Evening star., 1933-03-26
LOOKING FORWARD. BY Franklin D. Roose-
welt. New York: The John Day Co.

LOOKING FORWARD. BY Franklin D. Roose-
welt. New York: The John Day Co.
RESIDENT ROOSEVELT in his terse
Introduction to this book announced
some weeks ago and published within
these full weeks since his inauguration,
says: In the comments to follow
speak not Of politics, but of Government;
not of parties, but Of universal principles" He
qualities this only as he recognizes that nothing
in all human life Is foreign to the science Of
politics" In looking through the pages we
are Impressed that this is Of the nature Of the
credo Of a statesman. The keynotes Of leader
ship and the welfare of the common man are
sounded again and again. In general we must
have reappraisal Of values; we must have eco
nomic planning. Both Of these require leader
Ship courage faith, and the man who has writ
ten this book, who is no pessimist, believes that
our country possesses them all. He believes that
we also need enthusiasm, Imagination and
ability to face facts, even unpleasant ones,
bravely. We need the courage of the young"
But the President does not deal in mere gen.
eralities. He does not sidestep either funda-
mental or immediate issues. He discusses
frankly such specific questions as the reorgan-
ization Of Government, State planning, taxation,
the railroads, the power issue, the tariff, bank
ing and speculation. the needs of agriculture,
judicial reform, crime and. criminals, holding
companies, international relations. He obviously
does not believe that the Federal Government
should be weak and inept, should keep its hands
of most important matters. He says pungently:
1.-The same man who says he does not want to
see the Government interfere in business-and
he means 1t and has plenty of good reasons for
saying so-is the first to 60 to Washington to
ask the Government for prohibitory tariff on
his product. When things.get Just bad enough
as they did in 1930-he will go with equal
speed to the United States Government and ask
for loan"
Much Of the material In the book is already
familiar through the Presidents previous
speeches and articles. but much has been added
and the parts have been correlated into a uni
ned WHOLE treatise ON principles which should
be applied, not to any government but to our
own Government at the present time The
book shows the Presidents social philosophy,
which has much Of idealism, and also gives his
practical views on economic and social questions
The last chapter is, appropriately, his inaugural
address
WOODROW WILSON, THE MAN WHO LIVES
ON. BY John X. winkler. New York: The
Vanguard Press.
THE incoming Of a new Democratic admins
tration offers timely opportunity for an
other survey Of the life and work of the last
Democratic President Woodrow Wilson, and Mr.
Winkler has hastily seized the opportunity
Evidences Of haste In the writing are very
obvious and there Is no citation of authorities,
no photography, no index. It is, however, q
readable biography, and not every one has time
for the authoritative work by Ray Stannard
Baker, of which four volumes have already ap-
peared. The first chapter gives the keynote
"A Lonely Man." The first sentence is Wood
row Wilson gave his fellow man everything but
himself" The life of our war President Is
treated tragedy, and if estimated on the
personal side it undoubtedly was. but, as Mr..
Winkler says, AT the end he went down fight
Ing His was the real glory of the conquered"
The statement that he was conquered" may be
contrad1cted by history, which may place him
among the vctors. Except for the first chapter
there is little analysis Of character or of mo-
tives in crises Of action, but the events and
accomplishments Of Wilson's life are presented
In good arrangement and interesting popular
style. Mr.. Winkler is also the author of Nor
gan the Magnificent" and Incredible Carnegie"
TATTERED BANNERS. BY Talcott Powell.
New York: Harcourt, Brace & Co.
THE assistant executive editor of a New York
newspaper, an ex-soldier now on the reserve
list, writes very independently and vigorously
about the veterans situation in this country,
with comparisons with Great Britain, Germany
France and Italy. The figures of per capita
relief Of veterans in those countries as compared
with figures of the United States are available
have been often quoted, and make one cease to
wonder that the national deficit is so large
The student Of history who believes that present
problems cannot be properly interpreted and
soundly dealt with without knowledge of the
past will be interested in Mr.. Powelrs early
chapters on veterans organizations and their
pressure on governments in Greece, Rome and
Ehzabethan England. The history of pensions,
postwar care, subsidies, bonuses, in our own
country from Colonial days to the present time,
Is dealt with in such q developmental way as
to present an appalling picture.
The latter half Of the book is given to the
story OF the formation Of the American Legion
the growth OF its power. the activities and de-
mands for which It has been responsible and