Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-11

One of the magazines has begun the
publication of a series of page adver-
tisements against the loaning Of books
by friend to friend.
The practice is declared hurtful al
around, but particularly to publishers
and authors. Later pages no doubt VIII
be devoted to the harm the individual
reader suffers when he borrows.
At first blush this struck us as
"come-on" game for the book business
but the more we think Of it the more
we tend to believe that it is a bold
stroke in the right direction.
Book borrowing is obsolete among
friends.
The circulating library, both public
and commercial, has a distinct place In
a community-so much so that the
present propaganda against book Dor
rowing, as we understand, Is not d.
rected against them. 1t even aims 70
help them.
Borrowing books from friends is be-
hind the times, because the times have
changed in regard to books as in rela-
ton to many other matters. 1t must
not be forgotten that at one time In
this country there were few books and
even fewer libraries.
Only well-to-do people had books at
home. Learning" was something the
people as a group aspired after as the
hart pants for the water brooks. When
county fairs were instituted, books were
the prizes presented to the raiser OF
the biggest hogs, the Gamer OF the best
vegetables.
A man who grew the prize pumpkin
was rewarded with years subscription
10 h. - kaxI ~
was the desire Tor knowledge that no
winner was disappointed, either. with
his prize.
Insensibly, this fine regard for the
printed word has slipped away from the
American people. We may publish 5000
new biographies year, but that simply
shows that the population has grown
to 10000, 900 of people and that most
Of them are literate.
Most of those who want books can
purchase them. It must not be forgot
ten that not every one or his wife wants
books. There are thousands of persons
in this country who live very comfort
able, and, for all we know, very salts
flying and respectable lives, who yet
never read a book from one years end
to another.
There are many who honor reading
yet do it not They have a case full,
perhaps, but the dust accumulates alike
on books and minds. Books, in truth,
despite their wide circulation, are not
for every one.
1t is because this is true that those
who love them may still take an honest
pride in themselves for that very love-
The hopes and fears of mankind, its
joys, triumphs. despairs, all and more
are mirrored in the pages of its books
Mans solid accumulations of knowl-
edge, dreams and delight are contained
in our books, and he who reads them,
though he is able to get through but a
small part of them, knows life, and
knows it more abundantly.
Men and women, straining for life's
experience, sometimes wreck themselves
where danger signals have been dis
played in books for centuries. They
would save themselves from disaster If
they were readers and possessed even
an elementary amount of caution.
X
Since books are experience, no book
can give precisely the same facet of
experience as a readers own book. This
book, purchased with ones own money,
necessarily must enter closer into heart
and mind. Elementary laws. of psy-