Evening star., 1944-08-13
The Neu Books
Pioneers! O Pioneers!

.
BY Noel F. Busch. fHouohton-
Mi61in.)
Whatever else it is, this is a
writer's war. 1t has not only been
more extensively covered than any
other war in human history, it has
also afforded an unequaled oppor-
tunity to writer's to editorialize and
talk about themselves. Copy has
never been SO sprightly, SO whimsi-
cal, so ornamented with auctorial
charm. It emerges as a war with
a high stylistic rating. beyond a
doubt. Where the Greeks had only
one Homer, the United Nations have
uncounted scores Of penmen. all
dedicated, seemingly, to the propo-
sition that the best possible school
Of writing is the gossip column.
These two books exemplify what
the reviewer means. The first Is
by a British author who describes
himself as a government PAM
phleteer." He has produced a num-
ber of works under the auspices
Of the British Ministry Of War In
formation, including Combined Op-
erations," the account of the Dieppe
raid which came out last year In
his present volume, he reports six
weeks tour of the United States and
Canada, made at the ministry's re-
quest. The second is by the senior
editor of Life. 1t reports a swing
around the circle from New York
to Buenos Aires, to Cape Town to
Cairo, to London, to Dublin and
back to New York again. Both are
simply sparkling little things.
Mr.. Saunders presumably was to
tell the English people how Amer
lea was doing He gives us a fair
mark. We do build plane and ship
factories very fast, he says. Our
taxi drivers are true democrats. Our
farmers are good, honest folk Our
country is large and full of fas-
cinating objects Our climate is
varied. We have good food. In one
'of our chief cities, Chicago, there
used to be gang wars. 1t is regret
table that we harbor race prejudice,
but, unfortunately. we do-the Eng
lish. however, must not instruct us
wide India on the point. but leave
us to work it out for ourselves. We
are not enthusiastic about the war
as yet, but that. says Mr. Saunders.
is not mentioned in order to dis
parage" us. Give us time, we'll do
better. And so on Thousands of
miles were travelled, priorities in
transport made, paper expended
and dollars spent. And here is the
report. For your information.
Mr.. Busch, in Argentina, made
notes on such items as that Ar
gentinians use lots of hair grease
and, when sick, like to receive in
bed. In South Africa, he wrote,
"profiles" of Marshal Smuts and
native witch doctor. The marshal
got 20 pages, the witch doctor II.
While he was there. warship was
delegated to carry him around the
Cape of Good Hope In Egypt, he
wrote of how he lost his watch. In
Ireland, he wrote about a barkeeper.
Prof1les of 1hn Saud. Air Marshal
Tedder and Anthony Eden round
out the book Hundreds of thou
sands of miles. this time. and more
paper. For your information.
The reviewer is getting sour She
thinks that when television de-
velops. and the correspondents can
look on at the fighting without NOV
ing out of the city room, it is going
to take lot Of glamour out Of war.
The Bureoucrot
By John H. Crider. fLippin-
cott.J
This is another story of the
growth of bureaucracy in our Gov
ernment. One might say that it is.
at times. repetitious and confusing,
but after all, what would it be?
1t is story of repetition and con-
fusion. 1t is the story of the trees
concealing the woods, and it is too
much to expect man TO use it as
a demonstration of clarity On the
essential point. certainly, Mr.. Crider
is clear enough, and that is as to
the implications of this Federal en-
croachment on private life.
Naming it the "Hegelian philos-
ophy.' he says that its great end is
to increase the power and freedom
of governments at the expense of
the individual. Yet" he continues.
individuals have learned to live
together in peace while superstates
have not. The outstanding char
acteristic of the Hegelian state is
its warlike economy. 1t can always
overcome unemployment problems
by building a war economy. =
1t is the ultimate development be-
Iyond boondoggling when govern
ments take from the people the
full responsibility for maintaining
employment. Yet the actions of the
Hegelian-minded planners are al
ways announced in glowing terms as
for the best interest of the indi-
vidual. The highly efficient propa-
l