Evening star., 1935-02-10
VIEWS AND REVIEWS

appearance OF the nrSt TWO VOL
umes If Douglas Freeman's delni-
i tive biography of Lee the final
volumes are now published. The
striking success of the earlier volumes,
both in their welcome by reviewers
and historians and in their sales, is
of encouragement to all who have
been depressed over the state of cul-
ture IN the United States. It shows
that there is still appreciation, and
sale, for a substantial, scholarly, we'll
documented biography. with no fic-
tionized features, provided its subject
be person both of achievement ard
personality and its author an author
ity on his subject and gifted with the
ability to write well. In reviews of
the previous volumes it was pointed
out that Douglas Freeman, editor Of
the Richmond News Leader, is the
outstanding authority on Robert E.
Lee and on the military history of the
Civil War
Volumes III and Nv cover the period
from that momentous event in Lees
career with which Vol. II closed.
the victory OF Charlottesville, over
shadowed BY the death OF "Stonewall"
Jackson, TO the day in October. 1870.
when, in his delirium, Lee murmured.
Strike the tent" and then spoke no
more. Gettysburg is the high point
of Vol. III The reorganization ne
cessitated by Jackson's death was be-
gun Immediately after Chancellors-
vile, and Lee. realizing the risk, de-
cided to launch his projected offensive
in Pennsylvania, before the time
passed when he could take the often
sive. The chapter, why Was Gettys-
burg Lost" Is the climax of this vol
ume. DR.. Freeman analyzes not only
the tactics Of the battle and comments
that here agreement is rather general
about the specific reasons for the
failure of the losing army" but also
shows how temperament, from which
human beings seem unable to escape,
vitality affected the result. Chief
among the tactical causes he places
the lack of coordination in attack
by the reorganized army The funda-
mental temperamental cause was that
when Longstreet sulked Lees tenn
permanent was such that he could not
bring himself either to shake Long
street out of his bad humor by a
sharp order. or to take direction OF
the field when Longstreet delayed. No
candid critic of the battle can follow
the events OF that fateful morning and
not have feeling that Lee virtually
surrendered to Longstreet, who obeyed
only when he could no longer find an
excuse for delay" And Longstreet
was far better in defensive than in
offensive warfare. There Is probable
ity, DR. Freeman says, that few OF
the mistakes would have occurred if
Jackson had not died and reorgani-
zation Of the army had not thereby
been made necessary. Read in the
light of the aftermath, the story Of
the reorganization of May. 1868. thus
becomes one of the major tragedies Of
the Confederacy and explains why the
death of Jackson was the turning
point in the history Of the Army of
Northern Virginia.
The tragic crisis of Vol w of "R. E.
Lee" is the surrender at Appomat-
tox. The early part of the volume is
descending action, to catastrophe, fol-
lowed by anti-climax. from the SOL
dier's point of view, with five years of
useful, but retired civilian life. The
story of Appomattox is one OF the
saddest in our history. whether viewed
with Northern or Southern eyes. The
picture of the two great men, Grant
and Lee. shaking hands in the front
room of the Mclean house at Apo
mattox Courthouse, and. after the
signing of the terms of surrender, OF
Lee slowly descending the porch steps.
while Grant and several other Federal
officers saluted him, mounting Trav-
eler, and riding away to tell the news
that the struggle was over to the rem
nant Of his soldiers, Is poignantly dra-
matte. In spite of letter from Grant
to the President recommending that
Lees application for amnesty and par
don be allowed, Lees individual par
don was never granted, though no
treason indictment was ever pressed.
That omitted pardon must always be
regretted. But pardon or no pardon.
treason or no treason, Lee felt he
should now set an example by going
to work" His desire was for a life of
retirement, and when the offer came
to him Of the presidency of Washing
ton College, at Lexington, Va. he ac-
cepted it in August, 1865. DR.. Free
mans account of Lees services as edu-
Gator and private citizen during the
few years which remained In no way
falls below his narrative and exposi-
ton Of the brilliant military career,
and forever does away with the legend
that Lee was so statuesque, so perfect,
as to be lacking in human qualities.
WHAT OF TOMORROW? BY Ogden
L. Mills. New York: The Macmil-
Ian Co.
SECRETARY WALLACE, Secretary
- Ickes and the President himself
have all written of the New Deal as
its administrators. not claiming for 1t
either perfection of planning or of
results, but supporting the view that,
in the words of the title of the Presi-
dents book, we are "On Our Way"
The critics of the New Deal, except
those who are in sympathy with major
principles and criticize mere details,
fall into two groups-those who think
that it is too radical, the critics of the
Right, and those who think that 1t is
not radical enough, the critics of the
Left. Ogden L.. Mills, Secretary of
the Treasury under President Hoover,
belongs to the first group. His book is
composed of nine speeches delivered
in 1884, with the exception of the one
Some Aspects of the Monetary Prob
lem," delivered in December, 1888,
together with an Introductory chap
ter, What of Tomorrow" He is
deeply disturbed by the revolutionary
changes which have been taking place
in our Government during the past
two years-changes which have not
been submitted to the people-and re-
sents the implication that our Ameri-
can institutions have hitherto been a
failure. He examines evidences that
the Constitution has been suspended
and that we are headed for dictator
shin for "nlanned economy will al