Evening star., 1933-03-05

day. So "he went away for . while"
and gave up the constant action Of
which he was 50 tired. He saw the
Sun-the same sunrise and set day
after day; he listened to the surf Of the
Pacific wash up against the cliffs: he
watched the water boil for his
coffee: he permitted "his mind to take
its time over Ugesting q meal" And at
intervals he thought Of the fellows in
town who were getting up and hurrying
to work, while the street cars and trucks
were banging past them and the trafhc
crowd grew thicker and thicker. When
he overcame the habit Of watching the
clock, he began to be happy. THE
longer he did not see people, the more
seh-sufncient he began to feel within
himself" He knew what return would
be like, could visualize it all, but while
his money lasted he was free from the
demands Of practical life, . vagabond, &
philosopher. This is . fragment Of
autobiography, written with the charm
Of . reflective essay.
THE INCREDIBLE BALKANS. BY
Konrad Bercovici. New York: G. p.
Putnam's Sons.
DELGIUM, the Balkans, Kentucky, are
y all known to history as bloody ground,
scenes Of strife, meeting places
OF hostile elements, In the Balkans
started the World War and the Balkans
are today one Of the danger spots Of
Europe. But there are so many such
spots. In the Balkans the Turks and
Christian nations have met, not AMIGA
bly,. producing bitter religious conflicts.
In the Balkans, dynaStic strife has been
q 90 ri ~
dynastic murders have been not infre-
quent. On Balkan territory Russia
and Germany have conterded, not al
ways by warfare, sometimes by masked
diplomacy; Russia's motive has been
the possession Of Constantinople, Ger
many's to prevent such possession. Mr.
Bercovici has been able to write a book
on the Balkans which Is full of knowl-
edge and understanding as he is him
self Rumanian His style is not
academic. but it Is vigorous and vivid,
adapted to the romantic and intriguing
events he relates. Especially interest
ing are his sketches Of important
Balkan personalities -Mustapha Kemal.
erios Venizelos, Queen Marie and King
Carol Of Rumania, and the famous
gypsies Of the Balkans.
The one-time far-away country of
the Balkans, seeming to us almost
legendary, IS today almost at our doors
-Four thousand miles Of ocean, rivers,
forests and mountains separate the
United States from the Balkans. This
distance, at one time considerable, can
be bridged today by an aiplane in 40
hours =" The shot at Sarajevo plunged
120, ,000. 900 people Of this (our) country
into the European war" The Balkans
cannot safely be relegated to romantic
novelistS like Anthony Hope for ''Pris-
oner Of Zenda" stories of intrigue. I'VE
can no longer lean back and laugh at
the antics Of people and their rulers
reluctant to play fair with themselves
and with the civilized world. Yet, like
the poor, the Balkans shall always be
with U.s." Through Mr.. Bercovici's book
We have the opportunity both to inform
ourselves about the Balkans of the past
and present and to obtain some allow
able entertainment from the comic
opera elements In Balkan affairs, which
there Is no attempt to disguise Some
Of the chapter titles are: bad Mace
donian-Good Bulgarian" +" '"Ihe Fun OF
Being q Bulgar," THE Greeks Bear
Strange Gifts" "Rumania and Its Royal
Vaudeville" ''The Gypsies in the Bal
kans." THE Gypsies and the Magyars, p
and The Menace Of the Balkans" OF
the fun OF being a Bulgar Mr.. Ber-
covici says: Since the day Stambu-
liski was killed, more than 10000 Bull
garians have been slain on the streets
of Sofia or Varna for one political rea-
son or another Ten a day. week In
week out, month in month out, year in
year out, Is the usual rate"