The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-02-17

4AOA4U WO11O d1tC1 I111O and mysterious country of rags al whole. indicates Post Wheeler, it wi now stands, Mother India has no o1 groups that go to make up the vast
 With Hindus, Moselems, Sikhs, the Congress Party, the Untouchables and the Maharajas being so far apart that they can't see each other for lifted noses, Wheeler, in his Tn dia Against the Storm" Dutton: $3.50), is skeptical of any immed- fate postwar independency, despite progress made in that direction since the war
 Wheeler, probably one of the best of the worlds best authori- ities on India, doesn't take sides; he praises and damns the British rule, and does the same for Chan di. He decries the caste system that has shackled that nation and at the same time praises the rule of few potentates who have spent their fabulous millions for the betterment of their people.
 Particularly i teres ting is Wheeler's tracing of the evolu- tion of India's myriad races and religions. From h Dravidians and Tartars of ancient times to the invading French and British, India's history has been bloody. It is folly to suppose that with such a background of plunderbund, the country can expect to solidify itself and become nation among the leaders of the world with the same internal strife prevalent that rent it asunder time and again down through the years.
 
 RINGS THE BELL
 YOU hope that there aren't any generals in the Army such as the general Marvin John Hersey de- scribes in his "A Bell for Adano" (Knopf: $2.50). And you hope that there are many more majors like Victor Joppolo.
 Hersey'S book is a rather blus- tery one on the invasion of Italy, full of rough and tough action and language. But it's usually human, and written by a young man who knows his Italian inva- sion through actual experience.
 Major Joppolo moved into the town of Adano with the Army of Occupation after the initial in- vasion of Italy. Humanly he set to work to solve the problems of be- wildered people who had suffered greatly at the hands of the Germans and who were inclined to view all military machines with suspicion.
 How he won the respect and downright admiration of all, from priest to pauper, is swell human interest yarn, and how he finally was broken by pompous general who ignored human feelings is a reflection on our frail ties. It's darn ed good fictional reading.
 FALL in Twilight" by Allen Roy Evans Doubleday, Doran: $2.50) is different sort of novel. It deals with the early days of settling the vast wheat fields of mid-western Canada, and two characters, Burl and Emma Either.
 Evans, clever writer, builds vivid characterizations u II d these two-Emma, the former school teacher who left the comfort of her youth to brave the blistering sun and frigid blizzards to marry a man she never quite knew; Burl, the horny-handed son of the soil who worked like horse to become suc- cessful farmer so that he could as- sure bright future for his wife and two Sons-and who never realized he was losing his family's affection while he buried his nose figuratively in the soil.
 It's a true-to-life novel, again extolling woman's sacrifice for her man and family, and pointing out mans acceptance of a woman'S love as commonplace thing.
 A PLEASANTLY crazy detective, nice people who commit murder, and rare manuscript which is stolen combine to make entertainment in Murder Makes Villain" by Denis Scott (Bobbs- Merrill: $2). Mike James, the detective, supplies laughs as well as ingenuity in solving the crime. James is called in to dis cover what became of a stolen manuscript insured for $200. coo. While he is in a tree watching Sylvia Kent, suspected of a hand in this bit of villainy, she is mur- dered, and from then on Mike is busy collecting clews and drinking judiciously.
 LONG MAY THEY WAVE
 A SWELL little handbook for WAVES and STARS is Guide Right" by Lieut.. Mary Virginia Harris, U. s. N. R. Macmillan: $1J
 Lieutenant Harris, one of the first of the WAVES, is now in- struction officer at the U. 8. Naval Training School for the women's reserve, and tells the gals just what they should know and do from he time they enter the service right through. to the end.
 You learn how to enter an ele- vator; answer wedding invita- lions; salute in an automobile: keep 3 foot locker; care for c uni form; tie a tie: conduct yourself at mess, and a million other things girl entering these services should