Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-09


would lean toward the as
sumption that Emil Ludwig is of
militarist tendency. But-wait a min
ute. True, that Napoleon stands high
among historic conquerors. Yet, the
conquest definitely made, Napoleon be-
came at once the political organizer,
bringing order into the new territory,
enacting Just laws for its development
promoting peace and its arts. In a
word. at such junctuTe, Napoleon is
known as the statesman and wise law
qiyer. So, Bismarck. Famous as a SOL
der and commander, Bismarck's dream,
nevertheless, his single goal, was to
unite the loose confederation of German
for which he was more definitely re-
sponsible and more greatly to be hon.
ored than for all Of his high military
skill and repute.
Therefore, it is to these heroes as
builders, uniflerS, statesmen, organ
izers that Emil Ludwig pays final due
and homage. And by this token it is,
all Of a piece. so to speak, that he PLACES
beside his studies of Napoleon and Bis
marck that Of Lincoln, who. in life
and in death, was dedicated to the pres
ervation Of the Union to the complete
solidarity of the United States. From
men stand as builders, not as destroyers.
ID FADING Ludwig's life Of Lincoln
Az one comes out from 1t with two
preposSeSsions concerning the work.
These two striking impressions are de-
rived from a common source-the IN
tellectual power Of Ludwig himself. The
trained mind of the indefatigable re-
search worker has delved here into the
Lincoln material with results that must
impress any reader with the scope and
depth Of an enterprise that has brought
to the surface many fact not hitherto
discovered by other students in this
field. Not great facts, maybe, these
fresh finds, but so patiently of service in
completing the man, In rounding him
to full and immediate vitality as to be
marked, indeed, and to be valued in
high measure. A scholars preoccupa
ton went into this part Of the work.
The second outstanding effect Of the
great book is the authors sympathy
with the man in whom he is absorbed
in experiencing, in himself partaking Of
the life of Lincoln in the great degree
to which this is possible with the right
ly gifted author. OF course, we all
realize that that word sympathy" has
fallen upon evil days, often connecting
an excess of feeling at the expense of
truth and reason. That brand Of SYM
pathy can be Summarily dismissed from
the matter in hand. Emil Ludwig feels
with" Lincoln. not primarily for him.
He quite literally enters into the trag-
edy Of Lincoln'S own great response
bilities and immediate problems of the
war period: in a sense he, for the time
being, Is Lincoln in a reality OF effect
that no other writer on this mans life
has quite so fully succeeded in secur-
ing. And herein lies the power of this
biography-in the intellectual equip
ment of q man who works. actually
digs like demon of industry, and at
the same time feels with the depth of
an angel of light and divination. And
so. in an immediate and actual follow
ing we come to live the days of Lin
coin for ourselveS-the early days of
the frontier, the kindly days of the
young man growing toward political
stature and partaking. the later days of
official politics and the great days of
the war wherein this man, lonelier than
ever man was before, feels the sinister
shadows of misunderstanding and
hatred, but yet never for second re-
lakes from his unalterable idea of a
whole Union, OF an unbroken Common
wealth. 1t Is this, the supreme trag-
from this book to walk with every
American, every man anywhere, as the
deltverer of his country, as the brother
Of his highest purposes and ideals. A
beloved man, so re-created in truth by
the genius Of this German liberator of
thought, by this great artist in souls.
Gratitude, deep and unalterable, must
60 to this writer of such power and of
such true feeling. to this man gifted to
CoiZA h1tV IA at Re
high and Illuminating moments and
days and years.
SAM HOUSTON. BY Marquis James.
Illustrated. Indianapolis. The
Bobbs-Merrill Co.
THE hope has been limited that the
author of the biography Sam
Houston" will pull down a Pulitzer
prize. 1t Is all right with this reviewer;
he never read q better volume of its
kind and, moreover, he learned lot.
To him Gen. Houston had been a
vague, far-on figure, described by his
aged grandfather as characterized
chiefly by wearing a Mexican serape
for an overcoat. by over-constant whit
ting, tobacco chewing and (ShhhhhD
dram drinking. and the use a condor
quill instead Of the conventional goose
1CuIAACEs ~ ScGIIlS ne ulO 40 I'LL OIlcSc
things and lived with the Indians to
boot, and cussed and fought and spit
and raised many rumpus, political
and personal. Yet he was governor Of
two States, twice president of an in
dependent, albeit somewhat comic
opera, republic, United States Senator
from q vast commonwealth and held
military ranks varying from ensign to
full general. Also he was a Cherokee
chief, a fair poet, an elegant letter
writer, loyal friend. q highly enthusi-
astic friend, disadvantageous enemy,
dangerous duelist, a tender husband,
wise and loving father-no use to
use more adjectives now, but better to
let an army OF other readers supply a
few. When tall and turbulent Sam
was youngSter he donned his dead
mothers wedding ring. Through all his
subsequent viciSsitudes and triumphs he
never, under any circumstances, re-
moved 1t. When his towering body was
stilled at last his widow took it of and
found engraved on its inner circum.
ference the single word, "Honor."
There is no doubt that Samuel, or
Sam" as he preferred to sign himself,
lived up, in SO far as he was able, 70
its injunction. He left the bride OF
his youth because, quoth he, to do SO
"comports with my notions of honor"
His notions may have been erroneous,
but no one will deny that he lived up
to them. Only this Nation, indebted
to him for possession Of Texas, and only
this Nation in Its early days could have
produced such figure as he was. we
all are the better for his production
and will be the better for reading OF
It's details, details to obtain which MS
biographer seems to have spared him
self no possible pains. r. M. K.
X
IT'S A GREAT WAR;" BY Mary Lee
Boston: Houghton Mifilin Co.
A BIG book-60o pages big. Too big?
Hardly that. One could not be
expected to deliver . World War-four