Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-01

schooling at the hands of an official leader and
recognized expert Aviation for the play boy
and the sportsman is topic of lure and In
formation. Peace and war are, together
brought under the influence of the new order,
with certain definite changes which aviation is
bound to bring to both military and civil life
The book summarizes aeronautcal law in its
present status and with a bent toward its i'm
mediate future needs.
In sort of Alice-in- Wonderland effect Gen.
Mitchell pictures daily happenings of an IN
credible character that are already on the way
to us, just around the corner SO to speak, out
of the marvels of this flying age. most
valuable book and deeply interesting. Pro-
duced by an expert and yet offered in plain
simplicity, it is calculated to be of wide general
use. Packed with facts that the common reader
needs to know. Readable as a story. Adj
venture and yet scientific truth. Readers at
any age will find profit and enjoyment in
"Skyways."
WONDER FLIGHTS OF LONG AGO Edited
by Mary Elizabeth Barry and Paul r. Hanna.
Illustrated by Lynd Ward. New York:
D. Appleton & Co.
"NoTH1NG new under the sum-" so the wise
man said. We hardly more than half
believe this Solomonic utterance, however, es-
pecially at the present time of startling inno-
walton. mo, that's not new. The Chinese
did that thousands of years ago" Almost a
stock statement, that covers fireworks and gun
powder and printing and lot Of other inven-
tons claimed by late centuries. And flying!
1t turns out that flying was a common sport
when the world was young, almost as young
as Adam and Eve. In evidence of this early
preoccupation with wings on the part of the
human, wonder Flights of Long Ago" has been
produced. Many of these old tales are familiar
to the majority. "Phaeton" is one of them
THE Magic Carpet" another. Darius Green
and His Flying Machine" that joy of so many
school children, is not here. Nevertheless, 1t
is this comic matter that gives the first flip
of zest for the classic matters that are here
drawn from such widely scattered origins. Yet
each of these myths was, without question, at
some time away back in mans slow advance, a
vision dim and elusive of his own possibilities
and powers. Vaguely limned in his vagrant
imaginings, no doubt the human pictured him.
self flying as birds fly No doubt all along
the line, from the very beginning, there were
futile efforts toward flight. But the seed was
planted in the deep soil of human life for
the future under science and invention to bring
to fruition. A book like this one takes on i'm
portance and value as a record of striving and
failing and striving again. Myths have their
foundation in some sort Of fact The facts
forgotten, the story remains finally to become
myth, thing unreal wholly made-up report.
1t Is for this tiny seed of truth that just now,
the classic tales of fight stand faint illumi-
nants of distant day when man merely
failed again and again. Would still be failing
if the wizard of science had not given a prac-
tical turn to mere vision and dream.
THE SHEPHERD OF GUADALOUPE. BY
Zane Grey, author of Riders of the Purple
Sage" etc. New York: Harper & Brothers.
ZANE GREY here sets the oldest story in the
IL world down in the new West, rather than
in the older West, with which much Of his
fiction is identified That is enough to say
about the new novel. You have read it by this
time, probably. For Zane Grey is without any
shade of doubt one of the most popular of
American story writer's. Now a popular person
is always a suspicious character. In the course
of short time subtle thrusts are made against
him, or her. Especially is this state of mind
active against the novelist of "best-Seiler brand.
The high-brow looks askance toward him. The
critic is cold, or abusive The intellectual is
Indifferent his way or naughty. The rank
and file, however, eat him up. So they are
doing with Zane Grey. A little story comes
from Harper's about this writer, a story that
proves ones theory that any writer is better
than his books. This is not a talk about
morality. It merely means that the fine book
is but part of something that must be stu
finer. However, to get on-there is a celebra-
ton of sorts going on up in New York In re-
spect to the twenty-year association Of Zane
Grey and this house. And that is not the big
point, though a mighty fine one The great
story is Harper's account of the pluck OF this
fellow who couldn't make go OF wr1ting-yet
who stuck Harper turned him down and at
the end of five years he as far away as
ever Money gone Still he kept on. What
price matrimony?" Right here is one answer
to that profound query. Not only did zane
Grey stick but his wife did. too, handing over
what means she herself had to secure an END
Of which she was as certain as he himself was.