Evening star., 1931-05-17


author Of IAN Quiet on the Western. Front"
Boston. Little, Brown & Co.
T is probable that such books as "All Quiet
on the western Front" and THE Road
Back" IL they are well read in all the
IS languages in which they have been
printed will do more for universal peace
than all the international disarmament
conferences These two volumes by the young
German Erich Maria Remarque, have placed
the author in the vanguard OF those who seek
to show the utter uSelessness and horror OF
war They have dropped all thought of glamour,
of billowing flags and martial airs; they tell us
of the waste of the battlefield, the human
derelicts left strewn In the path Of the battle
monster; the return to q homeland that has
ceased to be homeland; the breaking up oi a
social life, and, more than all else, the des rue
ton of a nations young manhood-mentally,
spiritually and physically. What gain to man.
we ask if his breast be covered with medals
and his hands be Smeared with the blood OF
his fellow men?
This young man. Remarque, whose newest
volume The Road Back" has just left the
presses, is writer who Is gaining in power.
He has brought forth a finer book than "All
Quiet" his first effort. He has selected wider
canvas upon which to paint his word pictures
of postwar Germany He delves deeply into
the hearts of his comrades, and then tells, in
slpe b language, episodes in the lives of these
disillusioned fighting men. The book Is a series
of episodes, linked closely together in such
manner that their very lack Of continuity para
doxically binds them as q whole. Thus they
place their writer among the inspired men Of
letters a master craftsman who gives his mes
sage to the world by means of the novel.
Tt is rather difficult to detail THE Road
Back" but it follows the experience of the few
survivors Of German company after peace has
been declared The men, returning TO their
homes, find their land In a state Of chaos-rev-
olution, social upheaval, starvation, prohteering
-.and each man among the survivors finds his
own troubles confronting him. The matter OF
Yeadjustment b . dif1cult one, especially in
homeland torn by strife and going through a
process of reorganization. One is given the
impression that the returned fighting men, the
heroes of a few months before, became large
and unwieldy nuisance looked down upon by
the civilian population, simply tolerated even
in their home lives. They had formed war
time habits that were difficult to cast aside;
they were government charges, and yet there
was no government TO throw protecting arm
around them They became a wandering,
rather disreputable body Of men, each with his
own problems to solve. Some were bothered
with visions of war horrors, and, had they been
victorious, these would have been easier to throw
aside The writer never became bitter, never
sentimental in telling these little stories OF
the returned soldiers. Rather, his sureness OF
touch ard the sensitive handling Of his theme
gives one to understand that there is only one
way out-the end Of all warfare. The wrecks
Back" are more or less typical, at least with
defeated armies and those men the nselves
have long since reached a conclusion. Erich
Maria Remarque, the author, simply and un-
ostentatiously places their thoughts and actions
between the covers Of . book-a book which
translated into IS languages, should and prob
ably will be. read over the entire world The
English translation is splendidly done, losing
nothing of its original German touch
THUNDER OVER EUROPE BY E. Alexander
Powell author Of 'Embattled Borders" The
Last Home of Mystery" etc. Illustrated.
WaGhburn Co.
~OL. POWELL Of Chevy Chase, Md, has
- given thinking readers a book of unusual
interest, which will compel the interest Of all
students of European affairs. In no mmclng
words the author has delved into the economic
and political situation abroad, giving an analy-
sis without fear or favor. In fact, he begs the
pardon in his preface Of many foreign leaders
who have aided him in his study for giving
to his readers what he believes to be the truth.
Three important findings are brought out
in Thunder Over Europe" First, Col Powell.
despite the fact that the horizon OF Europe Is
engulfed by troublesome clouds sees no immi-
nent danger of war. The coming of war in
the future, ne asserts, can be averted by
moving the causes Of war by good statesman
ship, not disarmament.
Second the author believes that the League
of Nations has failed in many instances to
protect the interests Of smaller nations. He
calls the league Joke and a. tragic one. mo
matter how Utopian the ideals of the founders
WERE" he states, mo matter how lofty their
aims it has not proved itself an agency for en-
forcing or righting wrongs" Third, the writer
finds sovietism and communism at present TO be
the same. He states that he believes the So
called five-year- plan dangerous to the welfare Of
the world. He is soldly against recognition of
Russia by the United States and goes 50 far as
~ Fnwy ~ Gr.1k,