The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-01-01

Eyes On Russia" by Margaret Bourke-
White; Simon and Schuster. Publishers.
"Ok. Yeah?" compiled by Edward Angly
Viking Press, Publishers
THESE books really go together, though the
authors never intended it. But where Mar
garet Bourke-White, an artist in Industrial pho
tography-and no less an artist in the written
word, leaves off, with one more than little en-
chanted with her story and pictures OF the tempo
of socialist construction in. the Soviet Union
Edward Angy takes up, quite unconsciously, of
course, the contrast. and develops the de-bunk-
ing exposure OF American prosperity" peddlers
the story Of the crisis and decline in American
industry
Angly doesn't write his book He merely lets
the capitalists, their politicians and apologists
expose themselves. Going on the Slogan: "Out
of their own mouths" he complies the book oh
YeanP" from the first paragraph, taken from
Cooldge's Dec a. 1925 message to Congress, to
the last line which devilishly is taken also from
Coolidge, out of the sayings of others who saw
prosperity everywhere and eternal-and then
has them contradict themselves ~
Just this sample: Coolidge on Dec. 4. 1928
said: "Ths country can regard the present with
satisfaction and anticipate the future with OPP
tirl1isnl. -
Then, on Jan. 20. 1881, Coolidge said: The
country is not In good condition"
But there are richer pnes, from many Doll.
tician and economist When "Puddler" Davis
was still Secretary Of labor, on June 20, 1880. he
said: THE worst Is over without doubt. Then
Sept -, 1880: Eve have hit bottom and are on
the upswing"
Lamont, Schwab, Roger Babson, Irving Fisher
and last but not least, Hoover all are shown up
as the stupid prophets they. are out of their
own mouths" The ever deepening crisis wrecks
them all, And the ruthless record OF their words
is set down against their, telling the story OF
capitalist decay and decline, Of unemployment
and the bevildern,ent Of the leaders OF capital
ist thought who see their system crashing about
Turn, then, for contrast, to Bourke- Whites
book, VIII IN lis written BY 2 young lady who
knows nothing much about Communism, but
who starts out to photograph the F1ve-Ycsr
Plan as the official guest Of the Soviet Govern
msi,t lover Of machinery and an artist OF
the first water In her chosen field OF industrial
Photography, she is captivated by the scope and
spirit Of the Fiye-Year Plan and the Soviet
masses Who are building socialism
! Hs4 ~
Her photographs, and there are many In her
Book, are each worthy Of framing as master
piece. But she writes even more charnlingly II
that is possible, Tales of bureaucracy she en-
countered are there, Ct course. And who would
wish them excluded Her viewpoint is somewhat
naive, naturally; but her plain frendliness and
sympathy for the workers and their heroic ex-
ertion reveals an understanding that is the more
Welcome because unexpected
Here are her lines, written about the scene on
the verbltd State Farm: i@..,.4
Great skies piled high with cloud, torn into
swlrling shapes like whipped cream under the
egs-beatef! A silver radiance over the gray
stubble. III the early morning light; a delicious
contrast With strips of fresh narrowed earth
running neatly beside It. Silhoutted against the
sky. majestic III the morning, was that new goo
81 Russia, the Tractor"
She tursues the machines and the workers
engaged on them from one project to another.
In Dniesrestroi she tells the story of gfantic
erldeavor-and success How the Russian work
ers learned, at heavy expense, to use strange
machines OF the huge constructive cranes, She
says. "As one watches the Russian workers Skill
fully, rlaneuyering giant American cranes, IL is
hard TO believe the stories about their early ex-
periences With these steel monsters"
Margaret 4olrke.White's work Is a. friendly.