Evening star., 1933-06-25
6Y SARAH @. BOWERMAN
The Journal of A,moM Bennett and Century
of Progress Other Volumes From the
Summer Bookshelf

from the fourteenth century. The Spanish
form of the name was Borjas. The first Borgia
to bring distinction to the family was Alfonso
Borgia friend of Alfonso of Spain, who con-
quered Naples. He was elected to the papacy
in 1455 Calixtus III. All the Borgias had
intense family affection and Calixtus advanced
his two nephews to the cardinalate. Such
violations of a coronation oath were then almost
universal" One Of these nephews, Rodrigo
Borgia, became Pope Alexander vi. Cesare and
Lucrezia Borgia were the children Of Alexan-
der vi by his mistress, Giovannozza del Catanei
with whom he lived for many years while he
was cardinal. "Vannozza remained discreetly
in the background. She played no active part
in the lives of her children for whom their
fathers doting ambition was planning brilliant
careers, but. to their credit, they always re-
mained attached to her" Many books have
been written about the Borgias and about indi-
vidual members of the family, but none is mere
satisfactory for general information than this
one of Mr.. Collision Morley. 1t Is neither heavy
nor sensational; neither extenuates nor sets
down "aught in malice"
CENTURY OF PROGRESS Edited by Charles
A. Beard. New York: Harper & Brothers.
COME people may curse their luck in being
- born at time which brought them in the
prime of life into the years of the World War
and later into the slough of the economic de-
preston, but, since comparison with greater
misery often cheers, it is a wholesome thing to
look back over the history of our country and
the world hundred years is a long time or
a short time, according to the adjustment of
our telescope. Historically it is a mere nothing
of time. A hundred years ago Andrew Jackson
was in the White House and was having little
trouble with banking questions. Read the his
tory of his administration to discover that our
troubles of today are not new. hundred years
ago surgical operations were performed without
anesthetic and in rather sawbones fashion
Today operations are robbed of many of their
terrors and dangers. The past century has
been one of progress in spite of its many
failures to meet human needs DR.. Boards
definition Of progress" is that sit implies that
mankind by making use of science and inven-
tion, can progressively emancipate itself from
plaques famines and social disasters, and sub
jugate the materials and forces of the earth
to the purposes of the good life-here and
now"
This large volume summarizing the progress
of the past 100 years is symposium to which
specialists have contributed chapters covering
outstanding events and achievements in their
respective fields. There IA chapters in ad
dition to DR.. Boards Introductory chapter on
THE Idea of Progress" The chapter on indus
try is by Henry Ford in collaboration with
H. Parker Willis of banking and finance, Frank
O. Lowden of agriculture, Jane Addams of
cial work. Grace Abbott of the changing posi-
ton of women Charles II. Judd of education,
John Erskine of literature, Waldemar Kaempf
fert of inventions. DIR. Beard himself writes of
government and law. The essays, of course,
vary in their comprehensiveneSs and felicity of
treatment. DR.. Boards own essays are among
the best. In discussing our government and our
laws and their enforcement, he concludes that
still have many unsolved problems many
manifestations Of which We cannot be proud.
Such "lynching a disgrace to the Nation,
crime widespread and shocking corruption
breaking forth with batting virulence, period-
cal industrial crises bringing poverty and mis-
slums civil liberties often trampled under
foot, the spirit Of bigotry rampant, natural
resources wasted, lowly aliens in midst
treated with needless cruelty religious into-
erance stirred by partisan angers, incompe-
tence still present in Government and economy
preparations for notwithstanding the
pledges of the Kellogg peace pact, vulgarity
standardized and worshiped a national
scale, and American civilization challenged
the apotheoss Of materialsm" This is a
serious and many sided arraignment and per-
hapS DR.. Beard is too peSSimiStc, but perhaps
also it is well for us. as Americans, not to be
altogether self-congratulatory over our Century
of Progress but to take stock of failures
and summon powers for needed reforms.
LETTERS OF ROBERT BROWNING. Collected
by Thomas j. Wise. Edited with intro
duction and notes by Thurman L. Hood.
New Haven: Yale University Press.
"A /HEN The Letters Of Robert Browning and
w Elizabeth Barrett Barrett were pub
lished in 1899, there was a deluge of printed