Evening star., 1947-11-02


tele. 1t covers the whole course of
our national history-with glance
backward at the Revolutionary orr
gins of the Federalist Party-to the
present day. Ten dollars still makes
considerable dent in the average
pocketbook, but for this investment
the purchaser will get a dazzling
variety Of graphic material, for the
most part very handsomely repro
duced, together with a crisp run
ming commentary, both affording a
remarkably complete coverage of
our political, economic and social
history. The folio-size pages make
it possible for large and complex
pictures to be adequately repro
duced, instead Of suffering reduction
to a point where they vex the eyes
and bewilder the understanding, as
in 80 many books Of this type.
Where 50 much Is well and In
telligently done and where the re-
suit Is so attractive, one regrets all
the more keenly shortcomings which
cause "The American Past" to fall
considerably short Of the ideal. Un-
fortunately to Mr.. Butterfeld. late
national affairs editor of Life, a
picture is q picture, to be used or
rejected. and his curiosity appar-
entity ends there. ... ,,-
He gives list Of picture cred
It's" indicating the organization
from which each was obtained, but
goes no further In identifying his
pictures as to type, artist or date.
This may be Of small account with
respect to photographs-which be-
gin soon after 1910 and become
increasingly important until they
well-nigh eliminate every other type
Of Illustration save the cartoon
but it is of the greatest importance
with respect to every other type.
Lack Of Discrimination.
He fails In an amazingly naive
manner to discriminate between IL
lustrations contemporary with the
scenes they depict and based upon
actual knowledge, and much later,
often purely imaginary, reconstruc-
tions. This absence of critical dis
elimination In handling graphic evi-
dence leads to q number of unfortu-
nate consequences, as in the selec-
ton Of late and inferior pictures
rather than contemporary and au-
thentic ones, and in the juxtaposi-
ton of items Of the most various
date, style and authenticity. Mr..
Butterfield displays q singular fond
ness for the usually despised steel
engraving-which, it must be con-
ceded, reproduces 50 surprisingly
well by the process used here as to
improve upon the appearance Of the
originals! There is q section of
color plates, vastly finer than most
recent attempts in this line; they
constitute splendid reproductions Of
the cartoons Of 1880-1900, but leave
one guessing why the author did
not utilize earlier and much finer
color prints.
The text Is written with the con-
cision, glibness and malice which
characterize the Luce periodicals,
and which are the less suitable as
one recedes into the historic past.
Mr.. Butterfield finds the style of
the Federalist Somewhat stilted"-
which signifies nothing more than
his own unacquaintance with 18th
century prose and addiction to the
staccato omniscence Of Life and
Time.
In spite Of its faults, "The Ameri-
can Past" constitutes an exception
ally seductive initiation into Aneri-
can history, and for the more recent
decades 1t Is a really brilliant pres
entation and Interpretation Of the
graphic records Of our national life.