Evening star., 1936-02-15
By Mary-Carfer Roberts.
NINE HONEST MEN. BY David Law

-HIS admirable work is an
analysis of those decisions Of
the Supreme Court which re-
Il Gently have been the object
of such universal attention through
out the Nation. It would seem to be
an effective answer to the criticism
that the justices have been too con-
servative for the good Of the country.
Although it is painstaking and
thorough as a work Of analysis, 1t
Is not q book which the ordinary cit
tzen and taxpayer will have difficulty
in reading or understanding. Indeed,
1t can be recommended as source
of dispassionate information on ques-
tions which are foremost in the public
mind.
The line which the author follows Is
that Of giving a detailed discussion
of the various decisions which have
pertained to New Deal legislation, ex-
planning the principles Of constitu-
tional law which were at stake In
each case. Going beyond this, how
ever, he points out that the precedent
established by the court probably has
tnvalidated still other pieces of recent
legislation-namely: The Wagner
labor law. the Guffey coal act and
certain provisions Of the public utility
holding company act.
Lastly, Mr.. Lawrence addresses a
direct appeal to Congress to repre-
sent its constituencies fairly in the
e future, without regard to party politics
or personal ambitions.
I'm that direction" he says, sis the
goal Of recovery.
In that direction Is the rebirth
of American faith and confidence.
In that direction are hope and
Jobs and sunlight for the millions
still unemployed.
In that direction are to be found
the maximum Of human happiness
and the glory Of duty well done
the enduring epitaph of a true servant
OF the people"
Clearly, this is book of contempo-
rary interest and idealism Of kind
that Is altogether wholesome and
normal.
THE REGULATION OF COMPETI-
TION. BY Nelson B. Gaskill. New
York: Harper and Brothers.
THIS book has as its subtitle "A
study of futility as exemplif1ed
by the Federal Trade Commission and
National Industrial Recovery acts
with proposals for its remedy" The
author was at one time chairman OF
the Federal Trade Commission. At
present he Is practicing law in Wash
ington.
His book goes, in great and tech
nical detail, into the following queS-
tons:
Why has the commission been un-
able to help business help itself? Why
has it been ineffective in preventing
unfair competition? Why has it been
unable to make trade practice con-
ferences work?
In pursuing these lines Of inquiry,
the work inevitably comes upon con-
sideration of the mistakes Of the
N. r. A. The author, however, has
not confined himself to criticism, but
has outlined, in the form of tenta-
tive bill, his own substitute for the
existing Federal Trade Commission
act. His work is by nature technical
and not to be recommended for the
too general reader. But for those
. who are looking for light in specific
i. places in our present difficulties, it
would seem to have possibilities
worth exploring.
INSIDE EUROPE. BY John Gunther.
New York: Harper & Bros.
THE author of this book has been for
'tA II years in Europe as correspond
ent for the Chicago Daily News, serv-
ing in that time in almost every Euro
pean country. In writing his present
work he has taken the line that it is
the personality of individual leaders
that is influencing world affairs at
the present time. Millions" he says,
depend for life or death on the will
of Hitler, Mussolini, Stain"
Going on from these indubitably
number one dictators, he observes
"These men and their lesser contem-
poraries-couloir politicians like Laval:
crude, boisterous adventures of the
type of Goering; careerists on-the-
make like Gil Robles In Spain or
Goemboes in Hungary; politician
officers like the Polish Gen. Ridz-
Smigly; anachronistic Balkan Kings
like Zog and Carol-are playing de-
cisive roles in the stupendous drama
Of Europe between wars. It is very
difficult to explore usefully the private
lives of these men. This is not peep
hole book. It contains no gossip for
goesip's sake. But it tries to tell the
intimate story Of these leaders. ="
That would seem to be fair state
ment of the book. 1t is written with
journalistic skill and ought to hold
the interest of the reader who is con-
cerned with our troubled neighbors
quite efortlessly.
JEFFERSON AND/oR MUssoLNI.
BY Ezra Pound. New York:
Liveright Publishing Corp.
Mr.. POUND is here occupied with
the thesis that Signor Mussolini
and man to whom he refers, buddily,
as TON jefferson" have really a
great deal In common when their
PHILOSOPHERS Of craftsmanship are ex-
amined side by side.
Mr.. Pound in the past sometimes
created difficulty in the minds Of his
readers as to what he was writing
about. These uncertainties could
usually be dealt with by the formula.
"Oh, he's writing poetry" It seems
only fair therefore, to warn prospec-
tive purchasers Of Jefferson and/o
Mussolini" that the present book is
entirely in prose.
PREFACE TO THE PAST. BY James
Branch Cabell. New York: Rob-
ert M. Mcbride & Co.
TN ABOUT the year 1890, one esti-
= mates, the works OF this author
vviI1 have become "recognized classics" I"