Evening star., 1936-05-23

HOteS. Inc Bounty Oh oWeQen Ue.
scribes Yeats trip to that country after
he had received the Nobel Prize.
The volume Is rich in literary cargo
and styled with the grace and wisdom
which one might expect. One may not
always agree with Mr.. Yeats estimates
of his contemporaries. But that is
hardly point in criticism.
EUROPE UNDER THE TERROR. BY
John L. Spivak. New York: Simon
and Schuster.
MR: JOHN L. sP1vAK who, his pub
49, fishers inform us, is Americas
greatest reporter" spent six months in
Europe and found, one feels. exactly
what he intended to find. Mr.. Spivak
is communist. He found that condi-
tionS among all but the few members
of privileged classes were, in non-com-
muniSt countries, nothing short Of hor-
rible. He visited Italy, Austria, Ger
many, Poland, Czechoslovakia. He
found the sole hope of these lands was
in the communist party.
One would not call Mr. Spivak's sim
cerity into question, but one could wish
that Americas greatest reporter had
assumed less of a childish state of
mind in his readers. The error into
which he falls is a common one of
communist writers-so common that 1t
seem justifiable to mention it here
it is that, in their zeal. they never
seem to comprehend that they would
make a better case by not making
case at all. They Consequently often
offend their readers intelligence.
They lay it on too thick.
However, Mr.. Spivak's work contains
much horrifying information which
one cannot doubt. He paints Europe
as banked fire. The flames of revo-
luton burn low in the mass now, he
says. In some countries they have been
almost smothered out. But the gen.
eral condition makes for nothing ex-
cept eventual confiagration. as he sees
it. FasciSm, naZi-iSm, capitalism
these forces have so destroyed liberty
and so degraded the peasants and
workers that the intelligent feel that no
hope offers short of revolt. They turn
cause it will bring plenty. peace and
freedom. That about sums his work
up,
MEXICAN MARTYRDOM. BY Will
frid Parsons. New York: The
Macmillan Co.
THIS book. by the editor of America,
tells in sad detail the story of
the msrtyrdom of Catholics in Mexico
during the recent period of struggle
with the government. The author,
We are informed, has been collecting
his material for the last 10 years.
1t is a book of incidents and epi-
sodes. The author makes little effort
to interpret the forces which were
struggling to suppress religion. He
devoteS himself instead to describing
the manner in which priests. nuns
and populace endeavored to fulfill the
rites of their faith and to setting
down the oftentimes tragic results.
While he avoids any dramatic writ
ing, he still makes a dramatic tale
of it. The martyrdom of Father Pro,
for example, to which he devotes a
chapter, Is sheer drama. The keep
ing of a secret by $4,000 people-the
secret Of the whereabouts of the Arch
bishop Francisco Orozco Y Jimenez-
is likewise piece of enthralling read
ing. And the revolt of parents
against the unspeakable teachings
carried on in the revolutionary schools
is still another.
Various chapters cover various as
poets Of the struggle, and the ma
teria' seems to be well authenticated.
The book is saddening, but may be
recommended as curious, If not a
dominant, symptom of the times in
which we live.
LET THE KING BEWARE! BY
Honore Morrow New York: Will
liam Morrow & Co.
THIS is novel of Americans in
London in the days Immediately
preceding the outbreak of the Ameri-
can Revolution. 1t falls into the
upper brackets of the historical ro-
nance. 1t Is rich, lively reading
Franklin, Lord North, Garrick, George
III-theSe are some of the characters.
They assume proportions very human
ly. And binding them together there
is, OF course, . young Yankee hero,
IN love, by literary miracle, with a
charming lady of the court. 1t is
very pleasant, hearty and absorbing.
THE LEMON FARM. By Marion
Boyd New York; W. W. Norton
Co.
THIS is sad little story about two
young people who lived, were
scan i1lized and then lost themselves.
1t is, in sum- the somewhat well-worn
theme about pure young passion
against background of village malice.
1t deserves some credit in that the
passion is not idealized and the malice
is not made impossibly mean. 1t all
happens just about as it would. More
than that, there seems to be little to
say. The scene is English and the
time the present.
GIVE US THIS DAY. BY Louis Zara.
Indianapolis: Bobbs-M Merrill Co.
THIS book would seem to be an
essay in the realistic novel, but
it falls unhappily into sentimentalism,
and sentimentalism and realism, one
hardly needs to point out, are two
isms that do not mix we'll.
The story is that of a baker in
a Middle Western city, a man of
Breton blood, devout, moral, honest
come from long line Of bakers. He
brings the old-time spirit of personal
pride in his work to baking-he sue
ceeds for time and then, with mod
ern methods. new conditions of labor,
and SO on, he fails
The author contrives some excel
lent touches in describing the family
life of the old generation. He gets
the rich humor, the conscious in
tegrity, the sobriety all very well.