Evening star., 1935-10-13
OLD NEW YORK DISSECTED
An Urbane Irony Marks the Revelation of Gotams Past
"Brownstone Fronts and Saratoga Trunks"-Genius of
the Ages Borrowed From for New Novels Settings.

together with the dates OF his sentence
and an epithet of description. The
first wrote Rebel" beneath his name.
The second, "Cynic," the third, "Skep-
tic" and the last man, "Marionette."
When the cell block was finally torn
down the workmen refused to touch
that particular cell. They said it was
haunted. And then. one night, the
stones bearing the names disappeared
and the work went on again. The
men said the stones had walked of"
of themselves. They we're later found
buried near the warden's home. He
summoned the living descendants of
he four convicts to his Office and there
told them the four stories.
There is no attempt to draw con-
clusions as these narratives unfold.
The warden has, sometimes, theatre
cal style, but he does not soliloquize.
Only in his "Epilogue." a letter written
to one of the descendants, who was a
judge, does he put forward any idea
as to ways in which crime should be
treated. Then he is brief. He says
simply:
There is, Of course, no universal
panacea. Simpler legal codes will
help-simpler habits of thought and
living. A more even distribution of
opportunity to achieve contentment.
But, above all, our educational. social
and economic agencies must be re-
organized with the view to strength.
ening our moral fiber as individuals
and as Nation"
This has saddenly platitudinous
sound to the lay person, who can only
hope in heartfelt manner that, to
Warden Lawes' experienced mind, it
really does mean something in prac-
tical possibility. But-somehow-it
seems unlikely.
WE WHO ARE ABOUT TO DIE. BY
David Lamson. New York: Charles
Scribners Sons.
THIS, like Warden Lawes' book, is
book about prison. 1t was writ
ten by man who was condemned to
be hanged for the murder of his wife.
He spent 13 months in the condemned
row of San Quentin. At the end of
that time the Supreme Court re-
versed the verdict.
There are both similarities and dis
agreements between this book and
that of Warden Lawes. Mr.. Lamson,
it should be said, is a man of superior
education. He is a graduate of STAN
ford University and. at the time of his
/. arrest, was employed in the University
Press. He has clearly endeavored to
write without bitterness. Like Warden
EaWeS, however, he feels that the suf-
ferings OF the imprisoned man are
often diSproportionate ana meaning
less. And, also like the warden, he
seems to be vague about what can be
done to the system to change the
matter.
1t should be taken into account. of
course, that I'VE Who Are About to
Die" is entirely personal experience,
while Cell 202" is a history of
prison over almost century. One
book comes from the pen of a prison
officer. The other from a superior
individua- held unjuStly imprisoned
Yet the agreement on these points is
unmistakable.
A disagreement which is significant
is in the estimate of prison guards
and officers. Mr. Lamson found them
pretty decent. He says plainly that
they lived in constant danger of their
lives. Every guard" he writes,
knows this. So does every prisoner
The guards sole advantage over the
prisoners is psychological. He must
dominate them, or he will die horribly
and suddenly"
This is not the picture that Warden
LaWes presents, although it must be
taken into account that he is wiring
about another institution and wiring,
for the most part, in the past. The
guard, in his book, was an autocrat of
physical as well as psychological
powers.
And another point of difference be-
tween the two works is in Mr.. Lam
sons attitude toward the courts, the
lawyers and the police. He is undis-
guisedly bitter in blaming official stu
pidity for his conviction, and, in a
Via PlC1 IdllCu SOllNCl SdtlOllS Will
Criminals" he adds accusations of
third-degree methods and false prom
ises held out to obtain confessions
and pleas of guilty. Warden Lawes
seems to feel that these officials are
passive rather than active factors in
the situation.
In all, the two books make depress-
ing reading. But they also make real
contributions to our library of social
history.
MARK TWAIN. THE MAN AND HIS
WORK. BY Edward Wagenknecht.
New Haven: Yale University Press.
THE best thing about this work of
undeniable scholarship is the
chapter headings. They are in part,
"The Divine Amateur" "The Damned
Human Race" Charts of Salvation"
and Hymn to Death"
There is clearly promise in these.
promise of sparkling mind, fit (per-
haps) to write about Mark Twain.
But the promise is not kept and
while Mf. Wagenknecht's book is full
Of evidence of deep knowledge of his
subject and true appreciation. he does
not even attempt any original manner
or Interpretation. He simply assemblies
evidence, both from Mark Twain's
works and from his critics, to substan-
tiate points which have already been
amply substantiated. They may not
have been assembled in just this man
ner, to be sure But, if so. that is
the only contribution which the work
makes.
1t is a curious thing that writers
should ever want to make books about
genius that has achieved its own eK-
preston. One can understand de-
sire to examine the case of the failure
of genius. There is the fascination
there of illness. calling for diagnosis.
But why dissect the adequate? Even
the most rabid vivisectionist comedies
that the practice is justifiable only on
grounds of utility. And what utility
is served when the subject is COM