Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-15

prototype of the Morgans of the New World
pattern of the RothschildS of the old An
honest man. Jan Van Horn. A hard man who
cherished a feud to his enemy'S destruction.
But-an honest man for whom one feels deep
friendship and respect in spite of his hard
heart and iron will. Here is only mere men
ton of the elements of the story-the pic
ture of place, of political and financial stu
alton, of character reacting to its surroundings
The country just beginning to stretch itself,
New York its destined money center, the seed
of financial system growing weeds and grain
In about equal measure, a sound man and q
weak one to carry on-that's about all. In
telligence, knowledge, industry patience, q fine
sense of proportion, a clear fair for personality
and character, a plain eptitude for deviSing
scene and other vital appurtenances of drama
way of his own with words-all this is Mr..
Kelland, novelist, who has here from the ma
terial in hand created story of such vitality
and power to travel across a century and
more, arriving here today without loss of a
single important item of its own day and with
sheer power for the illumination of the present
day. Understand, this is no lesson no in
spired trailing of history. Instead it is today
interpreted through past which stands here
as perfect drama, stands as high and engroSS-
ing adventure Maybe you will find something
better than this. Not a chance.
n
Record of a Journey from Rangoon to
Haiphong. BY w. Somerset Vaughan,
author Of "Of Human Bondage" etc. New
York: Doubleday Doran & Co.
A CERTAIN mood goes with the reading of
this adventure. That is it does If one is
to get the really joyous SAVIOR of it. Just going
away somewhere-clear away, as 1t turns out.
Not going for anything in particular, so there is
no hurry, no strain of meeting this or that at
some time most inconveniently set, hour or day.
II you are in a hurry, if there Is some definite
person or thing or place that you are after
then don't start out with Somerset Vaughan
not this time. If, however you are free to loaf
along the waters of an Indian river-the IRA
waddy it was-noting idly the various colors of
the muddy waterway, or the patterns of life
strewn along its banks not caring at all about
the destination why, then, go with him by all
means. He will point out certain things in
this strange land as if he were talking to him
self, not in any sense as if he were impartine
knowledge, useful or otherwise. At one hour he
is looking over a fallen ruin for the sake of its
pagodas, such as are left of its once famous
possession OF these. Then he is tasting certain
words, savoring them upon the tongue First
OF all Mandalay is a word. Names have q life
OF their own. Though Trebizond may be moth
ing but poverty-stricken village the glamour
OF It's name must invest it for all right-thi
minds with the trappings of empire And
Samarkand: Can any one write the word with
out a quickening of the pulse? The very name
Oh the Irrawaddy informs the sensitive fancy
with its vast and turbid flow" And so in this
ldilng and easy mood of pure poetry the journey
takes its way through Burma, the Shan States,
Siam and Indo-China, and so We delighted 20
along with this leisurely man of sophsticate
word and way. A thousand little stories of ma
tive and resident outlander find place In
Vulnerable villages of East Indian cast of pov-
erty slip by the reader. Romance, faded and
gray wakes for moment. Even a tree makes
the heart thrill-'the tamarand is a noble tree
It's trunk is rough and gnarled its roots are like
great serpents that writhe upon the earth in
convulsve violence. But its foliage is lacy and
Iernhke, so thick that Notwithstanding the deli
cacy OF the leaves it gives a dense shade Green
pigeons roost in its branches. Children play
about and pariah dogs lie sleeping in the middle
of the road" And so on in one beautiful mo-
ment after another one goes with Somerset
Vaughan after nothing at all, but cleaning
nevertheless; a priceless wandering over the
East-in search of just nothing at all. Very
DeautIful-1n infinitely better than a mere story
Certainly better in this particular Summer
mood.
THE AVIATION INDUSTRY. BY the Division
OF Commercial Research. Philadelphia The
Curtis Publishing Co.
HE average one Is quite up in the air over
aviation. trif1e nearer to him than the
magic carpet or other tabled modes of air
transit is this new industry, but not much
To be sure his eyes see it sailing through the
skies and his ears take in its raucous clatter-
ing message to the clouds But that this thing
Is realty-practical and go-getting-that is
too much to believe. And the world is too busy
so the average one says, to play with toys
no matter how splendid and spectacular these
may be. The papers print words it is true
aOout air serVice-mail and freight and pas
senger. But that is the business of papers to
print words
Here is book which, should it come the
way Of the average man. would tell him sur
priSing things. But this is not his book
Rather Is it addressed to business and finance.