The daily monitor leader. [volume] (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1942-19??, 1942-05-08
High|ights from
the Latest Books

Most of us know all we care
to about the evils Of Naziism--
the beatings of inferior peo-
pies" by Fuehrer-chosen repre-
sentatives of the master race"
horrors of the concentration
camp, and the complete disre-
gard for what all persons above
the level Of an insane headhunt-
er considered the civilized way
of life.
Most Of us, however, know
too little about the sores on So
ciety from which tester such re-
versals to barbarism. Two Wor-
thy books which explain this un-
pleasant phenomenon are Franz
Neuman' "Behemoth' (Oxford:
S4), and THE Roots of National
Socialism" (Dutton: So, by Ro-
han DO. Butler.
Neumann quotes largely from
Nazi sources to prove his points,
and they are sharp and not very
pretty. After a complete review
of Brown Shirt theory and prac-
tice of housekeeping govern
ment, business, labor, agricul-
ture, youth, religion and fun,
if any, along the torturous route
of totalitarianism Neumann
pounds down his worst indict-
ment; the fact that the whole
helliSh system Is based on fear
and terror. And the Goerings
and Himmlers don't seek to con-
ceal that they find the whip and
the blackjack better for their
purpose than reason, justice and
love.
D. Butler, a well-known student
of German history and philoso-
ply, gives the triumph Of Prus-
sianism over the gentle German
liberalism, art and culture the
discredit for spawning Hitler
ism. Speakers for Prussianism,
or the master race" theory,
however, were not so much the
kings and field marshals and
Junkcrs.
The idea of eXaltation OF
leader as sole spokesman for
and boss Of an entire race is
traced back to Nietzsche. van
den Bruck and Hegel. Rosen-
berg and Streicher swiped their
groteSque racial theories from
Spengler, Duhring, Wagner and
others, while the Prussian ira
dition Of might makes right"
has been too familiar to Ger
many's neighbors for centuries.
Mix a bit Of excitement,
spirit of adventure, plentiful
supply Of anecdotes, and yarns
about famous personalities, and
you have George Palmer Put
MANS autobiography, wide
Margins" (Harcourt. Brace: So.
Putnam is best known as a
publisher, but he has also been
a country weekly editor, mayor
Of Bend, Ore, reporter, explor-
er, and first class practical jok-
or. His jokes, incidentally, per-
petrated with the help Of such
famed abetors as Rockwell
Kent, are masterpieces involv-
ing elaborate preparation and
careful execution.
Such well-known figures as
Charles A. Lindbergh, Alexan-
der Woollcott, p a d erewski,
Lowell Thomas, Billy Mitchell,
and Haywood Broun parade
through wide Margins" but
Putnam shows special prefer
ence for globe girdlers like
Auguste Picard, Admiral Byrd.
William Beebe, and Roy Chap
man Andrews.
Ranking among the best of
his chapters is "Hero's Husband
chronicling his life with Amelia
Earhart.
"A. f. and I shared a lively
enthusiasm for living" writes
Putnam. New experiences, adj
ventures actual and of the spirit,
lured us. Because a thing had
not been done before was apt
to seem a good reason to try TO
do 1t For these, and other
reasons, we had a very good
time together during the years
that commenced in 1923 and
ended with the tragic world
flight of 1897. The last seven
of those 10 years | was a hero's
husband, a role that could be
difficult, | suppose, unless leav-
ened with a large measure Of
mutual understanding and con-
siderable humor."