Evening star., 1937-06-19

Lucid and Detached Book by Native of Asace Contributes
Understanding of Dictator's Place in World.
Americas Dream Theme of Fine Novel.

second bnought, one may perhaps
question the newness Of this glorifica-
tion. Genghis Kahn, one seems to
have read, conquered by virtue OF 4
wise use OF the masses 30 have other
somewhat rugged individuals In times
past. 1t may be no new phenomenon
after all. 1t Is as old, At least, ~
democracy.
As has been said, the book h lucid
and thorough and. in spirit at least.
detached. If the facts which the au-
thor presents lead US to suspect that
he himself Is not As detached ~ his
work, that u beside the point. A
highly interesting appendix to the
volume contains the National Socialist
program, the Horst Vessel song, the
law for the reorganization OF the
Reich dts 1irst article Is ''The assem.
blies OF the states are hereby abol-
ished'), the laws on citisenship and
race, the IS theses Of the German
religion, the Pope's encyclical on the
condition Of the church in Germany
and many other pertinent documents.
AMERICAN DREAM. BY Michael
Foster, New York: William Nor
row " Co.
THIS is = novel Of individual ex-
cellences. but built along . some
what conventional pattern. The pat
tern is that one which has attracted
10 many writer's in recent years-the
design of showing, through the sue.
cessive generations Of = single family,
the development Of America from It's
pioneering days to the present. The
popularity Of this scheme for novel
writing has called forth a great many
mediocre books; reviewers have been
forced to the conclusion at times that
any plain or garden variety novelist
who had no compelling inspiration
for the season could f1ll up his quota
OF words to his publishers and the
public's perfect satisfaction simply
by sitting down and whacking out 4
work about an American family, pro-
vided only that the work was sum-
GENTLY thick and solemn. 1t would
subsequently be offered for sale as q
saga" or an epic OF national
growth, and people would be respect-
full, partly because Of the memories
invoked Of Mr.. Galsworthy and part
ly because thick novels had become
the fashion. But not overmany Of
these fortuitous children Of the mo-
meEt are going to be remembered; !;
that at least Is reasonably certain.
Mr.. Foster, however, has done 4
very different kind Of job here. As
was said above. his book il one Of
individual excellence. 1t rises above
the mere fashionableness Of its out
line perilously near to greatness: in
only few places do the free move
ments Of its characters seem to have
been regimented to provide illustra-
tions OF historical change. Yet that
Mr.. Foster has been primarily pre-
occupied with historical change is
unmistakable. Hi: title alone an
nounces that He has set himself to
trace the fleeing away OF the yourg
dream OF America, from its early
strength and purity in the lives OF
the first colonists down to the pres
ent, when, rs he says, 1t is lost in
corruption: befouled by the hands OF
grabbers and peddled by the shoutera
through noisy streets and dirty marble
corridors, and lost. = ="
This obviously is more than a trac-
ing OF our national growth, which is
physical thing. 1t is vastly more
significant, and, significantly, it i:
done here not through the lives of
members Of 4 family of wealth bu.
through one of those uneminent
American families whose concern has
never been with wealth but always
with honor, true culture and per-
sonal integrity. Unlike 80 many works
built along the family pattern, this
novel has no rise to riches in the
S0s and 90s; its characters include
no steel magnate, no cattle baron,
no giant Of finance. They are, in
stead. congenital adventurers in the
fields OF the human mind and spirit.
They ride in shining armor in those
lists-and they just about pay their
bills In the market place. They are
typical OF more Of America than il
known to the current generation Of
energetic interpreters Of this land,
for, like Chestertons English peo-
pie, they do not clstomarily TAX
about themselves.
The work begins with the Joining bv
marriage IN the 1850s Of two traditions
the Puritan Yankee with the immi.
grant 1rishman. The Irishman in
question Is Jean Francis Thrall a sea
captain who has adventured, not too
nicely, In the China trade and by his
activities in opium selling has incurred
the displeasure OF Great Britain to
such a degree that he finds it neces-
sary to sail for America suddenly. and
IN disguise. Jean Francis marrjes the
Puritan maiden, finds Boston too gen.
teel for endurance and runs away, 60
ing to sea once more, going to India
and the South Sea Islands. He leaves
two children behind him; to his sur
prise he is joined in his flight by a
feminine rebel against that same gen
tility which he so dislikes, a Yankee
poetess. She leaves him At 4 South
American port and enters an AndeAn
convent to bear her child there. Jean
Francis then has word sent to his wife
that he is dead, goes of to the islands
conquers one which pleases him, Is
made King, marries harem Of nativ.
wives and lives to see himself father OF
IA half breed sons.
Jean Francis is acutely aware of the
american dream" He is curious abou,
1t. His poetess tells him, in answer tc
his question as to what 1t Is, that he l.
Its personification. This surprises him
He Is fortnight fellow, the create,
part Of whose vocabulary ia, one
gathers. picturesquely unprintable
That he should be = dream Is some.
what far removed from his calcula.
tions. But he Is, in Mr.. Fosters work
that personification.
The book then follows the life of tn.
son Of the Yankee wife, John Thrall
He is one Of the very fine portrait.