Evening star., 1934-05-20

War cannot be held blameless for the fall of
the German Republic and the present dictator
ship.
Many visits to Germany in recent years and
visits to all the former German colonies have
given Col Powell opportunity to study the
questions on which he expresses decided but
balanced opinions. Some of the subjects are
the blunders of allied statesmen tthe blum
ders of these unfortunate victims of fac and the
war god have been often and SO bitterly
pointed out that those who are now dead seem
the fortunate ones). NaZi excesses. the perse-
cution of the Jews, the menace of Communism
reparationS and war debts, the Polish Corridor,
Upper Silesia, the Saar Austrian anscluss
likelihood of a monarchical restoration, secret
preparation for another war, what the great
armament makers are doing, why Germany
withdrew from the League of Nations. OF the
personal experiences which Col Powell relates,
the most interesting is his visit to Hitler at
his villa at Ober-SaZburg, in the Bavarian
Highlands. After hazardous dash up shelf
like road blasted from the mountain side he
found troop of Hitler Jugend, comparable to
Boy Scouts, eating enormous quantities of ice
cream and cakes in Hitler's garden. Hitler
emerged from the villa and the boys after the
Nazi salute, crowded about him if he
a comrade while he autographed their al
buns. When the boys left Col Powell began
his questions. He gives Hitlers answers to
these, which include the admission of some
excesses, but also defense arguments Of weight.
Like Col. Powell's other books. this is written
in an easy, conversational STYLE with good
description and clearly expressed personal i'm
pressions.
THE LAND OF PLENTY. BY Robert Can't
well. New York: Farrar & Rinehart
4 hORE really human personalities in whom
wi we could find varied faults and virtues.
IsacNr rocin-
obviously directed theory would make this
novel of Robert Cantwell, author Of Laugh
and Lie Down." a better piece of fiction art.
1t is a serious question whether predominant
propaganda purpose ever produces true art An
illustrative case is to be found in the Com
munistic mural paintings of Diego Rivera in
the New Workers School of New York Mr..
Cantwell chooses for his proletarian propaganda
purpose a strike-a terrible one with all pos
Sible brutaitieS-in Puget Sound door and
window frame factory His turbulent story
opens when the lights went out and the motors
began whining down to silence" The night
shift had been summoned for overt time work
on a rush order. not long after pay cut. Dis
content and hatred were sinmering among the
workers. Suddenly, without concerted leader
ship, there was rebellion and strike was called.
The owner of the mill Digby, was off shooting
in New Mexico and his representatives the
superintendent MacMahon, and the foreman,
Belcher, were unequal to handling the situa-
tion. Digby the thoroughly evil capitalist,
finally arrived to take charge Of things. with
the initial hint to MacMahon: "One thing, 1
can see you have to get a chief of police
in this town. Well, get new mayor" Violence
on both sides increased bitterness and settled
nothing. The story closes, as it opened in
darkness and drenching rain, symbolical of the
gloom of the workers lot. No character in this
problem novel enlists our special interest but
MacMahon and his daughter Rose are best in
dividualZed.