Evening star., 1934-12-02

Ew NOVEL, "CALLYBIRD,' WAS
EW DAYS AGO.
tyranny Is not expressing him, he too.
like the Scotch singer Burns, is gay
Of speech, full of frolic, in the midst
of abject poverty. For one Cuban who
can stand prosperity with dignity, a
thousand can stand adversely with
grace"
THROUGH SPACE AND TIME. BY
Sir James Jeans. New York: The
Macmillan Co.
EOR more than a century the Royal
Institution has invited some man
Of science to deliver a course of lee
lures each Christmas season, of con-
tent and style adapted to a juvenile
auditory" This volume is based on
the Royal Institution lectures for 1888
But do not expect to find children S
book The phrase Juvenile auditory"
is simply warning to the lecturer
that his audience will range from 8
to 80 in respect to both age and
wisdom, and that he cannot talk as
II to brother scientists. So the account
here given of the latest scientific
knowledge about the earth, air, sky.
moon, planets, sun, stars and nebulae
is in popular style, understandable by
any one who has the interest to read
with mind on the subject as well as
eye on the page. A Journey is con-
Quoted through space and time, so far
away that the earth seems a mere
mote and back millions of years in
time. In this far-distant past, our
sun was torn apart in a great cata-
clysm, a collision perhaps, and from
its fragments produced the family Of
planets, of which our earth is one of
the smallest. Originally a globe of
hot gas. the earth gradually cooled
until life on it was possible. Now.
after a very few years in the vast
scheme Of things, the queer living
things which came into existence on
this scrap of the sun are learnedly
discussing how 1t all came about. If
any one knows, it is probably Sir
James Jeans. one of the foremost
astronomers Of the world, and one who
considers 1t worth while to explain to
the common man. simply and with
the most telling illustration, the
mysteries OF the universe.
THE UNIVERSE AROUND US. BY
Sir James Jeans. New York: The
Macmillan Co.
THIS is a third edition. revised and
enlarged. of work first published
in 1929. 1t is brief account. in simple
language, Of the methods and results
OF modern astronomical research, both
observational and theoretical" 1t is
intended for readers with no special
scientific knowledge The five years
which have elapsed since the first
edition have been eventful in astron-
omy and physics. AT the subatomic
end OF the scale of nature, the un-
charged neutron and the positively
charged electron have been discovered
in world which had hitherto been
believed to consist solely of positively
charged protons and negatively
charged electrons." Much new knowl-
edge has also been. discovered about
the expansion of the universe and
coemic radiation. So, many theories
must be revised and others have un-
expected possibilities opened before
them. This new edition was therefore
much needed
THE SAAR STRUGGLE. BY Michael
T. .Florinsky, Phi D. New York:
The Macmillan Co.
THE Saar plebiscite is to take place
January l3, 1885, on the first
Sunday after the expiration of the
l5-year period set by the treaty. The
world is anxiously awaiting the out
come, for the vote to be taken on
that day will be fraught with grave
international implications. Dr. Flor
insky tells what these are In his last
chapter. and discusses the probable
economic and political consequences
Of the alternative results Of the
plebiScite, from the point Of view Of
the Saar itself. of Franco German
relations and of the peace of the
world. He gives in his early chapters
the history of the Saar region, its
establishment as q separate state by
the Treaty of Versailles and its con-
ditiOnS under international govern
ment since the treaty, especially labor
and social relations. DR.. Florinsky,
who is an associate in economics in
Columbia University, spent the past
Summer In the Saar Basin, studying
the question through observation and
interviews with members of the in
ternational government, political lead
ers, representatives Of religious Or
carnations, executives In industry,
the heads Of trades unions and the
masses Of the people.
y y y
THE SECRET WAR. BY Frank c.
Hanighen. New York: The John
Day Co.
REFORE the term went out Of fash
ion, Mr.. Hanighen would have
been called q "muck-raker." As CO.
author of Merchants Of Death" he
has already exposed the worldwide
munitions racket" and has warned
that it is capable Of producing a war
at almost any time. In THE Secret
War" he tells of the fight for posses
sion of oil which is now being waged
all over the world, none the less bitter
and determined because it is not out
in the open. In his introduction,
Quincy Howe says: "Just as Mer-
chants of Death enabled its readers
to scan the war-scare stories in their
newspapers with fresh eyes and to
watch the Schwabs, du Points and
Vickers with added and informed
suspicion, so this book on oil will en-
able its readers to find new signifi-
canoe in the Chaco warfare. in
American recognition Of Russia, IN