The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-11-18
BY WALTER D. HICKMAN

BY WALTER ID. HICKMAN
VXTHEN 1 read Way of the
wv Lancer" by Richard Boleslav-
ski in collaboration with Helen
Woodward. I thought 1 was very
close to the actual happenings in
the Russian army on the German
front during the World war.
On finishing the second book,
"Lances Down" was convinced
that l was close to the slaughter of
the Reds and Whites in Moscow in
October, 1917.
1t has been utterly impossible for
any one writer to get closeup view
of all Russia during the period Of
disorder which ushered in the pres
ent government of Russia.
Before the war, Boleslavski was
an actor in the Moscow Art theater
and member of it's revolutionary
studio-revolutionary as to methods
of presenting plays and training the
actors along the lines of acting be-
ing divine mission.
Durig the war, he was a Polish
Lancer in the Imperial Russian
army. In his second book, we start
with Boleslavski starting back from
the war zone" to Moscow after the
Kerensky revolution.
His description of the horrors on
the troop train of loyal soldiers of
Russia and others all ready pro-
= claiming themselves to be Reds, are
really beyond any sane comprehen-
sion of heroes" returning home.
The stencil of that experience in
homecoming is Splendidly written
into the opening chapters of "Lances
Down" 1t gives one the correct
realistic setting for the mental,
physical and spiritual horrors that
occurred on the streets of Moscow
when the Reds and the Whites were
fighting for power.
can not agree with those who
have the opinion that the author
seemed to be on a high mountain
peak looking down on this slaughter.
/ felt that he was actually walking
through the red lanes of disaster in
the vicinity of his beloved studio
and the Moscow Art theater.
He pictures the Old Russia being
thrown into the melting pot of a
new social and governmental deal.
His vision and his wisdom of deduc-
ton are tremendously broad and not
one sided.
BoleSlavski pictures in the chap
ter, Liberals the methods used by
those. close to the car to finance
and to help the cause of the Social
lists and even later the Reds, only to
find themselves swallowed up in
Lenins plan of government"
The author makes the assertion
that the leaders Of the revolution In
Moscow who conducted the actual
fighting as we'll as the massacre
were relegated to small Office jobs
OF no power and influence under
the program of the new Russia.
He declares that the real brain
le..aers of the revolution we're miles
away at the time, but upon their
arrival faces not Russian became
the leaders.
Here is one grand book and I be-
lieve it all to be the truth. 1t is
published by Bobbs- Merrill and sells
for SO.
Have before me the first issue of
"The American Spectator" a liter
airy newspaper published every
third Thursday of each month. It's
list of editors rec S like q literary
blue book. The editors include
George Jean Nathan, Ernest Boyd
Theodore Dresser. James Branch
Cabell and Eugene O'Neill. And
that. say, is some lineup of editors
In this issue Dresser writes on THE
Great American Novel" The con-
tents is fine, but the makeup argues
the need of managing editor who
knows something about makeup.
This department is asked many
questions. One of the latest is
Where may be obtained a book on
church school music which will ap-
peal lO0aS W kOCISf 0uCn y
book has just been published by The
Abingdon Press, 400 Plum street. II
is called Practical Church School
Music" 1t is by Reginald L. Nc
All and sells for 81. 1t Specializes
on how to teach and sing the best
music in the church school.
just have received from Ray
Long and Richard r. Smith a copy
of "Glamorous Sinners" by Fred
erick L. Collins. It concerns such
late sinners as Stanford White
VIII tell you about it when I have
finished the book.
On hand today is splendid re-
port from Brentano'S, Inc, New
York, showing the best sellers in
fiction based on an authentic report
from its stores in New York. Phila-
delphia. Washington, Pittsburgh
Cleveland and Chicago. For fiction
the list names Invitation to the
Waltz by Rosamond Lehman;
Peter Ashley" by Du Bose Hey
ward: "Josephus." by Lion Feucht-
wanger; Family History by v