Evening star., 1934-03-31
THE LIBRARY TABLE
BY SARAH C.. BOWERMAN.
RECOVERY AND COMMON SENSE.
BY o. NJ w. Sprague. Boston:
Houghton Mifi1in Co.

DR.. Sprague, former chief economic
adviser to the Bank Of England and
later economic adviser to the United
States Treasury, here indicates the
steps which he believes should be
taken to restore the United States to
sound and prosperous economic
condition. We all know what we
want, he says, but we do not know
how to obtain it. Hence conflicting
theories. He believes that the de-
preston is not due primarily to none
tary causes, therefore, for recovery
more is needed on the one hand than
mere traditional sound money. or, on
the other than monetary experiments.
Higher prices he considers desirable,
but insists that inflationary measures
will not in existing circumstances
yield a rise in prices that will hold
and that will be accompanied by full
employment of labor and higher
standard of living" and that "inap-
propriate monetary policies may prove
an insuperable obstacle to recovery"
OF a public works program to aid
recovery he says: "The question pre-
sents itself, however, whether public
works expenditure is being so handled
as to bring about an early decline in
such expenditure" Trade recovery in
| the past has been initiated by de-
mand for materials and labor to meet
deferred maintenance and replacement
and improvement of equipment, and
expenditure of this character comes
with restored confidence throughout
| the business community, and is doubt
! less facilitated by the ability to OBJ
! tain additional funds at moderate
rates" All advice for economic re-
covery stresses the need for restored
public confidence, but opinions about
! the means of restoration differ widely.
| AS regards international stabilization,
DR.. Sprague says that practical
| stabilization should precede statutory
stabiliZation, otherwise the problem
of readjustment will have to be solved
again.
! TEMPERANCE AND THE CHANG
ING LIQUOR SITUATION. BY
| Deets Pickett. New York. Meth
odist Book Concern.
With the utmost good humor and
undaunted by legal defeat, Deets
/ Pickett, research secretary of the
Board of Temperance and Public
Morals Of the Methodist Episcopal
Church, puts forth this book imme-
I diately following the enthusiastic re-
peal of the prohibition amendment
as enthusiastic AZ was us adoption
! containing a summary of events lead
| ing to the social experiment noble in
purpose" which was the eighteenth
amendment, and of the events leading
to the twenty-first amendment, which
was repeal. There is also a section
dealing with liquor control in Europe
and elsewhere Another section dis
, cuSSes the effect of alcohol on the
individual. on social welfare and on
economic life. In the attempt to ex-
plain why men drink alcohol. Mr.
| Pickett says that at first alcohol Is
disagreeable to the taste OBJ
viously, what is sought is a remote
psychic effect. The average man
3
cation. He is seeking for one of
two things or escape"
In relation 10 social welfare he saws.
The truth is that prohibition was
relatively social success and a po-
htlcal failure statement almost
Identical with one made by Lillian
Wald in her recent book. Windows
on Henry Street" Mr.. Pickett's
statements of fact are backed by nu-
merous authorities and he has an ex-
tensive photography. He concludes
seriously, but with touch of the
humor which enlivens the whole
book: Personally. I am absolutely
| convinced that prohibition is the one
alternative to regulation; if reglla-
ton should fail. prohibition hovers in
! the background, awaiting an invita-
ton to come back home. That invi-
tatlon, however, should not be issued
until the entire family. except the
incorrigible bad boys, who should be
IN reform school anyway, are pre-
pared to extend hearty welcome"
THE OPPERMANNS. BY Lion Feuch-
tWanger. New York: The Viking
Press.
In a novel of strong character quail
lty, Lion Feuchtwanger has shown the
eHectS OF Hltlerlsm on the economic
/ and family life of a typical Jewish
family of solid worth and established
citizenship. The Oppermanns have a
! prosperous furniture business in Ber-
lin, with a large middle class patron
age. They served their country in the
World War; they worked for its re-
habilitation afterward. There is a large
family group: Gustav, wealthy dilet-
tante and connoisseur; Martin, head
of the business, married to a Nordic
wife; Edgar, a professor of biology at
! a Berlin hospital; Ruth. a Zionist;
Berthold. a student: Markus, a clerk,
and many other relatives. With the
growth of Hitlers power, even before
the dictatorship, they notice increas-
ing hostility toward them, as toward
others Of their race. After the dicta-
toship, their fortunes rapidly decline
to a fall. The story remains con-
crete, though it Is packed with refer
ences to German politics and Hitlers
theories, and is so obviously partisan.
Hitler is not mentioned in the book
but he is there; his influence Is to be
seen in every episode.
SOME RECENT BOOKS.
NON-FICTION.
THE TRAIL OF THE DEAD YEARS.
BY Earl Ellicott budding, founder
of the Prisoners Relief Society.
Edited by William Winfred Smith,
A. NJ, LII. B. Illustrated. Hunt
ington, w. Va: Prisoners Relief
Society.
THE ENGLISH GALAXY OF
SHORTER POEMS. Chosen and
edited by Gerald Bullet. New
York: The Macmillan Co.
TIPS ON TABLES. Being a Guide to
Dining and Winning in New York
at 365 Restaurants Suitable. to
Every Mood and Every Purse. BY
George Ross. New York: Covici-
Friede.
/ AMERICAN FARM POLICY. BY Will
con Goo New York. w w Nor