Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-29

Progress.
acquire that ineffabe quality Of atmosphere in
which many q center of the Old World Is so
rich And even so little Of this peculiar ripen-
M as a few of them in the East have been
lie to achieve is likely any day, to be swept
away for newer and SIMMER and bigger emblems
of a rich and important world. The Capital has
already sustained no little OF loss to Its historic
appearance and significance by way OF this
march of improvement. Necessary loss, to be
sure, and in the long run possibly redeemabie
Loss nevertheless.
A case in point: The old British Embassy
House, 1900 Connecticut avenue, Is on the edge
Of becoming a wreckage OF miscellaneous build
ing stuff its rich content Of international &C
tfvity mere memories drawn on Is Individual
eeminiscence, a workshop for writing men
and women At exactly the right moment
Charles Browne offers his book OF personal
recollections on the subject Of the embassy. For
for more than 40 years backward these recall
tngs run. Yet this Is little book OF hardly
more than a hundred pages Compact, con-
Oentrate here Is very substantial body OF TACT
concerning the international activities OF this
historic bit of the British Expire transplant
cd to America for the purposes Of diplomatic
Intercourse. Here you will come hrst upon
Shetch of history, admirably concise, setting
Osae the facts of the embassy itself. And here
are valuable lists-lists of British Ambassadors
% the United States, of prime ministers Of the
period included, of our own Secretaries Of State
for the same term. The death Of Queen Vic
tOgia finds place here in memorial spirit and
that Of King Edward WELL The visit of the
Prince Of Wales brightens the story and social
events Of international significance receive their
share of attention. The period Of the World War
takes prominent place in events and missions
The visit of Prime Minister Hon. Ramsay Mac
donald receives additional stress by virtue of
the fact that never before had o British prime
minister visited the United States during his
o3dcial incumbency.
It 10 not possible to name even all the high
points in this little book of admirably concen-
tx1te excellence, of such substantial and well
selected excellence. Every page Is one Of clear
Information set out in a perfect economy of
thought and space.
This book by Charles Browne, the invaluable
pillar Of support of the British embassy in
Washington under every British Ambassador
that has held the post up to the present time,
Win no doubt be welcomed by those who have
teit an affection for the old embassy house,
which will soon be a thing Of the past I
am, as the last holder of the post Of British
Ambassador to inhabit the old house, delighted
b be able to launch this book into the waters
And to wish it all possible popularity and sue
oess. cannot close this short introduction with
cut saying how much my predecessors and I
0We to the unfailing zeal, industry and good
vii of the author, who has always been re-
earded by us all as a real friend.
(signed) "EsMR HOWARD"
y SCANDINAVIAN SUMMER. By Harry A.
Franck, author of "A Vagabond Journey
Around the World" etc. Illustrated. New
York: The Century Co.
KING of vagabondia, it seems to me, and
no longer a mere Prince Of vagabonds"
e@ the Harry Franck fans afHecticnately call
this nOmad of the world.
II some day you come upon q tramp crying
~ the roadside glorified hobo, 80 to speak
that lamenting vagrant is likely TO be this
VSEy Franck fellow-Aexander to the life
weeping for new trails to suit his uneasy out
taxing feet It's about all up with Harry
YF1nck, vagabond No place left to go.
We are in luck, however. Booked for one
Summer more, at any rate, and in the best
81 all Summer quarters, clear up North No
tropics no sub-trop:cs, nor jungies, nor pestif
erous small life to eat one up alive Up to the
Saean North instead. Denmark, Norway Sweden
and roundabout to include the whole Of that
Company of lands and islands called Scan
@inavia. You know the travel ways Of this
particular rover. At least assume that every
enc knows these. And here the same ways
pCevail This, you recall, is not romantic
imam, nor an adventurer-not in amy spectac-
RlAr sense. Rather an incorrigibly curious per-
s0a about the common ways Of common folks
throughout the world No sooner does he
reach his goal of travel for the time being
than he Is in the fields or shops or wherever
taAe mass of the people of that place are as
1e4AAGAeO III CAle particular PURSUITS AA~1 hAssAc
Akae country before him just what it Is In con-
erast to every other country. Nothing too
4maaH for his minute study provided it be in
A0eutial, provided it be typical Of this place
end of other one. For instance, that Den
mark is bicycle land is significant and worth
staying by for a while. There's a reason. And
In opening up this reason, or another Of weight
and import, the country itself is delivered IN
It's essentials to the reader. Customs that
Ne smilingiy name quaint" something else
equally asinine turn out to be pivotal turns
im the national life, historic trails of national
growth change Art-as literature, music,
architecture, painting-comes in for seasoned