Evening star., 1937-09-11

al, 1t is written out OF impressiv,
technical knowledge of scientifi,
subject, it contains some excitin,
episodes-and that is all. So Ion,
a review of it would not be deemed
necessary here, were 1t not that i
has had very strenuous build-uI
and that Mr.. Cronin is regarded il
some critical quarters as new mes
Siah. The reviewer can see nothing
IN him but a sort of British combi-
nation of Lloyd Douglas with that
ornament to American letters, oul
one and only Sinclair Lewis. Read
ers are asked TO make of this state
ment exactly what they please. Both
Mr. Douglas and Mr.. Lewis, it will
be remembered, have splendidly profit
able best-sellers to their credit-that
Is, OF course, if credit it be.
BRYNHILD. OR THE SHOW OF
THINGS. BY H. G. Wells. New
York: Charles Scribner's Sons.
WELL, there is no use beating about
the bush. H G. Wells has
written another book. The truth will
out. and so reviewer may as well
yield to the inevitable One would
ike, OF course, TO make some an
nouncement that had newsier quail
ity-for example, something like this
ii. q. Wells has written his last book.
But the drawback is that he prob
ably hasn't. And even if he said
that he had, could one rely on his
promise? There are actors, one re-
members, who have been making
farewell tours for 80 years. So there
seems to be nothing TO do here but
admit the fact, such as it is. H. G..
Wells has written another book.
And what kind of book? The CUES
ton may well be asked. when one
recalls that for some time the pub
fishers of Mr.. Wells opera have been
assuring the public that each sue
ceSslve volume represented a return"
TO Mr.. Wells earlier manner" be-
ing, apparently, nervously aware that
MS later manner was getting somno-
lent. to put it gently and be as nice
about it as possible. Is this the long
promised return? 1t would seem to
be an attempt at it. at least.
1t is a novel and no Martians enter
INTO the groups which drink cock
tails before the fireplace of the great
country house before going in to
dinner, nor can Cosmos be listed
among the characters. 1t really is a
novel of people. 1t is set in the pres
ent, and is mild but entertaining
SATIRE on the methods used by literary
men to build up regulations. Well.
Mr.. II. G. Wells should know.
The story here tells how Mr.. Row
land Palace, a bright young man of
Enehsh letters, decided that it was
time Tor him TO emerge into his Second
Pnase. His First Phase has been
lronic and Detached. His Second is
10 De Deoonair. He lays the plans for
TINS noreseing with the aid of pub
ncity agent and finds himself hiphlv
Pleased with the part for which he is
10 be cast. In his wife's calm under
standing eyes, however. he thinks he
olseerns something not altogether
peasant. So he undertakes his De-
Velopment without drawing her too
closely into his confidence.
ms has its repercussions Mrs
Falaee, aware that her presence is
embarrassing to her lord, not unnatu-
rally hnds companionship elsewhere
enleny In the company of vounp
rival novelist who aims at realism
She, 100, undertakes TO ''Develon and
the upshot of her undertaking is that
sne decides to raise family In this
she succeeds; but when she an
nounces to her husband that she is
expecting child he is at first more
surprised than anything else The
consequences of wifely DEVELOPMENT
IN collaboration with young realist
apparently do not reach his mind
1t is all very smoothly done light
and entertaining 1t has not the old
lorceful humor of the early Wells,
10 De sure; 1t is a small novel 10 have
come from his pen. But it is pleas
ant and not exactly somnolent. The
reviewer found it hard to repress a
nervous fear that Cosmos would turn
up in the next paragraph, and this.
OF course, marred her enjoyment TO
some extent. Readers who have as
surance that the planetary spaces
nave been omitted, however, NAV read
Brynhild" with real, though unex-
citing pleasure.
WHEN CHINA UNITES. BY Harry
Cannes. New York: Alfred A
Knopf
HIS work is Subtitled AN Interpre-
tive History of the Chinese Revo-
luton" Books on China certainly
carry more than ordinary interest to-
day, and so any new one about to be
introduced TO the public deserves some
description. The present one seems to
be conscientious attempt to outline
the course which China has taken since
the fall OF the Manchus, with attention
TO the motivation provided by in
Vulnerable factions and secret societies
and also by the interference Of foreign
governments.
obviously, so vast subject can
hardly be handled in single volume
unless some selectivity is used by the
author TO provide point of view. In
the present case such selectivity has
been allowed, and Mr.. Cannes view
point is that Of the spectator who sees,
in Chinas troubled course, the activ-
tiles of the Communist party as the
saving element. The result is that this
! history resolves itself into the story of
the emergence of Chinese Communism
| from the welter of parties. societies,
armies and would-be leaders with
which China has been plagued since
the collapse Of her imperial govern
ment. Communism, as Mr.. Cannes
sees it, is the only force which can
unite the Chinese into a nation COM
petent TO face its despoilers. This is
the case, he says, because Communism
embodies the will of the Chinese
people
The story is immensely compli-
Gated. however, even with this SIM
plifying central theme Through a
confusing mass of intrigue and coun-