Evening star., 1939-01-08

WV A II n
Author of "A Southerner Dis,
papers hold all the realism that
the average reader is capable ol
assimilating. This book is frankly
intended as an antidote to too much
realism and as such fulfills its pur.
pose admirably. 1t is smoothly writ
ten, the characters, although rathe,
blurred in detail, are fine pegs OF
character dolls on which to hang
the plot, and the plot itself has
enough intricacy and a sufficiently
varied setting to whet the appetite
for more. If the ending Is rather
cloying, why shouldn't it be after q
more than 200-page feast of sweets1
r. r. T.
A SOUTHERNER DISCOVERS THE
SOUTH, by Jonathan Daniels
New York: The Macmillan Co
Writers who have discovered
the South in recent years have
fallen into two -classes-those who
painted the region in dark, lurid
colors, and jealous defenders who
followed them with buckets OF
whitewash. This was an occupation
widely pursued in the 20s, but mer-
cifully less popular in recent years
A major depression and political
changes and reforms of the widest
possible application and significance
have intervened. What of the South
today? Here is the answer in a
book published several months age
but still the last word on the subject
Mr.. Daniels is qualified in every
respect. He is, In the first place, q
Southerner, but an exceptionally in
telligent and objective one. He is
editor of the Raleigh News and OBJ
server. His book Is no study-spun
yarn. 1t is, rather, a f1rst-hand
picture written by the roadsides OF
nine States.
He began his journey of discovery
at Arlington. facade to the South"
He Travelled through Virginia to
Williamsburg, which lives again in
the past; through North Carolina S
strife-torn industrial areas. through
Tennessee's brand-new T. v. A.
world, through Arkansas share
cropper belt. Mississippi's dank delta
farms, Louisianas Huey Long herit-
age, Alabama's and Georgia's poor
lands and rich cities Florida's scrub
lands and South Carolina's tradi-
tions.
He went everywhere and saw
everything. He talked to hobos and
Governors, union organizers and
iron-bound industrialists, practical
politicians and dreaming planners
He encountered many versions OF
what the South needs. Some Gov
ernors thought the answer lies in
subsidizing industry and some
thought the diversified farm the So
luton. Socialized and Christianized
colonization plans had their advo-
Gates Rugged individualists are
plentiful Che met one particularly
forceful one in Birmingham.
But Mr.. Daniels sides with none
of these partisans in the South's
fight for life. He does record his
observation that the South today is
not, contrary to popular opinion
elsewhere, living in the shadow of
the Civil War. He says the war was
merely an excuse for a do-nothing
attitude regarding the old, old evils
in the years which followed it. But
OF the actual, lasting damages of
the war itself he is skeptical. He
refers often to an opinion expressed
by that adopted Southerner, David
Lilienthal, that the people of the
South need only to be given the
tools and they will work. out their
own salvation. No one can decide
for them.
"A Southerner Discovers the
South" Is by no means filled with
such solemn discussion of pressing
problems. 1t is of almost equal part
wise and witty observation. (Speak-
ing of the pride Of antiquity In Vir-
ginia and South Carolina, Mr.. Dam
iels calls North Carolina "a valley
OF humility between two mountains
OF conceit." There are many anus
ing anecdotes, colorful sidelights
and tragic and comic character
studies. With the deep economic
and social problems they give pic
ture of the South today fresh,
hopeful picture, honestly seen and
honestly painted-E. T.
THE COMING STRUGGLE FOR
LATIN AMERICA. BY Carleton
Beals. Lippincott.
The new alignment of major and
minor world powers created by the
bloodless peace of. Munich assumes
greater significance to an American
citizen when he reads the revela-
tions spread before him in the cold
plain, biting and often acid words
OF this widely known authority on
Latin America.
Author Beals, who has Travelled
the highways and byways and re-
ported wars and intrigues of South
and Central America, Mexico and
Cuba Nor 20 years, turns q glaring
spotlight on every nation Of the
South and produces statistics and
conclusions that startle the average
American.
First he takes up Japanese, then
German and italian economic pene-
tration and infiltration Of South
American countries, ranging from
seaports and national capitals far
back into the mountains, the deserts
and remote jungles. Mr.. Beals
becomes minute in his accounts Of
European salesmen selling thei,
wares He knows German drum
mers who sell cheap trinkets to the