Evening star., 1937-11-28
LOCAL REPORTERS TELL ALL
Correspondents Have More Editorial Freedom Than They AS
sume Says Mr. Rosen-Three Wesernized Oentals Write
Books Contrasting East and West.

a bellboy, houSeboy and the like; 1t
treats of the various friends whom he
made in New York. both among his
compatriots and natives. 1t draws the
moral that the Oriental must have
hardihood If he is to master the
Western way of life, but points out
that, in the authors opinion at least,
no other way Of life lies open: Mr..
kang sees China as doomed and he
would rather throw his lot in with
America than with Japan. His book
is consistently entertaining and the
only criticism which occurs to the re-
viewer is that, as she read 1t, she felt,
from time to time, that the author was
shaping his words to his public, to
what he considers the American taste.
AS our own most esteemed literary
artists do this regularly, however, it
seems beside the point to dwell on 1t.
Retreat OF The West is neither an
Interpretation of the Oriental mind nor
a life story. 1t is. instead, history of
the invasion Of the East by the Western
powers and an account Of what the
author conceives to be the retreat of
those powers before the rising tide Of
Oriental strength. Partly because it
has only timely application the re-
viewer has placed it last in her list.
But another reason for so placing 1t
is that it seemed to combine accurate
historical reporting with curiously ir-
relevant interpretations. 1t is history
slanted. in other words, and in the
great course and sweep of events there
Is not so neat q case to be found Yet
those OF us who have forgotten that
Orientals penetrated Europe from the
East as far as Hungary and from the
South to the frontiers of France may
refresh our memories from DR.. Parks
pages.
He states in conclusion that the day
OF the exploitation Of the East by the
West is at an end. He adds that If the
oriental peoples stood together they
would be an invincible power, but that
they are hopelessly divided and that it
is impossible at present to visualize
them uniting.
The book can be recommended for
its historical information. The con-
clusion drawn from this information
is left to readers own opinions.
ISLAND OF BALI. BY Miguel Covar-
rubias. With an Album of Photo
graphs by Rose Covarrubias. New
York: Alfred A. Knopf.
WHEN all the tired little souls began
talking, few years ago. about
BAH (Taos and Waikiki having pretty
well gone the way of Greenwich VIII
! lage) the reviewer decided that it was
one lsla.-d which she would not visit
And she needed practically no forti-
tude to reach the decision; it came
| TO her naturally. Earthly Nirvanas
are fine until they are recognized as
such. Soul WEAKNESS is not contempti-
bic until it becomes a profession. But
there is point at which common
unimaginative industry is the more
interesting attitude
The reviewer was not pleased. there
| tore. at getting this present book. And
on seeing the authors name she Won
dered how it was that a fine artist
mad fallen into such decadent ways.
She soon found the answer. Mr..
Covarrubias visited Bali before it be-
came a haven for Escapers. He went
| there In 1881 and. though he found
that even then the more accessible
parts OF the island were becoming
| ridden with tourists, there were also
sections where the natives lived an
undisturbed life. He settled in such
a village and, with the help of
fellow artist and long time resident
OF the place, Walter Spies. began a
study OF the people their arts. beliefs
and customs.s In 1888 he returned
again to continue his work. He found
that the tourist rush was in full
swing by then. and that island, as
ne had known it, was already no more.
such was the effect of the Escapers!
This book is painstaking, detailed
report on the life and life-founda-
tions of one small community of the
islanders. Mr.. Covarrubias warns his
readers that what he says of this
community would not apply to all the
Balinese; each group, he writes, has
Its own observances. In as far as
they live extremely formalized lives,
they are primitive people; that is,
they have the primitive belief in a
close relationship between human con-
duct and the activities Of the gods;
in the interest of divine Precipitation.
therefore, their entire existence has
become ceremonial, prescribed by
ancient but still living custom. 1t is
Of these rituals that this book treats.
The Balinese seem to have attracted
such widespread attention because, in
addition to having delightful island
for home, they have achieved great
heights in the arts. In the drama,
the opera, the dance, the orchestral
performance, in textiles, paintings and
architecture they have worked out
forms Of rare beauty and significance.
The book Is also Mr. Covarrubias'
report of these manifestations
He has felt great enthusiasm for
the multitudinous expressions OF the
artistic feeling which combine to make
the Balinese concept of life, but his
book is strictly factual. Indeed, it is
even written dryly, in brief reportial
style. In some sections 1t is hardly
more than q series Of notes. However,
the author has abundantly amplified
his writing with sketches; his pages
abound In vivid drawings. Yet 1t
should be said that these, too. have q
severely demonstrative nature; they
are not the artists interpretation"
Of Balinese ways; they are his effort
to report those ways. They range in
subject from details Of ancient temple
carvings to studies Of typical native
dress.
The book is sincere and extremely
informative. For those who want de-
pendable account Of this last island
paradise" before it becomes another
memory, the work Is highly recon-
mended.
THE TROJAN HORSE. BY Christie
pher Morley. Philadelphia: J. B.
Lippincott Co.