Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-09


season to be dedicated to David Laurance
Chambers, a former washngtonan. r. M. K.
JOHN BROWN: The Making of Martyr BY
Robert Penn Warren New York PaySon
81 Clarke, Ltd
TIE Harpers Ferry raid is more or less OBJ
scure to the minds: of this Immediately
engroSsed generation. Even in its own day the
swift approach of the Civil War tended to take
away from this historic event something of les
fact, much of its real significance. Succeed
ing years of swift and momentous change have
served still further, to move the incident into
the limbo of dim and forgotten things
Yet it was a thing to remember. for the
country and the world to remember-that of
q man with handful of followers to attack
the arsenal at this point, Harpers Ferry. under
the clearly grandiose purpose of finally freeing
the Negro, Of doing away definitely with the
institution of slavery. A ehild's program, or
it seems now But in It's own day it stirred
the country from end to end. The NOrtheEn
abOlitionist promptly exalted the martyred John
Brown with hosannas OF praise. The Southern
slave holder damned him as loudly with irene
gade." TRAITOR" guilty Of treason, and deserv-
ing the death that such must suffer. And 50
John Brown was hung. Puritan martyr. the
Northern abolitiOnists said. A stark and dan
gerous fanatic, declared his enemies Of the
South. Certainly . msn Of many strange and
complex strains which drove John Brown
hither and thither within that inclnsure Of the
spirit called life 1t is to the study of this life
for the sake of capturing that inner drive Of
its spirit that Robert Warren here devotes q
very fine power of research Interpretation
correlation. summary and q most dramatic
medium Of disclosure as well. To find the seed
Of the martyr within the blood of John Brown.
within the years and incidents and attitudes Of
his boyhood and youth in countless of the minor
and commonplace happenings of that period
such Is the purpose of this writer. And to
follow on, through the years Of natural emo
tiOnaItSn toward love and religion, toward
social institutions, toward injustice, toward the
whole complex Of existence that surrounded
and pushed outward into strange behaviors this
seemingly average boy and man, John Brown.
The story Is complete in its scope complete
also in its attention to details. It needs Just
such patnstaktng in both Of these lines, since
the hunt Is. at many . stage defeating, elu-
sive, perplexing- The hunt for any man would
be this-fOr the secret man who provides motive
and feeling and impulse to that outer man
along the street, seemingly 50 usual 50 normal
so routined. FOR this exceptional man, how
ever, the task Is more arduOus, finer maore
intuitive and subtle, since here are bold con-
Predictions. strange outfarings. tremendous
strength, defiance, courage, ability-Oh, an
anomalous man, hard to catch, harder to ft
into any familiar scheme Of human behaviors
even Of human idfosycrasies. terrifying
story through much of It's length. So different,
so ,curtously hayward at points, 80 daring is
this man. And We frightened By such de-
partures Of the human from accepted ways
great story, too. and worthless. big book that
it is-worth more than one reading For here
a patient and able student has worked in sin
certify to dig out from the man before him
those elements and influences and trends that
eventuated in the martyr A great book and
GREATLY mt alo . Eo1...
book, but q searching book on human life.
THE OVERLAND TRAIL. BY Agnes c. Laut.
author Of "Pathfnders." etc. Illustrated.
New York: Frederick A. Stokes Co.
THE historic highways of the earth have in
the main, been laid down by great con-
querOrs TO establish claims and to provide in
greSs 70 regions won BY them In war. Here
in the New world, however, Is q roadway set
not by armies Of fighting nsen, but by peaceful
pioneers instead, driven westward toward some
far gOal Of ambition and dream L0ng lines
and lO0g years Of these, establishing finally
the epic Oregon tran. stretching from Kansas
City to Seattle. Kansas City, at this begin
ming. the very edge Of the world. Seattle, Q
vision. Today both great centers Of American
life. fascinating story of adventurous man.
An exciting tale Of achievement. Not few
writer's have felt the call Of such superb
drama. 1t Is interesting that among them all
two women have earned the gratitude Of
readers for the robust and in-Seeing character
Of their work upon this theme, Agnes c. Laut
and Honore Wilsie Morrow. The book In
hand. Miss LautS. is, in substance and in
spirit. most satisfying as history, Is picture,
as story. And in each Of these aspects Of the
great matter there Is the outstanding quality
OF comprehension. All interviewer to the end
that stirring drama moves into the open
mind Of the reader. Variety OF element and
action, both crude and hig is the keynote Of
this5 story. wild. lands rough clearingsg sthe