Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-21

history, an authentic international
seizure Of the essentials of world poll
tics This, the modern system OF
national agreements, accommodations. reci-
procities that have been imposed by science
itself through the marveS of communica-
ton that have packed nations together into
n neighborhood of give-and-take, OF conceolng,
Of yielding in the common interest of all. No
more is it expedient, or possible, to fight out
national Quarrels. Instead, there has come the
necessity of diplomatic agreements. No, not the
old diplomacy of secret plots, of expert card
handling, of lofty conclusions" Today dplo-
macy is science, government itself i-or
must be-aS engineering is, and chemistry and
medicine Harold Nicolsons study is an ex-
ample of this new science of diplomacy. Pri-
nnarily it is study of his fathers official career
And a beautifully affectionate and flial study
it is, quite apart from the facts of public
moment which it capably projects. For
something like half a century this father, Sir
Arthur Nicolson, served the British Empire by
way of the diplomatic foreign department. That
term of service included the rise of those inter-
national problems whose solution, in this case,
was the World War. Therefore, the book is of
direct value in its intimate and clear approach
to the innumerable matters which, coalescing
and charging brought about the world ca
taStrophe. Mr.. Nicolson begins the story OF
his fathers cadet days of foreign service with
q fine picture of England's proud isolation.
Then the action advances by way of points of
into Morocco, till full Near East" problem is
set in many a puzzling factor. Then begins the
story of "ententes"-now with France, now with
Russia now with Germany-crisiS after crisis
thrusting out along the way
BY way of these moments and hours Of
diplomatic urgency and strain, by way also of
the daily service of Sir Arthur Nicolson, diplo-
matte official at one geographical point or an
other, there emerges here in straight and I'M
derstandable manner much of the inside Of
4k.a& N@I RwNRIl %
war itself.
Aside from the purely historic character of
this study, the story Of the young diplomat,
growing older little in the service of England
comes to be a matter OF curiously personal
concern to the reader modest man, doing
what he has to do much most thoroughgo-
ing people do their work. comes out here with
actual history the burden of his reportings
Of history that comes alive in the hand of the
reader. that means actually and deep signif1-
Oance.
Harold Nicolson is an engaging man as a
writer. Direct in a somewhat casual effect;
amusing here and there, colloquial when this
suits the turn, scholarly without question,
geographic in the very best sense of that new
concept of Geographic writing His introduction
captivated me, as it will you. Listen: "Our
own predatory period (Englands)-and it was
dtsgraceful enough-dated from 1900 to 1900
During that period we were far more violent
and untruthful than were the Germans during
those IA years which preceded the war" For
centuries England was sitting digestive in her
armchair when Germany young and hungry
was manifestng the unwisdom Of adolescence
Before We blame Germany we must first blame
our own ElizabethanS." How fine truth can be!
Did you know-do you know-that Harold
Nicolson's wife is the author Of The Edward
ians," an exceptional novel? v. Sackville West
by writing name.
THE GREAT JASPER. BY Fulton Oursler au-
thor Of Poor Little Fool" etc. New York:
Covici-Friede
7 IKE any other of the conquerors, Jasper was
great" because what he wanted he took.
And the Lord Of Gifts had been good to
him. making his takings easy To be sure,
tho old ones-the Alexanders and Caesars
and -.apoleons, are englamored by time, stepped
IN the gories Of historic achievements, set on
high for no particularly good reason, but there
they are. And Jasper is of their tribe. The
same large and, think, unconscious appropri-
atoms, the same marauding powers of mind and
body. To be sure the great Jasper is a
street car motorman. And TO be sure, once
more his field of despoliation a strip of the
Eastern Shore of Maryland. The day, modern,
very and through it moves this pagan of de-
sire and delight and conquest. Not at all that,
to his own thinking. Jasper knew nothing of
pagan, and only of Christian that which his
pious wife doled out morning, noon and night in
psalms and prayers and tears for his saliva
taon. Jasper didn't mind. 1t seemed to have
nothing to do with him his way of running
the and leading the other car hands and
looking at the ladies. He did grow anxious
ever the little son, dedicated" TO the ministry
by the devout mother Direct as a primitive
man would be, Jasper stole his and ran
away with him. Wait minute. There was
another son of Jasper's, fathered unsuspectingly
by the great man of the countryside, whose
wife was Of the nomad tribe like Jasper. You
will come upon him again when you read this
fantastic tale, this great story Of a man mis-
placed in time enormously belated in his an