The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-01-13
Liberal Viewpoint
BY DIR. HARRY ELMER BARNES

NE next twelve months probably will go far
- toward settling the question of whether the
american future will follow the line of evolution
or that of revolution
Nicholas Berdyaev, in a work DISTINGUISHED
oy sweeping historical analogies (The End of
Our Time by Nicholas Berdyaev. Sheed & Ward
Inc $2.250 argues that the era of rationa1isno
lndlVldual1Sm, liberalism and democracy and of
capitalism and Imperialism has come to an end
he predlctS that the collapse of the present
order will be followed by the general triumph
ot Christian socialism, which he regards as "the
END and crown OF all contemporary history" His
book concludes with an extensive ANALYSIS of
Soviet philosophy. He is f1erceIy critical of the
SoVlets opposition to Christianity which he de-
slres to transform into a revolutionary social
force.
Most of the critics of the new deal are re-
acConarleS and Tories or extreme radicals
Francis Nelson is radical indvidualist, once
prominently identified with the famous Freeman
magazine. He is a combination of a Jeffer-
Sonlan and moderate follower of Henry
George. Mr. Nelson is not worried about what
the new deal may do to our plutocrats, but he
recolls at the notion of RECOMMENDATION and So
clallsm. He also hates the city and urban
classes. With this background, he sails into
Messrs. Chase, Soule, Beard, Tugwell and other
apostles OF social planning with great gllsto
Control From the Top, by Francis Nelson.
G. P. Putnams Sons. $1.50)
From a decidedly more Tory point of view
Ava Lee jumps on the administration and de-
mands return to the fundamental verities
(America Swings to the Left. by Alva Lee Dodd
Mead & Company, $3.50. He particularly is
severe in his criticism of imitation Though Mr..
Lee is voice from past which neither can
nor should be restored, it would pay the admin
istration to examine his structures, for he does
certainly point out a number of minor ncon-
SiStencieS and errors of Judgment.
MIR. SIMMER holds that the only way out
4VA of the depression is to be found in increased
mass purchasing power (The Forgotten Man BY
E. c. Simmer. Patterson Publishing Co. S.
But he has his own special plan for increasing
consumers power namely, preventing Excess
sve capitalization, over naturalization and mo-
nopoly in American economic life. In short he
would like to turn us back to an era of decen-
tralized control of the advantages of centralized
production.
Some six or eight years ago Frank Tannen-
baum relinquished his earlier concentration
upon penology and labor problems and began
an intensive study of recent Mexican history
He has already written the authoritative work
in English on the transformation of Mexican
agriculture as result of the Mexican revolu-
ton. The present volume is a comprehensive
and well-rounded survey of Mexican social evo-
luton peace by Revolution: An Interpretation
VI N1CAlCO, ny T1dIlk 4duu6nDauIl. COlunOla
University Press $3.50. While less compre-
hensive and factual than Ernest Gruening's en-
cyclopedic work, it is a somewhat better unified
and more readable Interpretation. It demon
Strates that a social revolution can be carried
through without any vast amount of social chaos
and may prove at least passably and temporarily
successful without going the whole way into
Communism.
THERE have been very few satisfactory at
Il tempts to present the underlying philos-
ophy Of Communism The great majority of
books on this subject either have been fercely
antagonistic or frantically devoted to this
philosophy. DR.. Brameld analyses the Com
munistic philosophy of contemporary Russia in
competent and open-ninded fashion CA
Phlosophic Approach to Communism by Theo-
dore B. H. Brameld, Phi. D. University of Chi
cago Press. $3.50.
He lays special stress upon the personality
and ideas Of Lenin. In the reviewers opinion
Lenin emerges a rather more impressive figure
than Karl Marx. At least, he stands head and
shoulders above most contemporary Marxians
in that he was able to be inspired by Marx with
out becoming a parrot of MARKHAM phraseology
or a slave to every detail of MARKHAM dogma.
Now that we have recognized Russia. Amer
leans gradually may wake up to the fact that
Communism is something more than a passing
economic vagary. When they do they will find
Dr. Brameld's work thoughtful guide to the
appreciation of one of the dominant economic
PHILOSOPHERS of our age.