Evening star., 1936-01-19

THE HOUSE ON THE MARSH. BY
Helen r. Martin. New York:
Dodd, Mead & Co.
tations OF this realism In general life
and concludes that the concept Of fed
erative polity belonged to the age Of
philosophy which preceded the gen.
Grafton Of realists. He is not at any
point dogmatic. however, remarking
rather that ut is easier to summarize
events than explain them"
He concludes with this pertinent
paragraph, And the next POLITICAL
economic formation was already in
sight in 1871; it was the formation
called imperialism Just as the rival
ries of agrarian and business classes
were being ended in common alliance
of property against the unpropertied,
so the propertied and lnpropertied in
Europe were to become allies against
the fellaheen, the coolie and the saw
age. In 1871 Cecil Rhodes landed in
South Africa, and Stanley met Liv.
ingstone at Lake Nyanza in an en-
counter that was triumph of news
mongering to the public. The postu-
lates of Realpolitik that had been
proved in Europe were to receive a
more extended application by men who
had learned them in 20 years school,
ing. On all fronts, intellectual. eco
nomic and political. the way was
cleared for a generation Of material
ISM"
Incidental to its inquiry into the
nature Of political causes, the book
contains q great deal of factual his
tory, interpreted literally and pene-
tratingly. It is sound and inter-
esting work.
WITH NAPOLEON IN RUSSIA. The
memoirs OF Gen. de Coulaincourt.
edited by Jean Janoteau, New York:
William Morrow & Co.
ON THE way to Russia-and disaster
O-in 1912. Napoleon often was wont
to talk to the General de Coulain-
court, his master of horse. Shortly
after each of these conversations the
substance of the Emperor's remarks
found its way into one Of group OF
small note books which De Coulain-
court carried.
Now, nearly a century and one
quarter later, the notes made at that
time, echo Interestingly across the
face of world which still is fascinated
by the little Corsican. They have
taken the form of a volume of 422
pages, in which De Coulaincourt sets
down his memoirs of that fateful
journey which involved 100000 men.
Anticipating that modern school of
great reporters. De Coulaincourt writes
from the premise that facts are ca
pable of speaking for themselves; that
they need only to be set down, not
The touch Of nature which makes
men kin-sitting together on 4 RAM
shackle sled travelling through savage
blizzards and sharing intimately other
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS to give De
a closeup Of Napoleon
which few men shared. He utilized it.
not as sycophant, but as man
with mind of his own. Therein
his book becomes q valuable addition
TO the long shelf Of volumes which
undertake to assess the character Of
De Coulaincourt not only knew
NYov I@,,t hA pvyCeto
through four years Of service there as
ambassador extraordinary from 1907
to 1911, the year before the fateful
attempt at conquest. Familiar he was
with the Napoleonic scheme. but he
did not believe in it. He sought to
dissuade the Emperor, but to no avail.
And, then, after time and events had
proved his Judgment correct, he had
to wait more than = century to say
II told you so"
There must have been moments dur
Ing that desperate homeward march
In cruel privation and suffering when
De Coulaincourt, whose task it was
to see the Emperor well fed and COM
sheltered, wanted to speak.
He did not do so then, but now he
does and 1t makes most interesting
reading.
The total picture Of Napoleon it
IS not q pretty one, but
neither does 1t distort those features
of his personality which were his
compelling fascination to those who
believed in him as in . god.-F. J.C.
MODERN MAN, HIS BELIEF AND
BEHAVIOR. By Harvey Ferguson.
New York: Alfred A. Kncpf.
TT SEEMS curious that any one who
has even . slight measure Of crea-
live ability should want to write 4
serious inquiry into the belief and
behavior God save the mark) Of mod
ern man. Harvey Ferguson, how
ever, has done 50.
Mr.. Ferguson, In times past, has
written . number Of novels. One
does not know how good they were:
one did not read them, not Icing
! book reviewer at the time and hence
tree Of the obligation to read any
hing at all. One knows, however,
hat these novels achieved . reputa-
ion for q certain literateness-and,
they deserved 1t.
Conced:ng that they did, 1t be-
,omes all the more strange that their |
luthor should want to do . work |
Il non-flction composed with serious
less about anything 20 trite, obvious |
md ridiculous as modern man. In
act. 1t Is simply incomprehensible.
)ne must suspect that, as . novelist.