Evening star., 1937-05-08
SPAIN CALLED 'INVERTEBRATE''
National Action Only Healthy State Condition, Philosopher
Says in Book Current Civil War-Ha1nsun Calls
"The Ring Is Closed" His Best Work.

times, by many authors. One under
stands, Of course, that the "shatter-
ing" quality of M. Gide's little book
lies, not in the fact that he has
brought any new thing out Of Russia,
but instead in the unique circum-
stance that he, as Communist, has
dared to report adversely on certain
aspects Of the great Communist state.
Heretofore, Of course, such unkind
criticisms have come only from those
who were either opposed to COM
munism or went to Russia without
convictions ON any side, the ardent
adherents OF the new political faith
having been unanimously unable to
discover anything that was unworthy
the highest praise In their Utopia,
Consequently M. Glide is, In a way,
something of an innovator. But not
in the quality Of his news.
He found, in brief, that Russia had
done some admirable things for the
improvement Of conditions among the
common people-it has made camps
for children, culture parks" clubs,
hospitals, vacation resorts and the
like available to the great many who
formerly did not dream OF such
ameliorations to their living. And it
has given the body of the population
hope, another commodity which for
merly they were compelled to do with
out. But it has stifled individual
liberty and killed freedom OF thought.
| TrhOCo uho on jov ife vooAori,1 h..as4-
do so at the price OF their spiritual
and mental liberty. Or thus, at least
he writes.
Il doubt" he says, whether in any
other country IN the world, even
Hitler's Germany. thought be less
free, more bowed down, more fearful
(terrorized, more vassau1ed."
He does not report, however that
the Russians suffer from this condi-
tion, or that they are even aware Of
it. They are happy, he says, with a
happiness that is made up "of hope,
confidence and ignorance. Nor does
he say that ignorance is the greatest
OF these virtues. It is simply the
safeguard. BY it. he says, the Russian
is persuaded that he is better of than
people in other countries. Believing
this, he Is grateful and loyal to his
own Land. But naturally!
1t sounds like reasonable system,
and one wonders why it gives M. Glide
such pain, for he laments over it
with unmistakably sincere grief. But
there it IS. He is too truthful to
deny it. All he can offer is that it
may lead to new "revulsion," one
which will run the risk of becoming
as brutal as that which put an end
to the N. E. p" But why, one Won
ders, should it do that? If the people
are happy as they are, why should
they revolt? His reasoning on this
and other points Is more than a little
theoretical.
WASHINGTON CALLING! BY Mar
quis w. Childs. New York: Will
liam Morrow & Co.
Mr. oH1LDs is Washington Cor
respondent for a Midwestern
newspaper. Year before last, he
wrote book about Sweden, and the
manner in which the consumers CO.
operatives Of that land hold capital
| ism In restraint. It was q highly
lucid piece Of work and was non
fiction best seller for months. The
title was Sweden: The Middle Way"
Last year Mr.. Childs turned his
talents to magazine writing and pro-
duced quite different manner OF
work, although one no less competent.
He contributed articles on the New
Deal to Harpers' Magazine. and one
Of these ct WAS called They Hate
Roosevelt!'D followed in the tracks
of his book in becoming an item Of
popular reading That was made
possible through the reprinting Of
the piece in pamphlet form, Of which
| 100000 copies were distributed, we
are told, and Of these no less than
100000 by the Democratic National
Committee.
The article itself was the kind Of
| thing people like to read, and it Is
for that reason that the reviewer has
called 1t competent piece Of writing.
1t did not trouble any ones intelli-
gence with dry facts, but was frankly
set in the realm Of fancy. Like those
advertising copy writer's who are in
terested in selling SOAP Mr.. Childs
used the device OF the imaginary con-
versation. He took his readers to the
opulent dens OF the very, very rich,
and there allowed them to listen to
the manner In which the very, very
rich abuse the President In their
conversations. He was engagingly
open about the wholly imaginary
nature of these eavesdroppings, but
that troubled no one. He sold, as the
figures in the paragraph above will
show, quite a respectable lot Of soap,
and so his piece must certainly be
called competent.
Now this versatile writer has pro-
duced a novel. It, too, Is competent.
It purports to deal with Washington
in New Deal days, and it has all the
properties. It has some wicked capi-
talists who are lobbying - worse,
bribing!-to bring about the appoint
ment Of a Federal Judge who will be
their puppet. It has corrupt lawyer
who favors their nefarious design.
It has grand old man Of the Senate,
who kills himself f1libustering to pro-
tect the Constitution. It has
beautiful young woman whose heart
gives her bittersweet trouble. 1t has
an upright Jewish lawyer who strives
to uncover corruption In high places
1t has happy ending for the young
woman, with even some hopes held
out for the Constitution. 1t, too, Is a
competent piece Of work.
Just what it is all about need not
trouble any one. There Is absolutely
no story in it beyond the intrigue over
+! the judgeship, and that is clear in
the second chapter, after which it
merely hangs in allegiance while the
| young woman worries over her heart
and the old man over the Constitution.
But it gets to full length at last, and