Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-22


those of material bulk Storms
Il of controversy and discussion
beat upon these as wind and
rain beat upon the earth itself. AS
hills are washed away and valleys carv-
ed in constant recreation of the
earth's surface, so these old beliefs and
opinions have been steadily eroded to
new outlines of meaning. Innumerable
forgettings and fresh revivals have re-
colored them again and again in the
purple dyes of distance, reset them in
the softening perspective Of the ages.
The grtS't highway Of history itself Is
strewn with these relics of vanished be-
liefs just as, beneath the surface, the
earth is strewn with broken sculptured
remains of its material past.
There are lying around US today
many a Question-grave or gay-queries
Of puzzling import which, assembled,
constitute q motley Of illusions to things
that used to exist in actuality. To
name little handful Of them, gathered
at random: Who did discover America?
Was Herodotus the old liar that he
used to be called or is he the authentic
historian that modern tests now in
dictate? Who wrote Shakespeare? Who
killed Cock Robin? How old Is Ann?
and so on, in the light mind or serious,
these odds and ends come to the sur
face. History, romance, fable, fairy
tale, myth, legend, poetry and song
are all indicated by such varients of
human impulse and expression.
JULY IA. BY Emil Ludwig, author Of
Goethe" etc. Translated from the
German by c. A. Mccartney. IL
Illustrated. New York: G. P. Put
MANS Sons.
WHO started the World War? For
w ten years now a steady urge Of
library shelves with answers to this
single question. Works of ponderous
polemics have gone into it. Micro
Scoptc research and expert analysis
have belabored it. Persuasive argu-
ments have turned it this way and that
Publicity has bullyragged it from every
angle. Poetry has sung it, the drama
has pictured it. Print is still piling
high round the persistent query, Who
started the World War?
Emil Ludwig's July IA" Is not a big
book, as book discussions run. Hardly
is this discussion, however. Rather is
it a straight course into the various
centers and sources Of information, into
the secret diplomacies of Europe, for
years leading up to that July tragedy
Of 1914. With documents to support
him, Ludwig marsha1s the statesmen Of
Europe to an open accounting Of that
which has to so great an extent been
held IN secret. Diplomats and military
leaders and foreign ministers make up
the company which with irrefutable
evidence is challenged by this fearless
and vigorous fighter against the deep
silenceS Of international negotiations
Bring these into the open. Sooner or
later they lead to war. When war
comes it is the youth of the countries
who step out to pay the bill Of self
seeking diplomatic bargainings. Forth
right, challenging, and above all illumi-
mating, July IA" will be in the hands
Of readers and students Of the Great
War long after miles Of library shelves
have been swept Of the bulk of their
literature upon this particular theme.
Brilliant, cutting, truth-telling, con-
vincing, this book belongs with the
youth, with those who in the days to
come will refuse, openly, to fight the
battles of bargain making international
representatives.
THE SAGA OF THE SWORD. BY F..
Britten Austin. New York. The
Macmillan Co.
THOSE who read all and those who
read but some of the series of
history fiction tales which, grouped
under the general title 1.-THE Saga of
the Sword" appeared in the Saturday
Evening Post alike will rejoice that
these excellent and unusual contribu-
tions to knowledge by r. Britten Austin
have been published in book form. Mr.
Austin Is man whose knowledge of
things military, both ancient and mod
ern, is based evidently on keen interest
In the art OF war and has been en-
HANGED by q vast amount OF delving
into old and authoritative sources Of
information. War Is by no means all
there Is to history; on the other hand,
up until today and, possibly even to-
morrow, war seems to be inextricably
series OF impressions Of warfare, given
along the lines Of a historical novel,
start the reader with prehistoric times
and bring him through the ages to the
World War. No one can read this
volume without learning great deal
and, no matter how pacif1stic his ten
denotes, without experiencing q quick
ening Of the blood. Although not a
juvenile book, 1t will make a particu-
larry appropriate present for boy, and
that without any likelihood Of making
him overmilitaristic. It is a Companion
volume to when Mankind Was Young"
whose chapters were also printed orig
inally in semi-serial form A third
series by the same author, Toward the
Millennium" is at present commanding
widespread attention. r. M. K.
X X =
THE UNWILLING GOD. By Percy
Marks, author Of "The Plastic Age"
etc. New York: Harper g. Brothers.
ON top this Is a perfectly scrump-
tious college story. Underneath it
Is story Of life, posting one Of the
prime questions Of every mans exist
ence. Let us get the question out of
the way at once. Shall this one or
that-you, or I, or the other-be an
1nsider or an outsider? Inside, sharing
equally. partaking whole-heartedIy?-or
outside In. a spirit of superiority, Of
d1staste for the average behaviors Of the
crowd? Which? Here is the question
embodied in 1.-THE Unwilling God" as
IL Is implied also in the individual atti-
tude beyond the college years. Yet 1t
Is nothing more than the story of Bill
Royce at college. Bent upon getting an
education. Helll he'd paid for it--this
is Blu himself talking, why certainly it
Is Btl!-and why should he waste his
time on what is so generally, and vap-
idly, known as college activities"
school spirit" and the rest Of itP No
reason why he should and he wasn't
going to-not If he knew himself, and
he guessed he did. But, you see, Bill
had the good fortune, or bad, to be a
splendid animal, and a surprising ath-
lete. It was plain poetry to see Bill
doing his do on the field Of foot ball
It was certain winning beside. And
there you are. There Is the story, or
the making of thoroughly big adven-
ture, set out In a complete intimacy
with the theme set out also in a work
OF surprising Observation-Disclosures the
novel according to the fine art of archi-
lecture, building Bill according to a
mans keen hold on the heart and
mind Of youth. Not q story for young
readers alone-one instead for all who