Evening star., 1932-11-29
NEW BOOKS
AT RANDOM
I. G.. NJ.

JOHN QUINCY ADAMS. BY Bennett
Champ Clark. Illustrated Boston
Little, Brown g. Co.
In an ironic slant Of passing Ill
humor, James G. Blaine once said that
the Adamses fell from the cradle into
public Office and stepped out Of official
life. finally, only to slip into the grave
Merely another way Of saying that this
American family had formed a sort Of
dynasty of patriotic citizenship and
distinguished public service.
At many rough spot on the long
road between Colonial struggles and
current national and international
problem, menace even, an Adams may
be seen standing guard. And of them
all. marching this road sof political
growth in America, none is more ar
resting than John Quincy Adams, as
famous for his enemies as for his
friends, but on either hand invulnerable
to charge of less than passionate and
fiery zeal for the good of his country.
Here is a new biography of John
Quincy Adams. High time, too 1t is
now more than half century since his
story was told in full More than 40
One of the deeply interesting facts
about the book in hand is its author.
Bennett Champ Clark. "A Middle
Western Democrat, devoted follower
and admirer of Thomas jefferson, al
most an idolator of Andrew jackson,
entirely cut of sympathy 18th Adams in
his Nav England insularity and in
many of his political views" That
author here dating himself and from
this exercise going on to tell why John
Quincy Adams is worth his time and
that of readers.
Shaken a bit. this self-analysis dis
closes Democrat. Why not? An ideal
list, patterned upon Jefferson, whose
noble vision Of human equality applied
to government has as yet made hardly
a dent in general practice beyond its
periodical uses in campaign oratory and
methods of vote-getting among legis-
lators. Andrew Jackson, violent liberal
opportunist in political outlook. rough
shod and hard-fisted in authority. The
'insularity" of New England is a re-
minder that through those narrow half
shut docs entered the literary culture Of
the Old World and the zeal for scholar
ship that came to mark the New World
Notions of caste are here In scant allu-
sion to the small farmer" set off pre-
sumably from the arts Of life that
stamped the plantation and its serfdom
Of labor
Despite wedges Of difference calcu-
lated to drive apart this author and
his subject, they come together In sim
gle bond to many deep strain OF COM
mon political conviction. In tempera-
ment, too, both are courageous, forth
right and, upon occasion, not little
caustic Definitely, one is engaged, at
this point, in revitalizing the other
for fresh appraisal by such standards
Of public need and service as have sue
ceeded those of that Adams period. In
essentials the book is a long search
light upon political America by way OF
one Of its dominant figures.
To ones imagining, the author
stands neck deep in original material
for this Adams enterprise. Here is the
personal diary in many big volumes.
And here an almost equal bulk of let
ters, public and private. Formidable
stacks, besides, of pamphlets and sim
liar publications on both domestic and
foreign problems bearing upon the new
country. Literally, monumental body
of words from which the author de-
signs to bring forth. alive, an Amerl-
can who has, so far, outstripped his
countrymen in the variety and i'm
portance Of high offices held by him. !.
Bennett Champ Clark was himself
brought up in the political atmosphere
OF the National Capital. A university
man. A practical politician, a success
full one at that. This as equipment
for the work in hand is, in part, es-
sential; as a whole, distinctly ad-
vantageous. Now, for the workman
himself. The one who knows a man
from a msrionette. Able to select, in
certainty. the required touch of his
toric background, the bloOd-how in its
control of health and inheritance, traits
of disposition half-legacy, half-habit,
surroundings of shaping influence
emergence by self-direction into an ex-
panding unit of political aim and
achievement. Such, sketchily thrown
in, appears to be the job Of young
Champ Clark in respect to John quincy
Adams.
In TITS the Battle Of Bunker Hill
was fought. Upon the surrounding
heights women and children stood.
Among them Abagail Adams, holding
by the hand her son, 8 years old. Our
first glimpse of the hero of this tale.
Again, when the boy was II, We come
upon him in France. with his father.
Seemingly engaged chiefly, the young
ster, in eating up languages, French
and German and what not. At IA he
is In st. Petersburg, engaged In his
first diplomatic service. secretary OF
legation.
A brief introduction, but long enough
to give prompt notice that this is, in
deed, "a moving story" The .youngster
that has stepped out here bears the
stamp of prodigy" dazing the modern
mother who is still bottling and coddling
her son Of that age. However. If this
were the place, comforting things might
be said for this day and it's progeny as
against that other day and its occa-
sional prodigy.
No time to stop for asides In this
book One has to race along to keep
up with John Quincy Adams, who came
back to America to get an educatlon
and to study law. The second OF these
pursuits left him deeply depressed over
the idleness and general vacuity OF the
average law business. Politics was his
passion, the disputations of political
theory as applied to government his
mental bread and meat. In due time,
therefore, he came into his own, stack
ing up dazzling array of honors in
the political field. Emissary or Min.
lister, in turn, to about every country OF
Europe on every sort Of international
errand, in every period Of special inter-
national stress, he became at home
State Senator, United States Senator.
President and after that for 16 years
member Of the House of Representa-
tives, serving here with q brilliance
and distinction which have made that
the outstanding period of his whole life
and perhaps his greatest claim to fame. Z
At this point the thought comes that
only big man could follow defeat for
another presidential term by accepting
the mandate of his State for seat In
the lower legislative branch. Not only
accepting it, but filing 1t to the utmost
with statesmanly service to the country.
Every mans life is an adventure, to
be sure Every great mans life is a
great adventure, provided the times are
ripe for it. And the history Of America
has provided scope for the play Of high
personal endeavor. Reading this story,