The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-08-30
Liberal Viewpoint
-BY DIR. Harry ELMER BARNES

HISTORIANS Of human culture have pointed
L i out that there have been two great stages
in the history Of civilization The first was that
Of ancient Hellas which worked out the most
satisfactory philosophy Of life yet produced in
the history of mankind The second is the me-
chancal and industrial civilization attained in
the west following the industrial revolution Of
the eighteenth century.
ANY well-rounded civilization which man may
achieve in the future will have to combine the
Greek art Of living with our unique capacity to
produce goods by machines thus lifting the
blight Of slavery from human culture.
No aspect of Greek culture was more remark
able or admirable than their attitude toward sex
and human happiness. DR.. LIGHT has given US
our first complete treatment in the English Ian
guage of the sexual ideas and practices OF the
classic Greeks. CSexual Life in Ancient Greece"
BY Hans LIGHT. E. P. Dutton & CO. $50
1t is a scholarly, frank and dignifled account,
based upon the protracted scholarly research. 1t
reads easily however, and should constitute an
invaluable contribution to our knowledge of a
very important phase Of Greek civilization.
Those who are wont to take SNUG attitude to-
ward the alleged superiority of our twentieth
century civilization will do well to peruSe this
book with care and insight.
The current epidemic of Fascism and dicta-
torship suggests the memory of the greatest of
modern dictators Napoleon Bonaparte. There
are number of excellent lives of Napoleon, but
it long has been recognized by historians that
his famous marshals played an important role
in his brilliant military career.
Mr.. MacdoneH has produced vivid descrip-
ton Of the relationship between Napoleon and
the activities of his associates. CNapoleon and
His Marshals" BY A. G. Macdonell. The Mac
milan Co. $500 He not only deals with the
military activities Of his marshals, but also with
their administrative and diplomatic achieve
ments, even tracing their careers after Waterloo
1t is an important and interesting contribution
to Napoleonic literature.
HAMILTON FISH ARMSTRONG, editor of
L l. Foreign Affairs, has written a clear and
interesting little book on European international
relations today to which he gives the significant
title, Europe Between Wars" ("Europe Be-
tween Wars" BY Hamilton Fish Armstrong The
Macmillan Co. $1.25) The authors well-known
pro-Slavic and pro-French sympathies are kept
in reasonable restraint and the book will serve
as splendid introduction to those who wish to
get the background Of the stirring and rapidly
moving events in central Europe today
Soviet Russia is making desperate effort to
combine the mechanical efficiency of the west
with something like the Greek aspiration to
make life worth living here on earth.
Miss HamiltonS book is one of the most in
teresting of the many travellers reports on the
doings in Russia today. CAodern Russia as
Seen by an EnglishWoman" BY Cecely Hanil-
ton. H. p Dutton and Co. Inc. $275) It's chief
merits are its vivid and interesting style and the
authors high capacity for honest reporting
1t is to be hoped that it will have wide cir
culation and will help to offset the misleading
diatribe embodied in the highly popular Escape
From the Soviets" by Tatiana Tchernavin,
brought out by the same publishing house.
c'Escape From the Soviets." BY Tatiana Tcher-
navin. Dutton. $500
ONE of the most lovely aspects of our re-
~ markabe scientific and technical devel-
opment today is the prospect that it may be
used for the destruction of the human race in
aggressive warfare. The chief menace is the
prospect of a chemical warfare carried on by
means of aviation.
Miss Fradkin has written an excellent book
surveying the organization of chemistry and
aviation for warlike purposes and suggesting
various ways of combating the challenge C'1he
Air Menace and the Answer" BY Elvira K
Fradkin. Macmillan Co. $50 She concludes
that our protection must be in preventing
rather than in attempting to humanize war;
fare
In both war and peace radio communication
is bound to grow in Importance. Mr. Mills has
given a clear account of the science of electrical
communication, including the character and pos
sbilties of television. C"Signals and Speech
in Electrical Communication" BY John Mills,
Harcourt, Bruce & Co. So