Evening star., 1936-03-21
MISS STERN GROWS CASUAL
And Because She Does Her Merry Mad Book
Which Transcends Her Novels-Japans dissemination
Made Into Appealing Novel-"Lost Youth Studied

that there is q whole world OF work
in fields of personal service as yet
untouched" she does not indicate
what frontiers she means. She does
utter a warning against what has
happened to a generation similarly
stranded in Europe-that they have
been made the tools of relationships,
because they had nothing else to turn
to. Something of the same kind, she
seems to fear, may happen here.
An even worse alternative is sug-
gested by her statement that "this
generation is straying aimlessly toward
middle age. Soon it may be alto
gether lost. Then we as Nation
will face a future dominated by a
defeated citizenry 8"
1t is a grim picture, but beyond any
question a true one. There seems to
be nothing to do but point to it.
Miss Davis book does that pointing.
M-DAY. BY Rose M. Stein. New
York: Harcourt Brace & Co.
A MONG books against war-and
there is steady output of
them-this one seems likely to oc-
cupy a curious place. Its author. as
the publishers point out, has been
in a strategic position from which
to gather materials; she was asso-
ciated with the Senate Munitions
Committee and was engaged to pre-
pare an official summary of the tes-
timony offered before that body.
Obviously, she has had an excellent
opportunity to gather facts and
examine documents. Her book is an
attempt, virtually, to survey the world
from the peace-or-war standpoint,
using as her object lesson the course
OF events which led to our partici-
patton in the last conflict. M-Day,
incidentally. Is the term employed
by the War Department to designate
the first day of mobilization.
One would like to say that Miss
Stein succeeds in her attempt. One
cannot doubt, certainly, her ardor for
peace. Yet, as one reads, chapter
after chapter, one is startled by the
recurring questions this book in
defense of peace or an attack on
capitalism? For Miss Stein plainly
believes war to be a phenomenon
of capitalistic governments, and fatty
blames the J. P. Morgan firm for
exerting much of the influence which
brought the United States into the
World War.
The point Of view Is, Of course,
legitimate, and the reader can ask
nothing more than that it be sub
stantiated with facts. But Miss Stein,
although documenting her work pro-
fusely, betrays more than dispas-
sionate desire to state facts. She is
writing in an emotional vein and the
undercurrent of her whole work is
q feeling of dislike toward all capi-
talistic institutions. One cannot but
feel that she is rather far afield, for
example,. when she states that our
war aims in 1917 were extended to
crush Bolshevism.
The whole tone of her book is that
of making a case, and one can never
be sure, as one reads, whether the
case is against war or against exist
ing governmental forms. She assails
the military command. the Red Cross.
the President, Congress and the citi-
zenry. One is obliged to ask oneself
whether she is objecting to the fact
that a war was fought at all, or
whether she is chiefly indignant be-
cause the nation that fought it was
founded in capitalism.
In the honest interests Of peace
this undercurrent in the book cannot
but be deplored. 1t seems likely to
confuse pacifism with radicslism in
many minds. There is much interest
ing and significant material in the
volume. One wishes that its purpose
was more singly stated.
THE ANATOMY OF PERSONALITY.
BY Howard w. Haggard and Glenn
ents C. Fry. New York: Harper g.
Brothers.
THIS is book on psychiatry, writ
ten for lay persons by two physi-
clans. They start with the amazing
admission that the psychiatrist is a
human being, even as his patients.
and hence is subject to the same in
exorable laws as those whom he dag
noses. Consequently, they observe,
psychiatry is not an exact science,
but. from its very nature, is peculiarly
subject to the action of human preju-
dice and frailty.
With this statement handsomely On
record, the authors then proceed to
outline, in simple terms. just what
established laws do exist for the guild
ance of psychiatrists today. They go
into the division of the race into