Evening star., 1935-04-07


New York: Farrar g. Rinehart.
UBLISHED on his 80th birth
day, the autobiography of
John Hays Hammond is
/ record Of a life of great
variety. Born in California
in 1855, Mr.. Hammond became a
pioneer mining engineer and through
the practice of his chosen profession
had a part in some of the greatest
engineering developments Of his period
and became internationally known
among business men and statesmen.
He was taken as boy to the White
House to meet Grant and has known
all the Presidents since, with the eX-
ception of Arthur, many of them init
mately. Taft, who appointed him spe-
eial Ambassador to the coronation of
George v, was his collegemate and
close friend. But his friendships have
not been limited to the great. Early
pioneers in mining. fellow students at
Freiburg University, where he COM
pleted his mining education; the old
fishermen Of Gloucester. where his
Summer home now is, have all been
his friends.
One of the most striking episodes
Of Mr.. Hammond's career was in con-
nection with the spectacular activities
of his close friend and associate, Cecil
Rhodes. In 1892 he went to South
Africa, where he supervised Rhodes
mining interests and became chair
man of the Reform Committee of Eng
lish and Americans in the Dutch
Transvaal, whose object was adjust
ment Of conditions imposed on for
eigners by the Boer President, Kruger.
When Kruger remained obstinate, Mr..
Hammond and his committee Or
ganized a movement which he thinks
might have prevented the Boer War,
If their accomplice, DR.. Jameson, had
not raShly acted on his own initiative
and carried out his famous raid, which
caused the trial of the whole COM
mittee for high treason. Death SEN
tences were imposed, which were
afterward commuted to life imprison-
ment and later still to fine. This
episode was the final tragedy Of
Rhodes short life and is related with
much detail in Sarah Gertrude Mil
Inns recent biography of Cecil Rhodes.
Mr.. Hammond seems always to have
been a stormy petrol, with a taste for
revolts, since his college days at Yale.
when he participated in the town and
gown" riot Of 1875.
Mr. Hammonds prediction for ad-
venture, pioneer life and politics dur
ing his active days has been supple
mented in his later years by many
active recreations. Though a quiet
man, his tastes have not been those
of a recluse. He has found pleasure
In boating, golf, and especially fly
ing. He is a friend of Charles A.
Lindbergh and retains as his consult
ing physician one who told him he
could safely fly to an altitude of 10000
feet. His autobiography has all the
qualities an interesting autobiography
should have-a full, frank, but un-
egotiStic account of achievement,
abundance of episode and anecdote,
and revelation of personality. The
achievement has led him to all parts
OF our own country. to South Africa,
Mexico and most of the countries OF
Europe and South America and has
included many contributions to the
science Of mining engineering. In
1908 Mr.. Hammond retired from ac-
tive work, but retained his private staff
of engineers and has since directed his
own organization. Recently his en-
gineers have, in New Guinea, flown
in specially constructed airplanes four
20,000-ton dredges over jungle and
mountains to river, where they are
now operating them successfully. AS
for anecdote. Mr. Hammond's book is
full of the most entertaining stories
of his own experiences and of people
he has known. Incidentally he con-
siders that the three greatest men he
has known were Cecil Rhodes, Count
witte and Porfirio Diaz.
THE BLUE EAGLE FROM EGG TO
EARTH. BY Hugh s. Johnson.
New York: Doubleday, Doran g.
Co.
RELIEVING that the public has
- right to know the qualifications
of any man chosen for the steward
ship of such revolutionary organi-
cation as the N. r. A., Gen. johnson
devotes the first Is chapters of his
book to autobiographical material, and
those chapters make it clear that
Hugh S. johnson was from the be-
ginning a fighter. After the pre-
liminary chapters, the remainder Of
the book Is about the period during
which he was chief of the N. r. A.
People all over the country who have
read of N. r. A. policies, changing
from time to time, and have seen
hints from newspaper columnists that
Quaker harmony did not reign among
N. r. A. officials, will read this frank
account of the inside of things with
avidity, but Washingtonians. who
have been closest to facts and rumors,
will perhaps find it most entertain
ing. They will look with curiosity to
see just how frank the zestful, pug
nacious N. r. A. chief has been and
they will not be disappointed.
That Gen. johnson did not agree
with certain other members of the
administration and that disagreement
sometimes reached the stage of quar-
rels have been no secrets. He here
tells of being called into 1.-The tail end
OF a cabinet meeting" when lone or
two Of them had the expression of
the cat which has just swallowed a
canary" and being told, contrary to
his previous understanding, that he
was to report, not to the President,
but to cabinet board Much of the
gossip about his disagreements with
Richberg Gen. johnson denies, saying
that he never lost an opportunity
to praise him (Richberg) or to ad-
vance his interests" He also asserts
with definiteness that he had de-
termined, on account Of health and
financial considerations, to sever his
connection with N. r. A. some time
before the resignation came.
Only a small part of the history
OF the Blue Eagle is, however, given
to the birds domestic quarrels. Gen.
johnson outlines the scheme and
practical accomplishments of the
N. r. A. organization and points out
its flaws In theory and mistakes in
practice. He suggests many improve
ments and makes some observations