Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-28
NEW BOOKS
AT RANDOM
I. G. NJ.
THE TRAGEDIES OF PROGRESS. BY
Gina Lombroso, author CT The
Soul of Woman" etc. New York:
z p D1ittnra L. "a

LIE 1HAGEDlES OF PrsOGRESS. oy
Gina Lombroso, author CT The
Soul Of Woman" etc. New York:
E. P. Dutton 81 Co.
Then-"ths monstrous cities will split
up the colossal factories will subdivide
into many smaller units; production
will turn to proportion itself to con-
sumption: the conquests and slaughter
to impose products or to obtain raw
materials will cease: men and women
will return to the formation Of small
groups wherein they will have an OPP
portunity for expression and develop
ment of individual talents and leader
ship. Men will cease to be merely
animals of consumption to whom the
expansion of their own intellectual and
moral personalities are denied. The
present orientation which places its
faith only In material enjoyment will
change; the genius of man will turn
again to dedicate itself to philosophy,
to learning, to politics, TO the arts OF
perfecting self and human society.
Man will study how to better his social
relationships; he will devote himself to
real learning. to faith, to justice. be
will arrive at a civilization which will
truly lead to higher plane than that
which we are leaving"
Such is the conclusion Of this study
by Gina Lombroso, daughter OF the Ia
nous criminologist, Cesare Lombroso,
and wife Of the historian, Guglielmo
Ferrero. Intellectualist in her own
right, besides. Scholar and writer as
we'll. At the moment this distinguished
author is here in America.
In substance THE Tragedies Of
Progress" is a back journey into history
along the special trail outlined by the
title of the book A most interesting
study That. in part. by virtue OF Its
breadth of research and in oth2r part
by way of the writer's enthusiastic APP
proach to it. BY en- evangel cal sim
certify as well in its purpose and design.
From ancient days up to the present,
chapter after chapter devotes itself to q
survey of the applications Of science to
industry. These unite in a picture OF
the growth of industry, OF its recessions,
of its revivals. OF its final outburst OF
amazing activity in modern life.
In effect, the study Is q challenge to
the present. In spirit 1t Is reputation
of It. In mission it Is an imprisoned
plea to abandon the machine age In
which we are living, and to retreat into
the past of simplicities and wider lati-
tudes for the individual.
The main road of this adventure
runs along in proof of the fact that
most, If not all, the achievements OF
science and industry. now working
together were Intellectually, practical
" and expertly. already in the hands OF
Chinese, Egyptians, Assyrians. Greeks
and Romans in the ancient days Wnen
the world was young, as we say. T'nat
it was to the long foresight OF the
great ones of those times that the
devouring creature, Progress, was rig
idly and sedulously suppressed. That
IL was in the interest OF individual
nurture along the lines Of philosophy,
art. politics and other sedentary occu-
pations and preoccupations. that the
masses Of humanity were held back, or
under, away from the unsettling 1nf1u-
ence CT any widely dif1used measures
of advance and well-being.
And today the ancients are stiH IN
our midst. The world is divided, not
evenly, to be sure, but divided, new
ertheless, between those, on the one
hand. who hate and fear this machine
age" this "materialistic mind" of ours
and, on the other hand, those who
glory In it. These, the second group,
seeing it but as stage for wider OPP
portunity, for more general dealing
with the beauty and true use OF lie.
Seeing it as certain approach to that
which in the course of time Will mag
nifty human existence. broadly and
deeply. in its irresistible outreachings
toward a spirituality that will ulti-
mately surmount the material IN which
we, at the moment, appear to be so
hopelessly entangled.
A few philosophers in the past,
few poets and seers and mystics were
the seed of the present and the future.
But even yet are we by no means
free of that ancient preoccupation-
warfare. Hordes of unwilling warriors,
following some tyrannous leader, falling
by thousands, dying or, merely wound
ed, being slaughtered by succeeding
ranks of comrades as the only way 10
be rid Of the impsdimenta OF neipis ;;s
men. Towers made OF human skulls
to feed the vainglorious posturing OF
some conqueror On the side OF peace,
artisans working in guilds that pro-
dl1ced beautifully and permanently as
we know by our own eyes To-Day, put
these only a handful among the many
who were living like cattle and worse.
And the guilds warreo among tneHi-
selves, and were warred upon Dy
Jealous and suspicious rivals. And SO
one might cite on every hano the
rise of states, the animosities springing
no among them, with the gage OF pat
tie Immediately offered, with the ap-
peasement of slaughter as the only one
conceivable Religion, too. Wnere tne
peace and freedom Of this sole promise
of mans happiness? NO wars nor &c
CerrlDle LIlaA IAAoSS 0SV 40
holiness. 1;.t.,-,
IL considering any phase OF history
ore must keep in mind, 1t seems 70 me,
that 1t is the ernergence OF tne mas
thai counts, It Is the growth OF the
MANI into responsibilities Daseo upon
personal rights and duties that must oil
rect historical conclusions. "A lew
arointed by either God or man, VIII no
longer serye the cause of humanity. 1t
is the many-the you and the me ana
the rest-that must be summoned 10
measure history. Yet, today, the naters
of materialism, the advocates OF ioeaLsm
arr like Gina Lombroso ardent eVangelS
of the roouier days of the past. Ana
those, the others, who are seeing tne
multitudeS In every walk OF LIE possessed
of privileges, Of comforts, OF easements
undreamed in other days cannon neip
giorying in such expansions LOT the
great democracy of mankind. Foolish?
Reckless? Mindless? Oh, all OF these
and more! But this is the first move
ment Of release, Of escape, OF adventure
rast bed and board and decent cover
ing. Culture is a late towering, but IL
will come. Growing soul is SLOW ana
lahorious business, put tnat, 700, WIZ
surely be the issue, however late It's
frujtion may be. Unavoidable, this, for
If the story of man means anything at
all-and it does mean the full ultimate
coal of man out of the slime and mud
on to vet inconceivable ends-that story
must mean the growing Of a soul to
animate this amazing physical creature,
mar. This day, so bewildering, SO men
scing even, SO disturbing, Is but a mo-
ment in the passage, but day on the
way of q greater becoming. A pretty
glorious day at that. Fine men and
Wcmen-industrialist of one brand and
another, competent and successful peo-
pie all over the world. lending hands
here and there in deliberate deeds of
Brotherhood, deeds substantial, well
planned, practically executed. The. hui
man himself, ignorant as yet, unstirred
a. = i1,,onnhitinuc lie that which often