Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-04


achievements Of less magnitude gather. Con-
tributory these. however, to the measure OF ful-
fllment already secured and set high for all
TO see.
Epic, toe, in the open simplicity of its force
ell narrs ton
At the outset here is America barred Of al
but its natural features-Inountains, plains,
rivers lakes, in their distribution, so significant
In furture expansions. second wide gesture
discloses resources of mise and forest, OF soil
and climate A vast and lonely land peopled
only by Indians, and. to the South, a curiously
splendid barbaric civilization of unknown origin
and growth. The end of this heroic passage
stands at tie dooray of the present, locking OH
from the moment of Mr.. Hoovers adminiStra-
ton into future, idsaized by the possibilities
that today may develop -
Within these limits is the history Of this
country. few great movements sourceo IN
plain end unmistakable conditions An I'M
cluttered history, wherein only momentous
events projected strag ht from their own
logic First the colc MES, possessions OF the
crown. good markets for England. but long
way off, leSsening interference and leaving the
colcnists to a good hundred years in practical
elf-government. So when European difficulties
left England free to turn attention toward the
new world q revolution for independence met
her and really new" world came into being.
In such a manner of reach and wide outlook
and reasoned behaviors does this author build
I'D the America that We now know. The expand
Ing frontiers take on time and character and
settlement for reason, always for reason. ana
one follows, keen to each period, as he is keen
to his own current purposes and plans. For
those different from these. Straight,
ineligible and most absorbing. When the fine
adventure is over and We stand with this author
looking off into the great future that we may
achieve or miss-dependent, either, upon US,
you knoW-we are stirred and steeed coward
the future that we may secure for the world.
Coming out of this journey through our own
history with Mr.. James Truslow Adams we fall
to wondering why books intended for the use OF
young folks, students in the schools. cannot be
made like this one. History would never be
dull if this were done. History is most vital
and important body of knowledge for the people
of a country like this to know with intimacy, TO
know firing force. Yet text books on the
subject-on any subject, matter OF fact-are
the most interesting publications, take them
by and large. that printing presses can be made
10 deliver Why? Why are there not hosts OF
such men-great scholars and writer's, poets,
pre- phets, whatnot, who are making books, books
like this in spirit and big movement, TO
catch up these young ones in the ardor ana
beauty and power, in the wisdom and reason
ableness of studies like The Epic Of America?
wonder
CANE JUICE; Story of Southern louisiana
By John Earle Uhler, author of Best
Eighteenth Century Comedies etc. New
York: The Century Co.
\ OUISIANA of the sugar belt. The "Cajun"
l. population of that quarter. Sugar, an almost
the fashion of these bodies, accepting disaster
with only resentment toward some vague enemy
outside their own borders. No self-building
power. No recuperative ginger. But, just as
happens at crucial and desperate moments
savior came to rescue and restore. And this Is
John Uhler's story. A story of Lafourche Par
iSh and Bernard Couvillon, Cajun lad, who
set himself the job to find out what was the
trouble with sugar down his way A picturesque
adventure A romantic tale to read. Yet, it
develops along the road of current history
under the exhaustion of natural resourceS-ol,
coal, timber and so on-or under out-worn meth
eds of development chapter of local eco
nomic record reacting in effect upon the in
dividual
Bernard Couvlon went to the State Univer-
sity, where so he was told, many things were
taught about the home State in its possibilities
and resources provided these were subjected to
the new ways of dealing with every business.
In substance, therefore, this is picture Of COLI
lege life in its effect, in its particular effect,
upon the young Acadian, while. at the same
time, it difuses the effect of that life over much
Of the student body. Bernard became engrossed
at once, under a wise old professor, with the
study of his own sugar soil, with hostile para
sites, with exhausted stock crying for renewal
under cross breeding, with every sort of anment
and cure that could affect the sugar business OF
the State. Then Bernard fell into the snare Of
campus activities Fell reluctantly, but went
down, nevertheless Or did he go down? 1t
becomes clear and open that the community
training and the social to-do OF the institution
did as much for the boy did the scholastic
work itself. If there is one outstanding point
the last is that one.
professor of English at Johns Hopkins and
now in the State University of louisiana, John
Uhler deliberately, it seems to me, sets to true
drama the actual benefits to be gained from
the social element of college life. No mis-
sonary intent here. This is first and foremost
a novel of special beauty and charm. But even
drama has to have foundations of fact, or of
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