Evening star., 1933-08-27

that be part of the development OF The
next century? Why not, If they are applied
to school children, college students end
persons seeking employment in many
fields? If such tests had been applied in
the past many of our Presidents would not
have been eligible, at least that is the con-
clusion Mr. Agars book forces upon us. He
divides cur history into three periods and then
considers the Presidents whom the people
chose during those periods The first is
"Oligarchy," the second Democracy" the third
"Plutocracy" He asks the question why 1t Is
that out of the first Presidents were
men of outstanding ability and only of
the remaining ~ were above the average poll
tician in their qualities Why did the period
when our Government was in the hands Of
small group of almost self-app0inted leaders Of
the most privileged class produce the best
presidential material? The answer Is that the
privileged class was also the most public-spirited
class. Under the democracy which began with
Andrew Jackson. the presidential intelligence
curve took a downward plunge It reached its
highest point with Washington, Adams and
John Quincy Adams. slid down hill a trifle to
Jefferson Madison and Monroe, but was still
wen above the average. and went far below the
average with all the Presidents from Jackson
to Buchanan, inclusive. With Lincoln the
curve leaped up to . level with Washington
and the Adamses. After Lincoln, began the
plutocracy. which Mr.. Agar says is only q
democracy bossed by money. Andrew johnson
and Taft exactly hit the average line Of in
telngence: Grant fell to very low point.
Harding to a still lower one. Since Lincoln,
only Cleveland Roosevelt and Wilson have
risen above the average and they were almost
on q level with each other, but below Lincoln
and the early presidential giants. The pub
fishers of Mr.. Agar's book have furnished
chart which makes graphic his estimates Of
the character and ability Of the Presidents.
r~1~s,r .Sn AaA0 %
ish our national egotsna. nor to promote salts
faction with our democracy. But Of course
there will not be general agreement with NY
Agar's conclusions. Jef1ersonians win be in
dignant with his placing of Jefferson below
the Adamses and Rooseveltians will think that
their hero should have halo only little less
bright than those of Washington and Lincoln In
fact. In all his judgments Mr.. Agar is q little
too facile and sure The individual biographies
are interesting but superficial and it would be
q profitable exercise to check some Of the
statements by authoritative histories. To say
that Jefferson lacked character Is an opinion,
not . statement Of fact, but 1t should have
more backing in reasons than any which are
given. Mr. Agars conclusions about the future
of our country, derived whether logically or
not from the characters of our Presidents, are
serious and worthy Of sober thought He sees
our democracy tobogganing more and more
rapidly and asks what will be the end In
other countries the end has been dictatorship.
In dictatorship democracy normally cul-
inmates" In the early days of this Republic
the country was served by its best men. They
planned a new society after the Revolution.
re-planning is now needed and there is again
q call for the best men. and for sacrifice, for
abandonment of self-interest and spoils Of all
kinds in the interest Of the State. Can we go
back to the days before democracy went to
seed. before ''the Jacksonian revolution" or
must we go on to dictatorship? Mr.. Agar, a
graduate of Columbia and a doctor of philosophy
of Princeton, has lived for several years in Lon
don, where he has been literary editor of the
English Review. Ambassador Bingham has re-
Gently appointed him an honorary attache Of
the American embassy.
THE PLEBIAN's PROGRESS BY Frank
T1lsley. New York: Covici-Friede.
\ Ar. TILSLEY is English and this first novel
IVl of his has been having great success and
heavy sales in England. Storm Jameson has
called it quite terrible book" and said that
it cannot fail to impress any one, except those
who do not realize that we are witnessing the
death of society" But as her recent auto
biogrsphy. mo Time Like the Present." shows,
Storm Jameson is extremely pessimistic. Per-
haps she is right. However the tragic progress
OF Allen Barclay, described by Mr.. Iilsley, is
not entirely product of conditions in the world
today. Hogarth painted pictures called "A
Rake,s Progress" and "A Harlot's Progress"
And even today many people who receive num-
berless pushes downward manage through char
acter to hold their own and to regain lost
ground. There is weakening tendency today
to- attribute all personal failure, all laxness Of
character, to social conditions. Allen Barclay
was the son of lone Of those men-not SO rare
as generally suppo6ed-who sneak down side
streets to avoid their debtors" non-conform-
ist lay preacher, who was killed in the war.
Alien himself was too young to be sent tA the
trenches. but grew up just in time to saffer
all the handicaps which are the Legacy of
the postwar generation. He was not strong
enough to meet them.
Allen Barclay might be any young man of