Evening star., 1937-12-19

PreSS).
incl y measured swing it moves, this
mans pendulum, to be sure!
FROM JAZZ TO JEHOVAH. BY
Helen L. Kaufman. New York:
Dodd, Mead g. Co.
A MERICA has been musical since
its beginning. In fact, there are
legends existing that the citizens who
touched their feet on New England's
hard rocks for the first time sent up
lusty song even before they chopped
down the first trees for houses.
From that time on the art, in de-
veloping and growing, has followed a
diverse and interesting life course,
which all contrives to make inter-
esting reading and inclusive though
brief educational history in the nom
drag manner of Mrs. Kaufmann
Every epoch and every geographical
type featured in music growth on
this side of the world is under con-
slderation, such as plantation lyrics,
hill-billy masterpieces, staid New Eng
land psalmody and even the great
god Jazz
More engaging, perhaps is the pa
rade of our" strictly and generally
national music expression; that OF
opera, symphony and songs. The va
rious side tracks, such as the in
fiuence of the Old World and in
huence of mo funds" which did and
OF course still do lead the national
musical idiom astray, receive attention
IN manner which wakes mildly
cynical betimes.
Mrs. Kaufmanns section on Music
Whose Place Was in the Home.
Though 1t Did Not Remain There"
sounds that distorted note of the
comparatively tepid attitude of plain
folks toward music. From this part
alone readers may suffer the natural
dawning of light that music is not only
for stiff shirts and brocades but for
any ear that vii. give it a chance.
Us.
SERENADE BY James M. Cain.
New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
Mr.. Cain has written another
terse, swift-movine story, worthy
of The Postman Always Rings
Twice" There are many better nov
elists than this Marylander. but there
is not one so intensely readable. He
is our leading lone sitting" author. so
you'd better start this early in the
evening.
1t is the story of a broken down
opera singer He is in cheap Mex
lean night club when he wins a girl
from bull fighter This girl. who
knew about men and life because she
was woman of the streets, knew
this singer, Howard, was different.
They dashed off to another town,
where she hoped to open business
house-the business being the only
kind of business she knew. On the
way they were marooned in a coun-
try church several days, and their
adventures there are a strange and
fascinating interlude. At any rate,
Howard recovered his voice. Juana's
tempestuous nature had good
bit to do with it, apparently Then
they moved on to Hollywood. He be-
came, by accident, a great singing
star of the movies. The Metropolitan
called him to New York. The radio
beckoned, too, just as it does in real
life. It's all fame and fortune after
this And misery, too. Howard met
an old friend, man who brought out
in him the other side of his emo-
tional life. The natural spitfire Mex
ican girl fought for what she wanted.
Death and flight supplanted fame and
fortune
Mr.. Cain uses all the devices for
speed and simplicity. He tells the
story in the first person. His prose
is skeletonized and full of the Ian
guage of the street and the gutter
Things happen on every page It's
both natural and sophisticated. It's
fast and furious. Just try to lay it
down. EFT.
THE CHUTE. BY Albert Halper.
New York: The Viking Press.
THE Golden Rule Mail Order Co. is
the scene of this proletarian
novel. The characters are fodder for
the great. greedy chute which angrily
demands to be fed that the orders
may be sent on time. The place is
sweatshop, and there every indus
trial crime is practiced by the un-
Scrupulous, self-righteous owners.
They hire workers, sap their strength,
destroy their morale, cast them aside.
This is industry at its worst, and
Mr.. Halper knows it intimately. He
gives a minute description of the
Golden Rule Co. and comes back
again and again to repeat his indict-
ments. The yawning chute, fed by
tired, brow-beaten. underpaid work.
ers, is the obvious symbol of the sys-
tenn, and he plays upon that idea
heavily.
In showing the lives of the poor
automatons who appease the monster,
he Is not successful. The hero is 4
youth of II who hopes to escape and
become an architect His family is
too poor to send him to an archi-
tectural school. His parents small
savings are spent to meet crisis in
the life of his sister "a crisis linked
in most intimate manner with the
company. The hero's fellow workers
are as hopelessly trapped or are dis
charged for no reason. Only one, the
floor manager. manages to escape,
and that is only because he was once
a football star and knew somebody
who wanted coach. There are many
other characters, but they are used
only in so far as their lives contribute
to the picture of the diabolical System.
All this Is good exposition and ex-