The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-01-18
Liberal Viewpoint
By DIR. HARRY ELMER BARNES

MO man is more competent to write contem-
!. = porary history than a highly intelligent
journalist. Mr. Abbott qualities remarkably well
in this respect. He has served on a large num-
Der and different types Of papers, ranking from
the Hearst publications to the Christian Sci
ence Monitor, which Mr.. Abbott made one of
the best journals of world affairs in this coun-
try
He has known most of the leading journalists
and public figures during the last fifty years.
His book CWatching the World Go BY. By Willis
j. Abbott. Little, Brown & Co., So is equally
valuable as a history of journalism and as
political history of the United States during the
last half century.
There is much valuable and juicy material
in the volume which will rarely if ever, be found
in work by a conventional professor of history.
Mr. Abbott throws a good deal of light not only
upon the critical presidential campaigns in our
national politics, but also upon city government,
varying all the way from the progresSiviSm of
Tom Johnson in Cleveland to the heyday of
Tammany rule under Richard Croker. 1t is to
be hoped that this volume will prove as popular
as only Yesterday" the vivid journalistic his
tory of the last decade.
If Mr.. Abbott ranges over the whole period
since the close of reconstruction giving primary
attention to the United States Mr.. Seldes an
other brilliant and Well-informed journalist of
the younger generation, presents us with a gra-
phic summary of world history since 1918
CWorld Panorama, 1918-1933. BY George Seldes
Little, Brown & Co.. 49, In brief, it is the dis
brought only an armed truce, threatens the
world with worse conflict at any moment and
has produced worldwide and intense eco
nomic depression.
MIR. SELDES first describes the general
4VK calamity of the treaty of Versailles and
the collapse of idealism which followed the end
nj thn no re
developments which followed the peace making
period, notably Communism in Russia and Fas-
cisn in Italy and lesser countries.
Then, under the heading of what he calls
the "Age of Reason" he deals with the effort
to promote compromise and better feelings in
international relations, ushered in by the Lo-
carno agreement.
He ends with chronicle of the total failure
of compromise with the coming of the great
depression, the final desperation of Germany
and the triumph of Hitlerism, the menace of
world war and the worldwide challenge to both
democracy and capitalism. Space is found for
interesting cultural developments in the United
States, such as the rise of the Ku-Klux Khan
and intolerance, the attack upon evolution and
the martyrdom of Mooney, the Centralia con-
victs and Sacco and Vanzetti
THE book Is written in vivid Journalistic
l. fashion, but contains so much and such
Wldely assorted information that it NAV over
whelm the general reader who is not adequately
oriented in contemporary history. It is interest
ing and informing at whatever point one chooses
to dip into it.
Mr. Theodore Crank has conducted a very
interesting weekly forum over Station WOR. in
New York City. Here leaders in American
opinion have argued unhampered before the
raolo audience on some of the most relevant
anc interesting issues in American life today
such topics as 1.-THE Collection of War
Debts" THE Value of Punishment for Crime :"
The Revision of Divorce Laws" "The Recog-
milton OF Russia" 1.-THE Abolition of Jury Trial"
and Propaganda in American Life" have been
! discussed by men like Professor Seligman. DR..
irving Fisher, Richard Washburn Child Arthur
Garfield Hays, Silas Bent, Hamilton Fish Jr.
and John Kirkland Clark
| rms has been one of the most valuable edu-
catlonal enterprises in the history of radio and
mas set an example which well may be emu
| lated by other broadcasting stations.
| Beyond this, Mr.. Granik's book CVOR Form,
BOOK Edited by S. Theodore Crank. Falcon
Press, Inc, $50 is Of high intrinsic merit as a
storehouse OF information on the topics covered
| by the debates.