Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-05
NEW BOOKS
AT RANDOM
/. C.. M.

1. G.. M.
UNCLE SANS ATTIC; The Intimate
Story of Alaska. Mary Lee Davis.
Illustrated. Boston: W. A. Wilde
Company.
In strict memory the old attic is a
junk-hesp of stuff. But in fancy 1t Is
ever mine of treasure.
A long, low room, sloping sharply
from roof center to sides. Its small
one window, web-spun to no more than
glimmer of light A dust-blanket
covering it from ceiling to floor, from
wall to wall. Gossamer threads looping
from hundred points across its motley
of discarded household ware. Yet, to
the Imagination. these old things take
on strange forms and values. That
broken trunk becomes an iron-bound
chest for the holding of gold and silver,
telling of sea-farings and. sea-fights.
Here are old stuffs of no account, yet
to the fancy these become rich fabrics
that once belonged to young loneliness.
And so on and so on, in endless inven-
ticn. t. him who finds romance and
adventure in the old attic, in any old
attic
Mary Lee Davis is, clearly, possessed
of both romance and adventure, rather
unusual in its brand. besides. So. a
few years ago. in much the spirit OF
her Colonial forbearS faring out from
England to Plymouth. she, too, became
a pioneer moving out from New Eng
land to Alaska. And with her She
carried the common stock OF informa-
ton concerning this OUTPOST of the
United States to the Northwest, con-
corning this attic room of the great
Republic. Curious and energetic as a
pioneer would be. this woman began
almost Immediately to rummage about,
to ransack around in this litter of in
considerable things, in this Alaska, so
foolishly acquired by our country as
quid pro quo-a very big "quid,"
S7,200,000. for q meager quo" IAN
area of rocks and ice"
And here is a summary of the find
ings of Mary Lee Davis in this top
room OF ours-a lumber room. so to
speak For about eight years this indie
fatigable worker has bent her surprising
energy and intelligence to the inveSti-
CATION of this great region, since in a
very short time she discovered that her
previous Information about Alaska was
wrong that her conception of the coun-
try was both false and inadequate. Be-
ing of the breed of the Puritan, no
doubt she felt promptly the drive to set
the rest of us right as she, out of first
hand contacts and personal experience,
had been able to correct her own err
roneous views.
From every considerable book, as
from every considerable person, there
emanates a spirit, defined, recognizable,
influential. The first outcome here to
the reader from Mrs. Davis is enthusi-
asm, high and sustained, for the full
length of this study of Alaska. Coupled
with that is an unusual facility in the
art Of naming things-a real advertis-
er's gift in the invention of At and
striking labels for the points In hand
Such ardor of pursuit and such clear
turn for drawing attention-almost a
showman's gesture-are likely. at first,
to obscure the substance and COM
pleteness of this study of Alaska. We
are all. at heart, Puritans, suspicious of
the pleasant thing, inclined to look
askance at any unusual ease toward
educational matters. And this book is,
above all else. a fundamental course of
instruction on the subject of Alaska.
That 1t is fascinating-and it is just
that-need not, and does not, take away
from its solid substance as body of
authentic and comprehensive informa-
ton about a comparatively unknown
corner of our own country.
Not so much a sequence of instruction
such as text books specialize in as 1t is
a blend of facts Geography and CHI
mate, natural products and economic
possibilities, cities and towns In their
rise and growth, natural products and
manufactured commodities, roads and
railroads as means of distribution and
communication, native inhabitants and
their ways of life, the effect of new con-
facts upon these natives-it Is all here
in an easy assembling of facts in much
the same way as natural resources and
human activities get together in the
great program Of development that APP
pears to be the logical answer to the
tremendous energy which is the uni
verse itself Along this natural, and
artful, way Of presenting the great
theme Mrs. Davis Is able to refute abb
solutely the general prepossession that
Alaska Is a burden upon the back Of
Uncle Sam. Figures from official sources
go into the proof that Alaska is already
a paying concern, that it Is facing upon
future Of tremendous growth and
prosperity. So the pocket-senSitive citi-
zen down this way would better read
this book for the easement of his mind
upon this vital point. There is solid
budget of information upon these re-
sources of the Northwest, complete
reinsurance to the timid home folks
down below Much is said about the
quality of the pioneers Of this region
real pioneer stuff. Hardy men and
women, courageous against weather.
which is not so bad, by the way&and
loneliness and certain brands OF depri-
walton. All these in a few years to be
eliminated through the magic Of modern
communication And more words are
said about the lack of political privi-
lege, of political rights, to these pros
pectors and workers in the North Like
the citizens of Washington, of the Ma
tional Capital, these Alaskans also are,
politically speaking, no citizens at all
wards instead. Mrs. Davis is eloquent
at this point, and individually right;
These are torrid days, down mere.
Suppose that you, in the way OF cooling
of take this book In hand and, for the
first time. get in touch with an intimate,
comprehensive, authentic record OF ex-
parience and study concerning this attic
room of Uncle Sans. captivating
book. as useful as it Is interesting. just
a word-it should have better map,
clearer one than it has. No book about
locality is complete without nrSt-class
map. It might, with profit also, nave
competent index. 1 know-the table OF
contents is full and descriptive. But
that is not the same thing. AS nne a
book as this one should not STUMBLE ove I
any of its real needs. Hate to f1nd
fault-but this is only fair to the reader,
and to the writer.
X n
ooD-LE-UK; The Wanderer. Alice
Alison Lide and Margaret Alison
Johansen. illustrated by RAYMOND
.Lufkin. New York: Junior Literary
Guild.
An Eskimo boy, this Ood-le-uk. No
better time than these Summer days
for reading about cold corners OF the