Evening star., 1935-12-01

divine, and hence is wearing the
prophetic robes without being able to
impose conviction. He is too ready to
lead us out Of the wilderness. too facile
and much too glib. The thoughtful
readers reaction is likely to be a
shrug, and the weary pregnant catch
word, well, what Of it?"
Bearing in mind, however. the pro-
portion of thoughtful readers to the
population which can read, one Is
obliged to predict some success for
Mr.. Agar's work. 1t ought to go well
among intellectual groups. for example
1t is the kind Of book that can be
quoted when the conversation gets
serious.
THE PRESIDENTS IN AMERICAN
HISTORY. BY Charles A. Beard
New York: Julius Messner, Inc
THIS is a book Of thumbnail biog-
raphies Of our Presidents, includ-
ing President Roosevelt. The name oi
the author will attract ones interest
but the findings within the covers are
disappointing. The book, apparently
is meant as reference work for chill
dren. Outside of bare facts as to
parentage, education, political Offices
held and leading measures sponsored
DR.. Beard has recorded little or moth
ing about our national leaders. 1t Is
all a little puzzling. but for school
children the book can be recon-
mended.
CRIME INCORPORATED. BY Mar
tin Mooney. New York: Whittle-
sey House.
ROOKS on crime being always
~ fascinating, good number of our
writers have in recent years taken tc
turning them out. From the result
ing wealth Of horrid shuddering works
confusion had occasionally come ur
in the readers mind as to which
might be believed, as setting forth
truly the blackness of our civilization
and which must be put down tc
authors desire to profit by a mos
profitable market.
Be 1t said of the present work, then
that its author publishes on its fore
page a letter written him by Mr.. j
Edgar Hoover, director of the Fedora
Bureau of Investigation, in which tn,
project Of his book is highly com
mended. To its indubitable gruesome
ness. therefore. it would seem tina
Crime Incorporated" can add tn
virtue of authenticity.
It is an account of various kinds o
| organized crimes which for the SAX
of profit flourish in our blessed land
It tells how they are set up, what OF
ficiak are necessarily part of them
how protection Is managed and VIII,
it is largely impossible to touch them
A pretty tale.
Mr.. Mooney was police reporte
for a number of years and from thi
undergraduate work went on to spe
cial study for the preparation OF nj
thesis-the present volume. He write
easily. It will be possible for any on
reading his book to achieve splendi
state of moral Indignation withou
having what Is known as a single du
moment.
HUMANrTIES. By John and Rut
Vassos. New York: e. p. Quito
& Co.
lTHIS Is q book of drawings. fir'
of all. After that, it Is book
comment on what, one fears, Is calle
the modern scene" The drawing
are by John Vassos. The text Is Q
Ruth Vassos And there you are.
The publishers blurb says OF tn
pictures that "the vitality and fort
of their majestic conception emoodlt
mural quality that sweeps tf
reader to an emotional experient
far beyond the actual physical linn
tstions Of the page itself" They al
not as bad as that. They really al
fairly good, after the modern manne
which emphasizes the technique bt
allows the meaning to be who'll
conventional.
The subject of the volume is CON
ment on modern society from what
obviously meant to be a distinct
iconoclastic point of view. Unhar
ply the authors do mot seem
comprehend that to say, "Is ths
so?" in q drawing and scornfl
manner does not imply an attituc
of intelligent irony. They seem. @
the contrary, to believe that
rudimentary a style as this wi
astonish and edify. Unless the read
be Robinson Crusoe, however, 1t woul
seem that they will be disappointe'
ANY one who has been conscious eve
at intervals during the past decac
has heard and forgotten everythir
these indignant souls have to say
our institutions and their sins.
The book points the ancient trut
that propaganda and art have +
meeting ground. For art, unfol
tunately, Is eternal truth, but proI
aganda is sales promotion. If it |
said, against this, that propaganc
can be undertaken for the sake I
truth, the answer Is that 1t cam,
be. An elementary fact known
any advertising executive refrtes tha
That fact is that unless there is
spontaneous demand to begin wit
no advertising-no matter how hie
power-can make product popula
Efectually this would seem to ]
truth out, one fears. The book
not worth further argument.