Evening star., 1938-02-20

see every one who has opposed him as
motivated by selfish or party aims. It
is refreshingly simple picture, but,
alas. one so seldom met with in actual
life!
Still, q reader who wishes to IA
miliarize himself with the outline of
M. Blum's career. the steps by which
he rose to his recent eminence, can find
the desired information in this book
The facts are there. The interpreta-
tions can be left to individual readers
HEALTH INSURANCE. BY Louis S.
Reed. New York: Harper g. Bros.
EOR better .or worse, a great deal
will be heard about health insur-
ance in the next few years. That it
is subject Of intense public interest
Is evident from the discussions which
one hears almost everywhere one goes
in Washington since the Home Own
ers' Loan Corp. health clinic was es-
tablished In the face of strenuous
opposition from the local medical
society.
The medical profession has power
full arguments against any form of
health insurance, or socialized medi-
cine, which in any way interferes
with the freedom of the individual to
choose his or her own doctor. These
arguments are more than logical.
They are supported by q wealth OF
historical facts. 1t has often seemed
that the objections to any form Of
socialism are doubly potent in the
field of medicine, where so much de-
pends on the initiative, interest and
ambition of the Individual.
But there Is, most assuredly, an
other side to the question. It cannot
be denied that the medical care given
the American people, by and large, is
hardly adequate. Nor can it be de-
MED that sickness, under the present
system, offers an almost unconquer-
able financial handicap to the aver
age family.
Mr.. Reed, Washingtonian, pre-.
sents the other side of the picture.
One can hardly fail to observe that
advocates of socialized medicine often
talk nonsense simply because they
have not taken the trouble to acquain.
themselves with the facts in the pos
session Of the medical profession.
1t is equally true that doctors
themselves sometimes talk nonsense
It wouldn't hurt any Of them to read
this book. It never hurts any of III
to know the other side. IT. r. H.
PROMETHEUs AND THE BoLsHE-
V1kS. By John Lehman. New
York: Alfred A. Knopf.
"pROMETHEUs AND THE BOL-
SHEVIKS" is described on the
jacket blurb as . travel book on So
Wet Georgia.
This Is somewhat misleading. It is
true that Mr.. Lehman starts his book
with the starting Of . train at Mos
COW which takes us to Tiflis. It is true
that we visit with him various parts
Of Transcaucasia.
The book Is more of q hymn OF
praise for Soviet accomplishment,
however, than it is pure travel book.
The writer Is obviously attracted by
the Bolshevik theology and Is much
impressed with the wide cultural ad-
vantages which the Soviet regime may
offer the masses.
He Is particularly impressed by
what he sees Of life In Tihis under
Moscow's rule. Two or three theaters
have recently been started there, and
dramatic productions have been en-
couraged
An attractive picture Is painted for
US In the Fiery and handsome Geor-
gians." We are shown the uninhib-
tied citizens of Tifik stopping to per-
form national dances In the street or
suddenly rising In the cafes to recite
poetry.
The author bemoans the sterile re-
straints which bind the citizens of
some other countries and unhesitat-
ingly holds out hope to all the world
Of becoming sovietized and the promise
of culture for the masses everywhere.
It Is hard to visualize an American
or an Englishman, of any class, stop
ping to execute pas seul" in the
middle Of the street or rising to de-
claim his latest poem in public, even
II he were living In Socialist state.
The descriptions Of the country are
Photographic In their completeness.
There Is nothing Of suggestion In
Mr.. lehmann1 method. He does not
MAKE u teel - II ~ would like to