Evening star., 1936-08-22

that characterizes Mr.. Seldes' work
His opinion, one gathers, is substan-
TALLY the same. but he is deliberate
and impersonal in giving it. He even
painstakingly ascends space to what
he feels are good points in the Duce's
makeup. But he also feels that the
subjugation of an entire people to one
man is questionable, be that man ever
so admirable.
He deals with the main events of the
Fascist regime in the period between
1927 and the present. He was sta
toned in Rome during much Of that
time. He found the press throttled,
political morals degraded, and freedom
of thought unhealthy unless it existed
without expression. He also found a
spirit of energy and growth every
where. He holds Mussolini accounta-
BILE for both sets of phenomenon.
For his theme he suggests that the
Duce'S preoccupation with classic
Rome will lead him into an attempt to
conquer the East and to seize, in Afri-
ca. a great colonial empire, which
will include Libia, Egypt, the Sudan.
Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somaliland. He
mentions more than once that Musso-
lini keeps marble maps on display in
the street. These maps show the ex-
pansion of the ancient Rome, Mr..
Darrah feels that parallel is working
in Mussolini's mind. He. too. wants to
make Rome an empire. He, too, would
be Caesar"
Who knows, asks Mr.. Darrah,
whether MSSolini may not accom-
plish his dream? And then, having
asked this question, he quotes these
words, as common proverb in Rome,
1T is not far from the Capitoline Hill
to the Tarpeian Rock"
MORE SIMPLE SCIENCE. BY Julian
Huxley and E. N. da c. Andrade.
New York: Harper g. Bros.
THIS book is companion to "Sim-
pie Science" previous volume
by the same authors. Simple Science
won wide POPULARITY for itself. The
present work would seem to deserve
a similar good reception.
It does not begin where the former
volume left of. but simply applies
its methods of treatment to additional
branches of science. Simple Science"
covered the elements of physics. me-
chanics, chemistry and biology. More
Simple Science" deals with geology
and agriculture. 1t is intended for
lay readers or for young students just
beginning their scientific work. Its
language is simple, its approach ele-
mentary. Yet it deserves to rank as
a first-rate text and introduction to
its subject matter. AS gift to the
school boy or girl it would seem to be
ideal.
ALL STAR CAST. BY Naomi Royde
Smith. New York: The Mac
MILAN Co.
THIS is an unusual novel, purport-
ing, as it does, to record the SEN
sations of young dramatic critic
covering his first important New York
opening. The book begins with his
preliminary discussion of the play
with a fellow reviewer. 1t goes on
then with the performance, recount
ing in detail, and even with bits of
the dialogue. the movement of the
play, the technique of the actors and
the reactions of the young critic. 1t
ends with the anti-climax of COM
ment by the critical brotherhood.
The meritorious thing about the
novel is the fidelity with which it re-
produces first-night sensations. The
the moments of Tightening
the moments of indifference,
the unreality of the between-acts con-
versation-all these are recognizably
brought out-and not by comment.
but by arrangement, which is infinitely
more difficult. 1t will be hard for
the sensitive reader not to feel, on
putting the work down, that he has
actually been in the theater. Beyond
this. however, the work is not re-
markable.
HOT JAZZ. BY Hughes Panassie. New
York: Witmark g. Sons.
THIS work is a neatly compiled
handbook of modern Swing mu-
sic," and you know what that means.
The author takes jazz very much for
granted as part of our scene, and
concerns himself hardly at all with
evaluaring or criticizing. Instead, he
goes into the merits of players whom
he considers important contributors
to Swing" lists outstanding compo-
sitions and offers an imposing list of
records. In short, he at
tempts to present a survey of the con-
temporary status of hot jazz-whether
it be canned, living or written. He
seems to have covered his field. More
than that the reviewer cannot say.
ROBESPIERRE. BY G. J. Renter. New
York: D. Appleton Century Co.
THIS volume surely will have to be
added to the library of those col
lectors who specialize in works on the
French Revolution. It is not an espe-
cially significant thing, but it expresses
q point Of view on Robespierre based
on new evidence" unearthed by ire
cent scholarship" which deserves to
be heard. Set down without bias, 1T
will commend itself to readers who
are pleased by separation Of the hu-
man factor in history from the bare
historical event.
It is an attempt to evaluate Robes
pierre as q man and to reconcile the
irreconcilable difference
between his personality and his be-
havior. According to the author.
in all his bloody machina-
lions was attempting, without any
personal satisfaction in the attempt,
10 prove the absolute, to decree q
state of virtue among his fellows and