Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-31
IDA GIIBEBT MYERS.

York: Harper q Bros
"HIS is the story of Hiram Bond.
1t Is also the story of the growth
of big business in this country.
i It Is, moreover, substantial DEM
onStration of the old saying,
from shirtsleeves to shirtsleeves in
three generations" I ought to change
this a bit, for here Is Hiram Bond in
the flesh, not merely an account of him.
Here actually Is big business, with the
noise and clatter, with the orderly con-
fusion that constitutes the amazing
growth of this modern giant. And
here are the sons and grandsons Of
the successful business man, falling
away into incompetence under the fool
ish indulgence Of fathers who want my
son to have better chance than 1
had" Fathers certainly are fools. And
the world Is full of them, Of those who
fail to know that their lack of oppor-
tunity was the very thing that made
them. However, this Is Clarence KEEL
lands story, not mine. And what
want to say is that here is clearly a
great story. Great in the sense that it
is firmly built upon foundations Of fact.
Upon the facts of the growth Of bust
ness from the years when a partner
ship was illegal on up to the present
time when the great corporation Is
necessity. In preparing for this novel
its author did not sit around making
up things about this wonderful eXpan-
sion. He studied it. He knows about
it. Nor did he fabricate a man to en-
body the ruthless spirit of phenome-
nal success in the field of modern en-
terprise. He chose his man with the
utmost fidelity to the pattern of man
that makes for success and mastery. A
big fellow, positively uncanny--as some
men are-in his sense of direction, the
direction Of big business, uncanny in
his reach for the combinations best cal
culated to meet, triumphantly, the next
stage of the stupendous expansion. A
foolish man, In many ways, since there
were whole areas of life wholly I'M
known to hinl-love. for instance, and
the home life In these directions he
was prepoSterous-never unkind. mind
YOU, but dumb and heavy. Toward
business, however. and toward his en-
ployer whom he made, he was pure
romantic in vision, and an adventurer
in daring. He was honest, even chlval-
rous toward his paSsion-big business
but ruthless toward any hand out
stretched in harmful intent toward this
thing that he was building. How easy
it would have been in making this mod
ern novel to overreach, TO go beyond
the acceptance of conservative readers.
This, however, is exactly what the au-
thor held himself away from. Never
once does he transgress against con-
sistency and plausibility. In conse-
quence we have here both a great story
and an excellent picture OF modern IN
dustry. Moreover, Hiram Boyd is alive
40 fSna kpNff q ykNn MT
three of him-for you to study in his
large characteristics of purpose and
behavior in the great field Of modern
industry. There Is q smooth consist
ency about this novel, hard work. In
telligent and artistic work, that went
into its accomplishment. I'm in debt
to this young man. So are you or
will be when you are through With
Dynasty"
RICHELIEU. BY Karl Federn. Trans
lated by Bernard Mall. New York:
Frederick A. Stokes Co.
sd ICHELIEU" demonstrates the
: = surprising value Of biography as
prime illuminant and interpreter OF
history itself. This relatively new
method of historic outlook makes use
of the fundamental fact that the
events constituting any historic period
gather about and center upon some
individual of power and influence, or
at most upon some small group OF DOM
mating and directing force. The chron-
icle of any people or of any time is but
a succession of concentration points
around one and another of these dyna-
mic leaders. To study one Of these Is
to know the highway of national growth
or of national decline. Here it is from
Richelieu, from his inconspicuous early
years on through to his ultimate
achievements in influence and direc-
tive power, that one is able to stand in
the high light of French international
policy for the first half Of the seven
teenth century In so far as France
itself was concerned, he was Che very
essence of that period. To see him as
one is able to see him here-wise, slow
in preparation but swift and decisive
in action, statesmanly in outlook. COM
prehensive In appraisal and seizure
Is to see the actual body and spirit OF
France moving forward toward a
stronger nationalism. That was his
object-to build France. To build him
Sell d1SOs Vii, yes. 1lCdb OAAOCAO al e
likely to be INSCRIPTIONS along certain
lines. He was. But by a concentra-
ton upon this single character Karl
Federn has made it possible for readers
to come upon the spirit Of France in
the time Of Richelieu and after as nc
run of events-the common way with
history-could possibly have provided
for them. Here is a highly dramatic
effect that moves something as the
highest grade of novel moves. The
very essence of France itself Is here in
a volume that does not run to 200
pages. One of the best Of its kind, and
in so far as an understanding of history
is concerned the best of all kinds OF
treatment.
1898
THIS MANS WORLD. BY Irwin S.
Cobb, author of "All Aboard" etc.
New York: Cosmopolitan Book Cor
poration.
D OBERT HERRICK in the March
Az Bookman ends a carefully rea-
soned article, drawn from a study of
current literature, with the statement
that this is a feline world, bent upon
ease, comfort, a soft spot to lie down
in. Intensely competitive In method
it is, therefore a cruel world. And it
is the male who has made, Is making
this possible, through his abdications
and indifferences. His Is the cats paw.
Again, a newS item of last week re-
ports that Al per cent of the wealth OF
this country Is in the hands of women:
Inheritance, insurance alimonies, may
be-all sourced in the male have, in
large measure, brought about this ease
ment for the female of the species. And
from one slant this fact steps up beside
Mr.. Herrick in his findings as to the
increasing felinity of the world.
But Irwin Cobb says .'No such thing!
This is a mans world and has been and
is going to be!' Whereupon, he pumps
down Is points in proof of his state
ment. Each point is a story that the
great majority of readers will count as
true tale, gospel true. Each bears the
Irwin Cobb stamp-plain good sense,
keen cyesight and the >jovial turn OF