Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-20
NEW BOOKS
AT RANDOM

IS60-1930: MEMORIES. BY Glenn
Brown. Washington: w: r. Rob-

ls6O-1e3o: MEMORIES. BY Glenn
Brown. Washington: w: F. Rob-
| erts Co.
Mai. Charles L'Enfant is again q
figure on 1.-The Avenue" Deeply en-
crossed again in his old dream Of a
city, great and beautiful, to stand as
common center Of the vast common
wealth that now surrounds 1t.
More than century has gone by
since LEnfant, under the inspiration
| and patronage of George Washington,
came into his vision. Meanwhile, the
material pressure of successive current
growths marred the perfect plan at
many q point, defaced 1t with sudden
expediencies Of trade and industry.
Particularly was this true along 1.-The
Avenue" designed as the noble Appian
Way between Capitol and White House
symbol, meet in form and spirit, of
the basic content of free government
Years, stressful years, served to line
the Way with many a raggedy-man
/ of shop and shack. with many a more
ambitious structure as well. And these,
after the fashion of men and buildings
took to themselves definite personal
tiles, became soft and reminiscent and
dear, interlopers though they were.
But a new day has come. Progress
Is on hand: in this case devoted to the
service of Maj. Charles L'Enfant. THE
' Avenue" Is in state of demolition. Re
grets are uppermost, for the time be-
ing, at any rate. "reminiscences are in
| the air. Old days are being revived
crowding into print for remembrance
herding into books for preservation
And of all the literature that Is, at the
moment, centering upon the Capital
none Other-not even the business OF
the lawmakers themselves so inter-
esting. so valuable, in fact, as this in
stinctive outreach toward a more COM
plete seizure, fairer Interpretation OF
Washington than has. perhaps. yet been
accorded to It, Histories of Washington
personal recollcctions of the Capital
sketches. surveys. pictures of historic
| features-the whole whatnot Of perpe-
tuity is. right now. in full force to cap
ture the blossoms and fragranceS OF
yesterday
Only a day or two ago 1t was the
mot Over-Serious" history of Washing
ton, by George Rothwell Brown, from
the standpoint of the political expert
the artful dealer in "Reminiscences and
reminders, the trained journalist, the
| generally ready-man. Today it is an
other Brown that from an entirely diff
ferent point of approach contributes to
the new pursuit of the Capitals older
! day.
The architect, as such, is, in effect,
! the patron saint of the city itself. 1t
is possible-and indeed probable-shat
1 eventually the architectural distinction
| OF Washington will stand as the SUI
preme art treasure, not alone of the
/ city, but OF the country as we'll An
art. in its pursuit. that has counted
! within its purpose the city plan,
L'EnfantS plan, to be ennobled and
| beautified by a perfection of architec-
/ tural design applied to the utilitiss of
| business structure, to the usefulness of
community and governmental centers.
This is the story of an architect. 1t
| is the story of the crusade of the archi-
tscts of the Capital to revive George
| Washington's vision of a Capital City,
/ In sense. or rather in its beginnings,
the record is of photographic con-
! tent, covering Glenn Browns early
years with the curious drifts of blood
and circumstance that washed him
| finally into the art with which he has
| helped in the crusade" for a beautiful
| and inspiring Capital.
The story of the Capitol and its
vicissitous career through war and wear
brings out most interesting chapter OF
men who, either as obstructionist or
as enthusiastic advocate, stand here
very much alive in one of the two roles
, that separate mankind-the instructive
"fors" and the equally in1pulsive
"againstS.' THE Park Commission"
makes a fine chapter, reminiscent of its
members, remindful Of its wo.k-the
L 'ncoln Memorial, the Monument. the
cherry blossoms weaving their annTal
witcherv and so on to many another
| point of debt to the commission. THE
ic
corded definitely here, definitely and
interestingly. And all along the way
there are close pictures of the group in
Washington who labored so valiantly
and competently toward the artistic
ideal of great American city-Au-
gustus Saint-Gaudens, Charles Follen
McKim, Frank Millet, Cass Gilbert and
others, with Elihu Root, James Bryce,
Theodore Roosevelt and William H.
Taft standing consistently In support of
the great plan. Il shall never forget
Joseph G. Cannon. our constant and
able opponent. genially and admiringly
| adds the writer. An enthusiastic survey
! of Washington as art, in its general
planning and in the ultimate design of
/ its buildings, Is here offered by an
artist who, himself, had definite and
( substantial partaking in the high en-
deavor. A reminisc mt partaking is
also given to readers in the vivid stories
of that gifted band of artists who have
contributed so definitely to the pro-
gram for a great Washington, for
LEnfants ideal of the Capital City.
THE NEGRO WAGE GARNER. BY
Lorenzo J. Greene and Carter
Woodson. Washington: Association
for the Study Of Negro Life and
! History, Inc.
The sturdy purpose behind this study
is to round up, for the first time and
in the accuracy of modern research, a
body of fact to show the industrial
status of the Negro within the United
States.
| Less than a century ago-quite
little less-there could have been no
question upon the subject. Negro
labor. i'll any current sense, was not
problem. Instead, the Negro of the
South had become part of a peculiar
j institution born OF climate and soil
and an inherent distaste for manual
labor on the part of English settlers
in that locality.
In course of time came the war
Then emancipation Then a troubled
and troubling period for both former
master and former slave.
Long ages go into the making Of
people, so the history books tell us.
/ Yet here is a people, much less than
q century old COMFORTING itself,
creditably, as part of what is called
what used to be called-the most law
abiding of nations. its individuals self
trained to conformities and adapta-
tions. Rather a marvellous sight, 1t
seems to me.
However. the immediate question set
here is for an exact anSwering-as
4 - ~ 10 nIu 1n
Negro as wage Garner. The problem
| involves primarily the immediate reac-
ton of the slave-and of the public
| to the new freedom. After this comes
the period of adaptation, period not
| yet defined within any grouping. In