Evening star., 1929-10-06

THE ROMANCE AND RISE OF THE
AMERICAN TROPICS. BY Samuel
Crowther. author Of Common Sense
and Labor" etc. Illustrated. New
York: Doubleday, Doran & Co.
w YHERE the majority of writer's
n on tropical America dwell
NV too long and too inconclu-
sively upon its history, Mr..
Crowther gives the historic
ASPECT of the region in a few leading
chapters of his book. Gives it pri-
marily for the purpose Of drawing off
for future use two salient and vital
points out of that past. The aim of
the Old World was to carry away such
wealth as legend had assigned to the
tropical lands Of the West. This was
done by explorer, discoverer. overlord
of every sort, to the full extent OF the
existence of such wealth. Only soil
build upon. Poverty. deep and general,
stands as one Of these vital points Of
consideration. The other one held the
basic problem OF the countries Of this
area to be political. whereas they were,
and are. clearly economic in content.
Poverty and politics have been the heri-
tage of the American tropics, through
war and revolution. through the mall
administration of dictator, soldiers of
fortune. conqu stadores. Having round
ed the past In quick and vigorous and
pointed survey, Mr.. tCrowther upon this
foundation moves out into the new day
that has come and is coming to the
Southern republics by way Of the open
ing up of industry. of trade, OF the
contacts and accommodations incident
to such intercourse. Chapter 8 gives
the story of a pioneer, the story of
Minor c. Keith. a builder Of railroads
who, with his brother. Henry Meiggs
Keith, established lines Of inter-com-
munication for the whole Of this re-
gion. And that Is a story TO read-a
daring. intelligent, expert pair Of world
builders are the heroes of this surpass-
ing adventure. Beyond this record of
the Keiths the book opens out generally
into the field of industry, into trade
and commerce as the supreme advocate
Of stable governments, of wage-earning
natives. of prosperous and contented
people, generally. Here. too. IS the ro-
mance-that is just what it is-of ba-
mana culture, of the practical and sub
tie business arts by way of which this
tropical fruit made its way into the
affections of the great Eel Norte," Gre
ating vast exchanges under the pioneer
work of what is now the United Fruit
Co. It is the work of this company
that stands with two other major inf1u-
enceS in the progress Of Central Amer
lea. The Panama Canal Is. to be sure,
one of the two. The third is the Wash
ington Conference Of 1907. ending the
possibility of war between the states
and preventing aid by one state to rev.
olutionary factions in another state.
Each of these takes on a new signifi-
canoe in the hands Of this outstanding
and competent writer. Indeed. one
cannot choose special excellencies where
all is here Of such definite value. In
complete touch with the economic foun-
dations of modern life. Mr. Crowther
projects and evaluates tropical Amer
common goal THE progression of the
economic empire of the Caribbean is in
evitable. It is solidly founded For
long while it will be confused with po-
litical empire" mo one doubts the
benefits of health and wealth. These
are the only forces of moment in the
new empire. They are the omnipotent,
forces And so the empire must go on
a-building" These are the closing
as the growth to which it is devoted.
Romance. adventure. truth and vision
come together here out of the hand Of
this practical student, this sturdy writer
who projects economic growth in the
terms of picturesque business enterprise.
y X
THE VALE OF ARAGON. By Fred
McLaughlon author of The Blade
of Picardy" Indianapolis: The
Bobbs-Merrill Co.
MY reading task just then was
AVA Rights of Woman"-but it didn't
chance to be that sort of day. In
stead, golden afternoon of late Sep
tember, whispering of wings and far
places where pleasures rather than