Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-04
THE LIBRARY TABLE
By the BooklOreT

Americans in Europe. at least some
Americans in Europe. may see them
selves as a satirist sees them in SIN
clair Lewis novel "Dodsworth." Sam
Dodsworth, successful president of the
Revelation Automobile Co., which has
just merged with the Unit Automotlve
Co, finds himself with a little leisure
on his hands, and allows himself to BE-
enticed to Europe for an indefinite stay
by his wife, Fran, who frankly hates
Zenith and all its small-toWn actlVl-
ties. Because she has once spent some
time in Europe before her marriage,
and because she considers herself of
far finer material than her Zenith
neighbors, including her husband, Fran
feels that she is cosmopolitan and will
find her proper milieu in Europe. Her
superficial adaptability saves her from
most errors, but there are a few. On
the steamer, after she has been airlly
poking fun at fellow Americans abroad,
she receives reproof from the English
man on whom she has been trying to
make an impression. Why is it." Fran
says, that the travelling American is
such dreadful persona" And why is
it," Lockert replies, that you Ameri-
cans, the nice ones, arc so much more
snobbish than the EngliSh?" When
Fran comes into conflict with an old
Kurt Won Obersdorf. Fran decidedly
loses. All her European adventures
both frivolous and serious, come to a
drab and taWdry end.
X x x x
Sam Dodsworth. having no high
opinion of his own culture (F'ran has
always made him realize how little he
has, and almost entirely lacking in
Sclf-cOnSciouSneSS does rather better in
Europe than Fran. People like him and
do not seem to mind if he docs talk
about automobile manufacture and his
new scheme for motor caravans. In
italy by himself, with Fran back in
Berlin, he achieves such intimacy with
the Baron and Baroness Ercole and
their friends as would have caused
FRAN acute envy. But, consciously
proud of his new knowledge of Europe,
it is when his Old friend, Tub Pearson
from Zenith, comes to Paris with his
wife that Sam assumes the role of
European habitue. He haStenS from
Berlin to Paris in order to meet Tub
on his arrival. Sam waited in the
Care du Moro, excited, but pleasantly
superior. He WIS no American tourist,
embarrassed by the vouble Parisians.
He knew EN-! He could say to a por-
ter, 'Apportez lie baggage de monsieur
un taxicab, Just as well as old Ber-
litz-almost as we'll as Fran He swung
his stick, Strolled along the platform
and nodded to the gathering porters,
feeling much as he had on the evening
after the last game of the foot bail
season. When the lean, swift French
locomotive flashed in, hurting its smoke
up to join the ghosts of smoke-palls
that lurked under the vast roof of the
train shed, he chuckled aloud. Old
rtyk@ - 10 ITiY-ef fiV,1a in
Paris!" Then he sees Hub and Matey
handing their bags out of a car win
dow, and rushes to the scene to give
expert aid. The greeting is vociferouS
on both sides. They banged each
others shoulders, Sam kissed the sud-
denly beaming Matcy, and they went
down the platform together, Sam with
one arm about Tubs shoulder and one
about Matey's. He said sharply to the
porter. I'm taxi, sill vous p!ait-just
as the porter was waving to taxi on
his own-and Tub clamored, We'll, I'm
a son of gun! Say, you've certainly
learned to parley-vous like a native,
SamboI" Then follows the thrill of
showing Tub all the best restaurants,
cafes and bars of Paris. Tub demands
something lively the famous Voisin's
displays too little gilt and marble to
suit him. But when, in the late eve
ming, they arrive at the Caverne Russo
des Quarante Vents. Tub is satisfied
Gee, this is some place!" he exults,
oblivious of the fact that it is a place
especially staged for Americans. The
Caverne was so large, so noisy, with
such poisonously loud negro jazz bands,
such cover charges, such incredible
courtroom charges. such abominabie
champagne at such atrocious prices,
such a crowded dancing floor. such
stencil of cigarette smoke and perfume
and perspiration. such sound of the
voices of lingerie buyers from Fort
Worth and Milwaukee, such moist
girls inviting themselves to ones tables,
such rude Hellenic walters and ruder
Hebraic managers. that it was almost
as good as Broadway" After half
night of the Caverne and other similar
places. Sam and Matey have reason to
be ashamed of Tubs unrestrained en-
ioyment of Partisan drinks and to re-
feet that as a general proposition he IS
better off in Zenith.
x x
"Skyscrapers and the Men Who Build
Them" by Col w. A. Starrett, treats OF
the skyScraper as tine most diStlnctively
American thing in the world" Pioneer
builders of skyScrapers, which were I'M
known a little over so years ago, were
w
ney William Holabird and Daniel H.
Burnham. Col Starrctt describes the
building of skyscraper from the first
calculations of engineers to the finish
ing touches by plumbers, painters, car
penters, electricians and decorators.
x x
Lorna Moon has drawn a group of
characters individual in their simplicity
in her first novel. Dark Star" The
dead little village of Pitouie is their
home, where they live in its insignificant
houses. congregate in its noisy market
place or along its single street, or walk
on its encircling cliffs. The characters
are Nancy Pringle. who does not know
who is her father: Harvey Bruno, the
musician: Divot Meg. the harlot; the
beruff1ed Miss Clark, Andrew Morrison,
the crippled librarian, and the colorlesS
minister and his quarrelsome wife and
mother.
X \ X
Defeat" by Ricardo HUGH, is his
torical novel of the Garibaldi movement
of 1848-49. MaZZini, eSsayist and phi
losopher, who conceived the idea of an
I'LL nd iLNal VII