Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-23

Some Nineteenth Century Amer
leans BY Gamaliel Bradford, au-
thor of Life and l." etc. Boston:
Houghton Mifiiin Company.
w WEBSTER, Clay, Calhoun, po-
"A litical builders; Greeley, the
NV journalist; Edwin Booth,
dramatic genius; Francis
James Child, scholar; Asa
Gray, scientist-these men so broadly
representative of nineteenth century
America, step forward into life again
under the revitalizing hand Of Gamaliel
Bradford. In effect, Mr.. Bradford says,
Webster, the living blood and body man.
appears before the reader in personal
actuality. SO with each Of these other
men, influential in his individual way
upon his own time and upon the sue
ceeding years also. Historians have al
ready written about these celebrities,
all Of them. Biographers have taken
then in hand, each of them. How is it
that Gamaliel Bradford Is able so COM
where seniors In his craft have not so
signally succeeded? Here are keen
sight. hard sense, sharp wit, sober
'humor, frank statement-an qualities
of the practical manager. These go
into Mr.. Bradford's literary work Here
Is the fine scholarship made finer and
more useful by application to it of
these personal traits of the New Eng
land author. The times, too, serve
Gamaliel Bradford. History is being
tested for its truths. No longer is it
enough to restate old records. They
must be proved by every available
means-material and mental. Fresh
documents-letters. legal reports. bust
ness chronicles-are today in their hey
day of usefulness, proving out the truth
of this or that In respect to the his
toric men of other days. Psychology
Is at hand to uphold. or uproot, earlier
judgments of behavior and action at
momentous points. The critical spirit
is softening and broadening in respect
to human actions. It Is coming to be
possible, slowly coming to be possible,
for one to be different from the COM
mon run and yet not to be a moral
leper. The idea Is growing also that q
mans life Is an adventure, At to be set
out In story. Its hero Is the man him.
self, the outstanding figure that meets
the amazing interlude Of life accord
ing to the powers of his own existence.
strain, from environment, from early
habit, from a stirring and melting outer
world. 1t is all of these commanding
elements of the new biography. plus
the slow-smiling personality of the
writer himself, that contribute to the
vitality of the book in hand. to the
other books Of like nature by Gamaliel
Bradford, and to Gamaliel Bradford
himself as a direct potency In the field
of geographic literature, In the field of
history by way Of its greatly tnflu-
entail men and women.
X II X n
THE LANDS OF GODS AND EARTH
QUAKES. BY Douglas Gilbert Har-
ing. New York, Columbia Uni
versity Press.
p FADING here, q prompt satisfac-
~ ton takes hold of one. For this
is no running account of travel grab
bed of the top Of things in q rapid
transit across country. Instead. here
are pictures many and moving sketched
chooses with knowledge and delibera-
ton that which Is characteristic and
essential. So, confident. you sit down
to the ceremony of Getting a New
God" or stand b. at the swift rebuild
ing Of a city torn to pieces by earth.
quake and IRE. Somewhat disillusioned
you go hunting for the famed cherry
blossoms Of Japan, deciding to confine
ington, D. c., where the national pride
of Japan Is set out in a beautiful effect
Of artistry. You 60 shopping with this
American. learning things pertaining to
the diet of people; among these things
is Meat for Dinner" "A Ghost Dance
of Old japan" tells Of other days and
1.-The Honorable Foxes" point upon
strange gods and a thousand household
shrines. A beautiful sketch of the cere-
monious etiquette of these people is well
worth the study Of busy and careless
Americans. for 1t is sourced in true
sketches Of the natural beauty Of the
islands and here are examples of Jap
anese art in its source and treatment.
The resources of Japan are swiftly
gathered and from these there follows
a summary of the significant fact Of
serious overcrowding. with expansion as
the next point of interest and consid-
Grafton. Japan, the progressive. Is pre-
scented tersely. knowledge, informality,
intimacy. variety. grace-these are the
Qualities that give to 1.-THE Land Of
Gods and Earthquakes" excellent sub
stance for the reader and that provide,
as well, a most interesting series Of use
full views for his enjoyment.
&& \
UNDERSTANDING WOMEN. BY K. A.
eth-Knudsen, professor Of Eco
Monies and Jurisprudence. Norwe-
Translated by Arthur G. Chatter.
New York: Elliot Holt.
GONE thing is certain; if-and II,
~ and if"-"well. then the white
man has seen his best days. And this