Evening star., 1934-12-08
THE LIBRARY TABLE
BY SARAH C. BOWERMAN.
CHALLENGE: Behind the Face Of
Japan. BY Upton Close. New
York. Earrar AZ Rinehart

CHALLENGE: Behind the Face Of
Japan. BY Upton Close. New
York: Farrar g. Rinehart.
An observer in the path Of jap
anese Army invading China, the young
American Josef Washington Hall sent
his confidential messages under the
signature 'up close" and a Japanese
general later asked Mr.. Hall to help
him find this man Upton Close. The
pseudonym has stuck to him, or he
has stuck to 1t. For 20 Of his 40 years
he has been travelling in Pacific Asia
or Pacific waters and he has written
and lectured on Pacific cultures, Ian
guages and politics almost continu-
ously. Some of the things he tells
about Japan in this book are of espe-
cial interest just now, when Japan IS
claiming complete freedom to build up
her navy without international restric-
tions. Mr.. Hail. or Mr.. Close, tells OF
the japanese belief in the mission Of
Japan to lead the human race to "the
world Of light" Of the rise Of Japan
contemporary with the growth of Eng
land, of her amazing two and half
centuries Of isolation, Of the overturn
of feudalism TO years ago and the
entry Of Japan into world competition,
of the present status of Japan's army
and navy, of the American angle" of
the waiting attitude Of Great Britain"
and of Western capitalism "outclassed
by Orientals." He says that America
could throw her weight with Russia to
crush Japan. That would mean either
temporary American empire OF the
Pacific and Far East, with perhaps its
imperial capital at Honolulu-or i'm
mediate Russian hegemony of Asia.
The prospect is not enticing. Yet SO
many events CO." The section on
Emotional Faces Of Japan" "a nation
Of the feminine mentality" classes
among the faces" individualism, in
tuition, non-conformism, hysteria. &c
centricity. humanitarianism, love OF
beauty and pleasure.
| JAPAN IN CRISIS. BY Harry Emer-
son Wildes. New York: The Mac
milan Co.
The author. a former professor Of
economics and sociology at Keio Uni
/ verSity the oldest Japanese university
has tried to avoid propaganda on
either side OF the question which al
ways arises today when Japan is men
( toned. He is neither a sentimental
admirer of Japan nor unreaSoningly
| fearful Of Japan as the enslaver of the
East. He gives Thoughtful explana-
ton, based on his own observations
/ and interviews and official statistics.
Of the present difficulties and aims of
/ Japan. The last Of the medieval
monarchies, Japan, he says. is beset by
corruption and graft, inefficiency and
selfish ambitions Of public officials
Her people are discontented. the intel
lectualS, the middle class, the tenan-
| try, the proletariat The army and
navy clique is seeking an end of par
liamentary rule in favor Of military
rule. What the outcome will be Mr.
| Wildes is, Of course, too prudent to
! propheSy, but he says that the future
holds war, almost without doubt.
Japan has no other recourse if she
would remain alive" The explana-
ton Of this statement is detailed, but
not altogether convincing.
! CONFESSIONS OF A SCIENTIST.
BY Raymond L. Ditmars. New
York: The Macmillan Co.
! DR. Ditmars. curator Of reptiles at
the New York Geological Park, is we'll
| known to readers who like second
hand reptilian thrills. as we'll as to
real biologists. through his former
popular books. Thrills Of Natural
lists Quest" Snakes OF the World"
Reptiles Of the World" and THE
Forest of Adventure" In these new
confessions" he tells Of his expert
ences as lecturer, when by way Of
/! illustration he has handled reptile
! specimens on the stage. sometimes TO
the distress of members of the audi
ence: of his experiments with snake
poisons in his laboratory: Of his max
ing movies Of the most deadly snakes.
| including the dreaded mamba of
Africa The book is full of anecdotes
from his own exciting experiences
the capture Of the first vampire bat
to be exhibited alive. found in a
tropical cave where thousands of his
fellows hung in clusters and where
the cracks in the walls were filed
with bloodsucking insects; a narrow
escape from the blue-green shooting
form of a mamba which had just been
safely landed on the branch of a tree
for photographing; hunting for BUSH
masters in the low jungles Of the VAL
ley of the Chagres. DR.. Ditmars. a
scientist Of authority who can write
the most technical of reports. is also
| able to transmit to a nom scientific
reader all his own suspense and eX-
ultation in realization.
*** *
THE YACHTMAN'S YEAR BOOK,
1884. Edited by Alfred F. Loomis.
New York: Dodd, Mead & Co.
A permanent record Of the big
| events of the sailing and boating sea-
son and interesting tales of the years
cruises and races. Information Is
given about the latest rules and de-
velopmentS in connection with all
forms of boating. There are full
stories Of such events as the Amer
ica's Cup race, the Bermuda race, the
Honolulu race, and Alfred F. Loomis'
story Of this years race of Rainbow
and Endeavour for the Americas Cup
| is here published for the first time.
|
WILD FOWL DECOYS. BY Joel
Barber. New York: Windward
| House.
For duck shooters and wild fowlers.
The author has collected decoyS for
| 20 years, from Nova Scotia to South
Carolina. and has put into this book
his great knowledge on the subject.
1t gives much practical information
and is also a text book on decoys as
antiques. Over 100 illustrations,
drawings, colored and black-and-