Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-09
NEW BOOKS
AT RANDOM
!. C.. M.

OUR CHANGING CIVILIZATION.
John Herman Randall, H., Phi. D.
Frederick A. Stokes Co.
Here we are, right In the midst of
ourselves-not only as we are now, but
as we have been in the past, as we
promise to be in the future.
This study by the author Of 1.-THE
Making of the Modern Mind" -consti-
tutes survey Of Western civilization
Its prime purpose Is to make clear the
changes that have come upon it, es-
pecially to make plain the causes UNI
DERIVING such changes. And from this
point to look around upon the present
in its characteristics, its forces, its ef-
fects.
What is civilization? What do we
mean when we cite our own day, our
own selves even, as It's concrete exam
pie, its manifest prophecy? Where did
it come from and by what route has
it arrived? Where is it going, and Is 1t
really at this moment upon its way?
What has worked such changes within
it, while maintaining still its general
essentials of human achievement and
human progress? In effect, these are
the questions by way Of whose exami-
nation DR.. Randall invites us to look
in upon ourselves, to look backward
| upon that which has operated so pow
erfuuy In our behalf.
Having read the entire matter, we
return to take stand beside the out
come Of the study. Naturally to take
stand there, since this provides the out
look post toward which the search as
whole has been moving. And right
here we find both ourselves and the
amazing present of which we are a
part-of which we are, in the main,
here is new world for us to
apprehend, to seize upon, to make use
Of, to go along with actively In the
sweep Of its high tide. Science created
this new world. Today science and the
machine are running 1t. Not yet half a
century old-no more in duration than
a lightning f1ash-yet this Is q giant
| of a creation, whose course even at this
moment is beyond conjecture. No use
to trouble about the future. The most,
| and the least, that mere man can do
| is to look around about himself-keen-
eyed and -minded-for the really
significant changes with which he
must set up some kind Of working al
| lance.
The miracle-maker, science, with the
machine as his right hand, Is already
deep in the business of reconstructing
both the material and the spiritual life.
He has already reused the dormant
| earth into surprising activities of pro-
duction. Industry is responding to the
machine in prodigies Of achievement.
Poverty Is being amelioratsd. Wealth
is being strained to its utmost in gen.
eral beneflcence on the one hand and
pure greed on the other. Conveniences,
even Injuries, are today the rule rather
than the exception. Right here in the
material realm there is field for actual
marvels Of inspirational world-building
! And in the spiritual domain the
I changes are as marked, and even more
vital. Under the lead of science the
older emotions are giving way to the
younger zeal for truth. Old faiths are
| weakening. Tradition is singing small.
| Custom, even, is showing signs of de-
crepitude. Habits are shifting in the
| new winds of fact, Of fresh discoveries,
| of a passionate and exclusive thirst for
| the marvelS that science Is opening to
the astounded eyes Of man. The new
outlook is affecting every phase OF in
| tellectual and spiritual life. The artist
feels 1t, so does the poet. And art Is
| beginning to reflect the new world.
| The religionist feels it-and widens the
borders of his understandings of "sin, y
| and relaxes his attitudes toward 1t.
| The business man feels 1t in his new
| expansions toward both sides OF the
| business life where hitherto he saw but
one side, his side. Industry is growing,
slowly growing, spiritual, in some OF Its
plans and fulfillmentS. Very gradual
are these accommodations toward the
new world of science and the machine.
So laggard, in fact, as to throw the pas
| sionate advocate into tears and terrors
| over the lost condition Of this ma
| terialistic day." toward this reign OF the
| wicked god, Commerce. But the
changes are going on, going on like a
| juggernaut, If you will, or like any
other of the deities Of progress. These
changes and these fears have reamrmeo
the ardors of the conservative. OF the
fundamentals, in politics, In religion
in the social convention. And yet, the
movement toward liberalization goes
on. The younger ones, more friendly
toward science because better &C
ouainted with it. are in the ranks OF
the marchers. Courageous youngsters
facing life without fear. And IN be-
tween the two, in between the reaction
airy and the moderns, stands the host OF
the middlemen-fence-riders we cal
them in reproach-those who, In enec'
and finally, prove TO De the sane resu,
lators of old Puritanism on the one
hand and no "isni" at all on the other
After showing us in complete and en-
crossing fashion what the stupendous
quality of this new day Is, then, this
scholar and man Of science turns aoou'
and tells us not to be afraid.
X 4
And he goes back to gather for oul
easement facts to prove that this thlne
has been done before-to prove tina,
civilization has ever been a plant ano
adaptable thing, doing nothing more
than to reflect man himself. Collective
man, who through all the ages has
after all, merely patterned the moving
civilizations upon himself, upon his owr
assembled desires and needs objectiflee
in the human institutions that ne ma:
created and perpetuated. 1t Is at TN!
point Of reinsurance that DR.. Randal
makes an illuminating study OF tha'
twelfth century. which has been 81
neglected by historians in favor OF th'
later Renaissance, its sequence and re-
suit, Let US run over 1t Sketch1ly, since
it is much like our own day and prob
lem: The earliest business among mer
was war. Then came short lnterlude'
of peace. With these followed tllllni
the soil. In times small stores OF sur
plus. These brought leisure. Trade
and crafts were the sequence
of such overstores. All this Int
beginning Of q great social develop
y,ent in the twelfth century. Here