Evening star., 1931-12-13

The history OF the DreytuS case Is TOO well
known for detailed repetition The captain
was accused of being a traitor to his country
1t alleged that he had forwarded army
secrets 10 the military attache Of another
country, and unsigned scrap of paper was
brought forth as evidence. Because the case
aroused such interest and such intense racial
hatreds in France it was closely followed in
other countries. Captain Dreyfus was con-
victed and sentenced to Devils Island for life
His friends took up the matter, worked cease
lessly for a trial. and about seven years
later were rewarded by the acquital of Drey-
fus This volume Is exhaustive, and
rather exhausting, In its detail, and yet 1t Is
probably the most authentic of all such his
tories Of "the Affaire Dreyfus.' c. e. N.
THE DEVIL. HERSELF. BY Lois Montross,
author OF Town and Gown" etc. New
York: Horace Lveright.
A BIG theme. Science violated by trade, by
commercialism. The "devil" here is New
York. 1t is any other great city. Science
capitalized by competition In trade. rage of
advertising that makes claim for every sort
Of miracle-health, beauty eternal youth short
cuts to wealth, and so and so on-and
always the miracle is attributed to some fresh
achievement on the part OF the great
necromancer, science.
few months ago, T. Swami Harding,
scientist at Washington, wrote big and pro-
foundly illuminating book on this subject,
THE Degradation of Science" setting out lust
the ways In which commerce, trade, the hurry
to get rtch are making serious inroads upon
the rate OF advance that science Is able to
accomplish
Now using the same theme, Lois Montross
has written novel of power and beauty. New
York is the devil" that so clearly leads astray
young scientist devoted to laboratory tests
along certain lines of chemistry Engrossed
in research, he was seized upon by the adver-
tising end Of the firm that had up to this
time encouraged his purely scientific expert
ments and studies. There, too came gradually
the glamour of the big town, irresistible. un-
escapable. Love also joined In the assault
upon the citadel of this boys intellectual
integrity. A big theme, sustained right up TO
the doorway Of genius itself The story with a
purpose is relic of Puritan New England An
obnoxious thing, as a rule This novel gives
no effect OF preachment or prepared gloom
1t Is rich picture of life, current and de-
manding. picture of many facets, yet all
casting the same subtle rays, wherein fore
bod1ng lights flicker. A story of great shops
and business houses, of night life brilliant and
seducing, of Illustration bedecked as promise
and fulhllment. The city, "a flaming rampant
challenge to youth"-"Come try the rnerciless
cruelty OF my strength. For I am jealous god
OF brick and stone and machinery designed by
man for the defeat of man"
Rlch, modern, daring-today and today's
youth, set to the rhythm of New York to the
sharp tempo Of this amazing moment A story
SO competent In its artistry as to seem not like
studied artistry at all. It's every moment is
fun Of this minute, of this hour Yet dooms-
day loiters stealthily alongside or smiles
knowingly, from the midst of the endless ex-
cltement. And science merely waits for its
own better day Beautiful work, and engrossing
In its every picture and movement
WINGS FOR MEN. BY Frank wead flieu-
tenant commander u. s. NJ ret.red)
Century Co., 1881: New York. Reviewed
by j. B. Hancock
a Walton Is our most modern achievement
and most Of us have been intrigued only
by its present and its future. That grand
past" which was the embryo of all that now
interests us in flying, has become virtually for
gotten in the excitement Of current news
Lieut.. Condr. Wead, In his Wings for Men,
has filled that imperative need for written
record Of the story of mans conquest of the
AIR His detailed presentation, completely
dispels any idea that aviation could still be
considered new game" for he presents a.
background of some millions of years before the
memory OF man and traces the whole story
from that day when some superior power en-
dowed small mammal with the necessary
wings TO glide from tree to another In
oroer TO avoid the dangers of earth-bound
creatures
Accurate to high degree, obviously the
fruit OF years of research, wings for Men"
gives us the drama and personalities Of avi-
alton history which would otherwise so
readily be lost-those magnificent failures who
"hurted from the sky into eternity" as well
as those whose stirring deeds have happily
been crowned with the Joy and the thrill of
success.
Intensely interesting in style, with con-
stantly recurring evidence of that mental bril-
lance for which the author has always been