douSly significant.
The experiences and records Of work.
erS in the Government of the United
States constitute treasure house OF
knowledge that, once brought out in
just the right spirit, would create a
literature of pure adventure not to be
surpassed. Books Of such spirit are
beginning to arrive. Robert Sterling
Yards Federal Lands" is, conspicuous
ly, one Of these.
S o s: A Story of the World War at
Sea. BY John D. Whiting, author of
} Storm Fighters" Illustrated by the
} author. indianapolis: The Bobbs-
! Merrill Co.
&c o S" sets us back 10 years and
~ more into the definite setting and
circumstances and suspense of the
World War. The zone of immediate
concern here is the Atlantic-soldierS
crossing, munitions being transferred,
camoufaged craft seeking to elude the
vision of the Submarine-theSe and a
hundred other concerns of life and
death sWarned the seas in those days
of warfare. Every rs o s" meant peril
and heroiSm and possible defeat. It is
around such a situation that the story
of Hugh Garfield and his companions
has been created, to revive in us again
| Of a cVNtritVId1 ~
going along with the men who dared so
superbly then. Every chapter Of this
story Is a drama implicit with tragedy
Every incident is a heroism that makes
; the reader proud. If not personally
active. I'm thinking, however. that out
: of such reading there will be a more
general repossession-not toward in
dividual strife nor general comhat--but
toward very active will against the
fatal enmities of mankind. However
this may be, no one can read this story
SO close at hand. SO true in every detail
so impressive as whole, without a
surge OF love not only for his country
but for every one who sent out call
for Succor, for every one who fell both
on sea and land in those dreadful days
Beside these stories of the multiform
dangers of the sea, there is here a
beautiful thread of shore life-work of
the Coast Guard, and, in addition, an
old man, the major, philosopher and
friend to Hugh Garfield and the rest
of the world. And the major, when
asked what did matter If war didn't,
said:
Why, there's friendship and laugh
ter n trees, sunlight n hard work n
sleep. Men don't have to 60 killing
their neighhors, just because their WON
en-folk want motor cars for Christmas. ~
You'll not agree that the cause of war
lies where the major puts 1t. Nor do /
But the rest of his outlook is quite all
right Not so?
SLAVES OF THE SUN. BY Ferdinand
Ossendowski, author of Beasts, Men
and Gods" etc. Illustrated. New
York: e. p. Dutton g. Co.
HAD this Polish man lived away back
- when men were just learning to
stand on two feet instead of on four
the great Sun God alone would have
been the one to receive his fears and
propitiations and promises. Even now
at this late day, there is in his mind
and heart no uncertainty as to the
maleflc supremacy of the sun in those
regions where its power is concentrate
and undiverted. Here are stories of
travel in Africa where the solar might
is at its height. The Ivory Coast,
Senegal, French Sudan, and other parts
Of tropical Africa have contributed in
their facts to this terrible story of a
slavery more hideous than any inven-
ton OF mere man could devise. Going
along with this author Is an imagina-
tn hoV 70 or