The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-07-10

A civilian population with more money to spend and less to spend it on than ever before, and pop ulation with sons overseas or al- ready fallen in battle provides the Sharpsters with the chance of a dishonest lifetime. The authors present a roundup of these vul- lures, and the printed exposure of these bamboozling schemes ought to nail them to board and rem der them harmless.
 Here are some of the more lucra- tive rackets which have been prac- ticed on an unsuSpecting public: Stranger approaches mother of de- ceased serviceman, claims to rep resent the War Department and presents bill for burial charges; stranger claims mothers sailor son has smashed ships compass -S75 will pay the damage and save him from courtmartiai.
 The photography racket. Service man has photo taken, usually is h-presSured into having much more expensive mounting and tint ing job done, and then tthe con- pany, which holds the negative, whites the mans friends (nameS and addresses have been pried from him) and relatives, saying that they have been directed to mail them a photo-C.OD. at fancy price.
 More widely publicized through newspapers, but presented here in detail are the stories of various characters who through psychologi- cal compulsion, greed, or both have ;mpersonated officers and have cashed in on coin and glory. Highly informative and commendable book.
 WHICH DOGTAG?
 The theme of a soldier with am- nesia is a natural fiction byproduct of any war; worn as it is, the sub ject retains a certain fascination, and Robert Newman gives it in teresting treatment in his short novel identity Unknown" (Ziff- Davis: SD.
 When the American soldier awoke in the beach hospital near Anzio, he discovered that he knew just that much-hiS status, his whereabouts. His name could be any one of four appearing on dogtags found in a bomb-wrecked farm house. So he took the name of Johnny March, and on arrival back in the States, jumped hospital train and began the search. One by one he eliminated the names as he visited the widely scattered homes of the GIs, one Of whose addresses might be his.
 Johnny March finds tragedy in broken hearted small boy, and he finds love. He finds grlevlng parents on a farm in Iowa, crime and nobility in Chicago-and even- tually he finds himself.
 BAY MILD" by Louis Kint- ziger Bruce: S3), is first novel which will interest most of those who are familiar with Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The author. who knows by heart the lakes and has a thorough knowledge of the fishing trade to draw on, tells the story of Bay Mild, son Of an out cast father and stepson of Neida, the half-breed. Bay, a fisherman who loves boats and the water. but hates the more grimly realistic aspects of his occupation, loves Ruth, the girl whom he is to lose to a rascally rival.
 Bays projectal education at Ann Arbor never gets under way He is called back by the news his father has died violent death; Neida is accused of complicity, but there isn't sufficient evidence to make an arrest. Trouble does not end there for Bay: nets are surrepti< tiously slashed-an arch crime in any fishing community. Villainy eventually is crushed. the love theme Is satisfactorily resolved, and half savage Neida finds salvation in re- ligion.
 BOOK NEWS
 FROM the essay "The Readers Dilemma" in Arthur KOestler's new book, "The YogI and the Com- nissan" just published by Mac milan: "Never force yourself to read a book-it is wasted effort That book is right for you which need just the amount of concen. tration on your part to make you 1 turn the radio of. Read fiction only