Evening star., 1935-12-08

tunism IN writing his particular work,
for he began its preparation almost
Immediately after the President was
inaugurated. He has been associate
editor of the Nation. and is member
of the editorial staff of the Baltimore
Sun. During work on THE Gay Re-
former" he has spent much time in
Washington. keeping in touch with
key individuals of the administration.
He sums up unfavorably. While he
pays tribute to the Presidents sin
cerity and idealisrn, he finds that the
administration efforts to break the
impasse Of want among plenty" and
still retain an economy based on the
profit motive have been Intellectual.
Also. as he sees it, the administrations
attempts to bring about redistribu-
ton of opportunity have come to
nothing. On the other hand. he tells
us, monopoly and the concentration
of wealth go irresistibly on.
The book is obviously the outcome
Of much study and is written with an
effort-at least-at impartiality.
Among the large number of recent
works of the same kind, it can take
meritorious place.
THE RUN FOR YOUR MONEY. BY
E. Jerome Ellison and Frank w.
Brock. New York: The Dodge
Publishing Co.
THIS shocking book is an expose of
rackets-not the downright crime
racketS, to be sure, which specialize
in bombings and mayhem, but the less
picturesque profit rackets. Some of
these gentle corners on illicit gain are
the insurance racket, the lottery rae
ket, the jewelry racket, the charity
racket, the real estate racket, and even
the death racket.
Lest the reader misinterpret the last
named, we explain. The death racket
does not consist of murders for pay;
if it did there would be small need to
warn the general public of it, since
not many of us can afford to settle
our quarrels so easily. The death
racket, instead. consists in systems of
tricks by which bereaved people can
be robbed, under the impression that
they are buying space in biographical
encyclopedias" and the like for their
deceased relatives.
One especially profitable system,
says this book, has been for the rack
eteer to write to beresved persons. in
forming them that their late relative
has been honored by being selected to
have his portrait and biography regis
tered in the Library of Congress. The
writer offers then to furnish metal
plaque with portrait and biography
engraved thereon, all for the sum OF
S1l0. All that he does, having been
paid, is to take the material up to the
Library of Congress and copyright it.
It is then automatically registered.
This racket, says the book, has been
operating out Of Washington for some
time.
1.-THE Run for Your Money" is an
informative and unpleasant book. 1t
is also interesting. Whether you are
In danger of being vicitmized or not,
YOU can be entertained by reading it.
CAT-CALLS. BY Peggy Bacon. With
drawings by the author. New
York: Robert M. Mcbride & Co.
NTEATNESS of line seems to be this
y artist-author's peculiar forte, and
so. in her present volume. she sets
down verses of extreme adroitneSs and
illustrates them with equally fine
frail sketches. Her subjects range
widely, but her attack is unchanging-
needle-pointed and accurate.
Miss Bacon. among the young poets
of polished disillusion, is distinctly
personality. 1t may even be that she
will remain after the usual majority
Of her school have been forgotten.