davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1951-03-25
Frank Swinnerton
Novel Has More
.Pith and Point

A FLOWER FOR CATHERINE
BY Frank Swinnerton. Double
day & Co.; $3.)
Mr.. Swinnerton. another stall
wart of the English novel, goes
about his business with consider
ably more pith and point than
Mr.. Priestley. His story concerns
one of those serene, humorous
middle-aged women about whom
he writes so well. This one. Cath
crime Barter. is caught up in the
unsettling revelations which fol-
low upon her adoption of her Sc
cretive sisters illegitimate child.
Mr.. SWinnerton writes with Incl
sive humor and bold strokes.
Without preaching, he is making
the point that the heart betrayed
must love again. He does it very
well except he never makes you
understand why a charming wom-
an like Catherine would ever have
married such a bumbling, inef-
fectual, neurotic husband.
Evening star., 1951-03-25
TO GET 1T FROM

HOW TO GET 1T FROM
THE GOVERNMENT
BY Stacy v. Jones. (Dutton; !;
$780,
Perhaps it should be explained
at the outset that this is neither
satire nor a set of advice on
how to become a "five-percenter"
or how to whip up influence in
Washington. 1t is a concise, &C
curate summary of what Federal
benefits and helps of various kinds
are available to every citizen, not
as a favor, but as a matter of law
full right.
The Federal Government, Mr..
Jones points out, has something
to offer everybody, from the era
die, at which mother may use a
Government booklet on infant
care, to the grave, which may be
in a national cemetery" These
benefits, he adds, aren't charity
of course: we pay for them either
in taxes or in depreciation of our
Evening star., 1951-03-25
The Man Who Left
Tells His Story
RICHARD HILLARY. A Life.

RICHARD HILLARY. A Life.
BY Lovat Dickson. (The Mac
milan Co.; $1.75J
For Richard Hillary the ques-
ton was. as it has been for so
many of his generation, What is
the responsibility Of the man who
is left?" The young RAF flyer who
was shot down in flames and rose
from them disfigured, yet ready
to fly again has caught the
imagination of his contemporaries
all over Europe and America. In
an uncommonly beautiful book.
Failing Through Space" he has
described his own conversion
from egocentricity and dilettan-
tism. 1t was an ordeal of fire.
From the gayety and arrogance
of his charmed circle at OK
ford, he entered the gallant fra
ternity of the Raj. One by one
his friends disappeared. Himself
manned and isolated, he dis
covered his common humanity in
London one night when he helped
to pull a woman from the ruins
of her home.
The author was this gifted
young flyers friend. He has told
the story with reverence and
understanding.
Evening star., 1951-03-25
THE GREAT IDEA

BY Henry Hazlitt. (Appleton-Ce
Mr.. Hazlitt's satirical novel
projects into the future Com
munist world, but goes further
than other such fancies. 1t imag-
ines this Soviet-governed world
overthrown and private enter
prise, long forgotten with its
destroyed books. restored step by
step.
Mr.. Hazlitt is an economist and
critic of note. He is interested
here mostly in showing the fall
lacies of militant socialism in any
form and the merits of private en-
terprise. AS a novel his book falls
short of George Orwell's 1894" }"
to which the publishers compare
1t. Mr.. Hazlitt's story is shadoWy
and unpersuasive. AS a polemic
his book is sound and convincing.
The scene is Moscow, the year
2100, or, in the new calendar, the
Year of Our Marx 282. Commu-
nism has dominated the world for
more than a century. Peter, son
of the supreme dictator of what
is called Wonworld, has returned
to its capital from Bermuda,
where he was allowed to grow up
with his exiled mother. When
the dictator dies Peter takes over.
He is appalled, at the injustice
and misery he sees everywhere.
He tries reforms. but is forced to
fee with his loyal air force across
the Atlantic to thwart plot by
the man who controls the army to
have him liquidated. In the one
time United States Peter forms
Freeworld. where, by trial and
error, he rebuilds individual free
dom and private initiative.
The book is largely a series of
conversations between Peter and
his chief adviser and most ardent
supporter, Adams. One theory by
Peters enemy, Bolshekov, is par
ticularly interesting. In explain
ing why the capitalist countries
lost their war against communism,
Bolshekov says that step by step
they accepted the basic premise
Evening star., 1951-03-25
Crime and Mystery
By Miriom Ottenbero
To Love and Be

To Love and Be Wise. BY Jo-
sephine Tey. macmillan Co.;
$2.75.)
An aura of evil shimmers around
the handsome head of Leslie
Searle-an evil only limited at in
typical Tey style. His charm
rouses either helpless love or vio-
lent distaste. Thus, when he dis
appears on a canoe trip, the nat
ural assumption is murder. But
Inspector Grant of Scotland Yard
can't quite buy that. The plot
ting, while quite acceptable. is
secondary to the sharply etched
characterizations and sharper wit
that make Tey products something
special.
Strangers Serenade. BY William
Irish. (Rhinehart & Co.. Inc;
$2.50)
The peace of Joseph's Vineyard
is shattered by series of murders
that seem to make no sense
What can be the connection be-
tween an elderly male boarder, a
rummy, an idiot boy.
the wealthiest woman in town and
a lovesick couple? Once vaca-
detective finds the con-
he realizes his girl is
next on the list. And that's where
Irish really pitches in for a blood
finale.
They Came to Baghdad. BY
Agatha Christie. Dodd, Mead
& Co.: $2.50D
Red Badge
The queen of whodunits strays
into the Spy-adventure depart
ment to produce a first-rate
thriller. One Victoria Jones, i'm
PEELED to follow a sudden love, goes
to Baghdad. Also headed that
way for an international confab
are dignitaries referred to only as
"the President" and "the Die
tator." A power-hungry network
aims to pitch these conferees into
war. Our Victoria-no Ounce for
all her dizzy Ways-is caught
Evening star., 1951-03-25
Plum Blossoms and Bamboo

A beautiful exhibition of Chi
|nese paintings. mostly of flowers,
birds and animals by Wang Chi
Yuan was opened last Tuesday at
United Nations Club. to remain
Through April 10. 1t comprises
nearly 40 works. the majority in
fresh, clear colors. some in ink.
Ali have the pictorial appeal and
decorative charm one has come to
associate with Chinese painting.
DR.. Wang has been in the
United States nearly 10 years. He
lives in New York City, but has
Travelled extensively in this coun-
try. Besides Is exhibitions of his
work in American and Canadian
museums Gncluding two at the
Metropolitan, New York City, he
has lectured and given demon
istrations. Early in the 1940s he
gave one at Howard University,
fascinating his audience particu-
Elarly with the manner in which he
painted bamboo, seemingly with
"a single brush stroke.
Evening star., 1951-03-25

effect, he gathered all MS powers
of observation, all his artistic per-
ceptions, determined not to leave
before giving his readers another
book they could remember. In so
doing he replied effectively to the
critics who said he was written
out-through-who were ready
some years ago to speak of him in
the past tense.
There is as much difference be-
tween the new story and Mr..
Lewis two previous novels,
''Kingsblood Royal and THE
Godseeker." as there was between
those unfortunate failures and
"Arrowsmith" or "Babbitt."
In a Chastened Mood.
In World So Wide" Mr.. Lewis
forgot to propagandize for this
or that. He wrote of (and prob
ably in) Italy in a softened. per-
haps chastened mood, with sharp
appreciation of natural beauty
and of art living and dead. De-
spite some devastating portraits
of phonieS, he shows, none of the
meanness which made Elmer
Gantry" less a novel than an in
dignant tract.
Mr.. Lewis understood the more
intricate Hayden Chart, a young
architect in the Lewisian city of
, Neville in Colorado, as we'll as he
knew the less complex Babbitt
and Dodsworth. Samuel Dods-
worth, by the way, comes into
"World So Wide" as minor char
acter living TRANQUILITY in Florence
with his wife, both content to stay
abroad.
Hayden. junior member of a
successful firm of architects, lost
his wife Caprice in an automobile
accident in which he came near
death himself. Recovering at the
hospital, he reflected lot. Be-
tween blaming himself and not
the soft shoulder of the mountain
highway for the accident, he de-
cided to make a radical change
in his life, to get away for a
while from the country club,
Evening star., 1951-03-25
Artists From Ell Salvador

A cross-section of present-day
art from Ell Salvador is on view
in the foyer of the Natural His
tory building, National Museum.
through next Thursday. More
than 20 artists are represented
with large number of oil paint
ings, watercolors, graphic arts,
sculpture and photographs. The
largest group in the show is by
Senor Salvador Salazar Arrue, cul-
tural attache of the Embassy of El
Salvador. His strong, sombre
paintings appear to have been in
If1uenced by the ancient sculp-
lures of the region.
Naturally. there is considerable
variation in the talents of the
artists. I liked the large oils by
Jose Mejia Vides, depicting in fiat
Icolorful naturalistic manner, an
Indian girl. a Spanish Colonial
church, and flowers of the coun-
try; Antonio Zaldivar's pleasing
landscape; Aida Salarrue's water
color drawings, light and fanciful,
which would make good illustra-
tions for fairy tales, and Maya
ISalarrue's little ceramic sculpture
Sad Faun," far superior to her
superficial heads of saints in
Watercolor.
There are many distractions
and semi-abstractions in the
show, not a few of them based on
round, oval or other curved
motifs.
Evening star., 1951-03-25

"The Prophet" by Ellen v.
Walters, aDhich received an
honorable mention for sculp-
ture in the 18th Ceramic Ma
tional OF the Syracuse Museum,
q selection from 10hich is no,u
on DieU at the Institute OF
| Contemporary Arts.
in ceramic sculpture, pottery and
|enamels, is on view at the In
stitute of Contemporary Arts
through April s. 1t is first-rate
show.
This annual was founded BY
the Syracuse Museum in 1882.
to honor the memory of Adelaide
Alsop Robineau. Syracuse's inter-
nationally known ceramist. The
first national exhibition drew 1879
entries from 73 ceramists in IL
states. This latest annual fetched
approximately $500 entries from
ceramists in "a states, Hawaii and
Canada, which were juried in 8
regional centerS. 1t is the Mu-
seum's greatest satisfaction that
quality has advanced with guam
tity. and high standards are main
tanned each year.
Furthermore. sculpture has
gained noticeably in Importance,
with leading sculptors turning to
ceramic media. and monumental
terra Gotta figures overshadowing
the boudoir-type bric-a-brac fig
urines.
Those who visit this show will
doubtless echo the Syracuse Mu-
seum's chief regret. that since
the war. many potters have
eschewed color. They have exc
cuted works of superb craftsman
ship, but largely in browns and
tans and grayed tones. This drab
taste in color is inadvertently
emphasized by the attractive,
bright, fresh colors Of compan-
ion show of Syracuse china made
by the Onandaga Pottery Com
pany, co-SponSor with the Syra-
cuse Museum, of the ceramic an
nual.
However, enamels in the GER
amic exhibition rescue it from
general sombreness. Indeed, the
brilliant colors of miniature &C.
clesiastical pieces, platters and
ash trays (enamel on copper to
large murals enamelled on steel.
bid fair to overshadow much of
the pottery. But the sculptures
hold their own regardless of color.
Evening star., 1951-03-25

q Co., SJ.SoJ
which must be made in the name
of the party.
The characters, all bearing sew
eral names and meeting and part
ing under obscure circumstances
are for the most part reluctantly
awakening to the fact that in
Russia they kept the flags and
turned them into shroud for the
corpse of murdered truth" These
men, many of them idealists OF
the first rank, striving for the
workers millennium in Central
Europe, know that they are being
betrayed, yet they are stayed by
the knowledge that "only when
you've left the party can you real
ize what true loneliness is"
Mr.. Sperber follows the train
Of thought by which a man can
be convinced at any time that any
friend of his is "fantastically
subtle double-crosser," with con-
siderable authority. He plainly
knows his way around in these
matters. His sincerity is patent
his grimness unrelieyed, although
he shows a glimmer of optimism
at the very end. Still he is most
instructive for these melancholy
times. MARY McGRoRY
Evening star., 1951-03-25
Reviewed by Mary MeGrory

It seems to me that a body
could say all that was to be said
about festival in an English pro-
vincial town in considerably less
than GOT pages. Mr.. Priestley
differs, however. And he has the
last word-several hundred thou
sand of them, in fact, in this
hefty novel that is as jolly as
Santa Claus and as long as a
soap opera.
Having given himself so much
elbow room. Mr.. Priestley is able
to take innumerable not $3.50
sly digs at all sorts of things like
verse plays, American movie stars,
documentary films, modern poetry
and the country gentry. These
|are all woven in any number of
scenes, mostly at mealtimes,
where the characters tuck away
Inourishing fare in happy defiance
of the austerity reports from Mr..
Priestley's country. It adds to
the never-never land quality of
his Partridge.
Despite the bulk of his output,
Mr.. Priestley evidently has Moth
ing more serious on his mind than
an adventurer'S success, several
sets of lovers held at arms length,
Ifarcical pileups, mistaken identi-
ties, cross purposes and musical
comedy Observation-Disclosures, with
no harm done.
To be absolutely fair, Festival"
lis harder to hold than it is to
take, although Mr.. Priestley's mo-
tive in writing it-beyond provid-
ing an impeccable scenario and
juicy character parts for prac-
tically every actor in the employ
of j. Arthur Rank-never came
clear to me.
Mr.. Priestley's prose style is
charming. even if his joviality-
as unfailing as that of a social
director at a summer camp
wears a bit thin at times. The
dialogue is excellent all the way
through. although it. too, only
goes to show that there can be
too much of a good thing.
Evening star., 1951-03-25

tion of DR.. Irwin Kerlan of Wash
ington, a medical officer in the
Food and Drug Administration Of
the Federal Security Agency, is on
view in Howard University's lie
brary and art gallery through next
Saturday. The show comprises
more than 80 items, representing
the work of foremost contem-
porary children's book artists, in
cluding many original illustra-
tions.
DR.. Kerlan began his collection
as hobby only in 1916, since
when he has assembled 1900 VOL
Iumes, original drawings, manu-
scripts and kindred items. Exhibits
of the material have been shown
in many museums and libraries.
Including Catholic University and
the District of Columbia Public
Library.
Evening star., 1951-03-25

midst the intrigue. Through some
masterful pace-changing, the au-
thor manages to maintain her
usual high brand of suspense.
Judgment on Deltchev. BY Eric
Amber. (Alfred A. Knopf, Inc; j;
So
An English playwright, assigned
to cover a Balkan treason" trial,
bucks censorship, secret police and
his own uncertainty of the &C
cused ex-premier'S innocence.
The whole phony pageantry of
Communist trials is explored, but
only as springboard to some
fancy melodrama involving a Sc
cret society of murderers and a
double -double-cross. Mr.. Ambler's
first in a long time isn't up to his
prewar thrillers but it's a lot more
meaty than the efforts of some
of his imitatorS.
Evening star., 1951-03-25

of Europe, also Mexico and others
of our Southern neighbors. The
majority of the pictures have the
flavor of the places depicted. A
few, presumably executed while
the artists were abroad. could have
been painted just as effectively in
Anacostia. without the expense
and time required for travel. For
example, have no idea where the
works by Robert Arner. Mary
Driven or Joe Summerford were
done.
In contrast, Paul Arlt's Venice, y
while a far cry from Canaletto. is
full of atmosphere; it needs nc
title. The gondoliers and their
black vessels make a gay design
Kenneth Stubbs' Across the
Arno," starkly architectural, is
quite as successful in transmit
ting the idea of place. Alice Ache
sons Chateau Garden" breathes
of France, Lois Jones and Celine
ITabary's bits of Paris ring true
IPietro Lazzari's paintings Of
horses in the Tiber, definitely non
Inaturalistic, nevertheless have ar
AIR that suggests classic antiquity
Evening star., 1951-03-25

cocktail-party atmosphere which
had surrounded him since his
marriage. Sc he went to Europe
and eventually settled in Florence
a city he felt he could love. There
was no pose about Hayden. He is
as likable in his way as DR.. Ar
rowsmith was. Hayden was aware
of the gaps in his education, the
smattering of history and the arts
he had absorbed. He wanted to
know more. to get something out
of life while he was young. g.. He
was willing to learn.
Mellowed and Seasoned.
He found in Florence pompous
bores like Sir Henry Belfont and
obvious pseudos like the golden
giant Lundsgard. who had come
from the faculty of an obscure
American college to do the script
of an Italian historical for Holly
wood. But there were others, such
as Nat Friar, who knew the his
tory of these churches and pal
aces. There was Olivia, the fro
zen pedant, who could thaw into
a quite human woman. and Rox-
anna, the newspaper girl from
back home, who turned up at a
crucial time.
The swift story holds some of
the most amusing moments Mr..
Lewis has ever devised. And there
are deeper moments when the
meaning of loneliness and a CROP
ing for beauty are felt. Let NO
one tell you that the novelist. one
of our few Nobel Prize winners,
was only man who Satirized
Americans. Here he defends them
and exposes some of the phonies
who low-rate them. And do not
be dissuaded from reading this
absorbing novel by some one who
says there are only flashes of the
old Lewis here. All of Lewis is
here-mellowed and seasoned. per-
haps by an intimation that his
writing days were nearing an
end.
Evening star., 1951-03-25
How a FoncifuI, Communist-RuIed World
Of the Year 2700 Is Finally Overthrow
Hazlitt. (Appleton- -Century-Crotts;; s350J

1tury-CrottS; $3.50J
of communism-that the indi-
vidual. left to himself. is greedy,
callous. stupid and irresponsible
. that only the state has wis
dom, only the state can be just,
only the state can be trusted with
power" In other words. he held,
the democracies went so far in the
direction of communism that 1t
didn't take much to push them all
the way.
The Great Idea" deserves to be
read. especially by well-meaning
liberals who hate communism but
do not see it as a menace, who are
willing to give the government
more and more power and to rele-
gate the individual to an increas-
ingly helpless position.
Evening star., 1951-03-25

Here his hero, Rock Wagram.
born Arak Vagramian, is, like
most Of Mr.. Saroyan's characters
and like the author himself, an
Armenian. from Fresno, Calf.
Rock tended bar at Fat Aram's.
an armenian hangout, and a
Hollywood producer, watching him
between drinks, decided the bar
tender was born actor. Rock be-
came a star, or something ap-
preaching it.. He married and had
children. because all his ancestors
had. His marriage broke up, be-
cause that's what often happened
when you were Americanized.
Mr.. Saroyan has gone on writ
ing about himself, in various dis
guises, ever since his first short
stories appeared. He has been
quite successful at it.
-CApTrp ppN0vr IoNra
Evening star., 1951-03-25
Here's q Literary Paradox Thot Might
Be Rated 'Top-Suroyon' by His Fans
ROCK WAGRAM
doubleday: $500


The new Saroyan novel is, in
its own peculiar way. like every
thing else this literary original
has written. That is to say, it is
clever. amusing. repetitious, form
less, labored. facile.
If some of those qualities are
parodoxical. then Mr.. Saroyan is,
and it can't be helped. If you are
one Of those who delight in his
indirections and aphorisms, you'll
probably call this book -Saro-
yam. If not, you should find 1T
at least readable. even if you get
weary of the Self-conscious phi
losophical asides with which Mr..
Saroyan usually burdens his mar
ratives.
The author never gets far away
from Mr.. Saroyan, however di-
verse his variations on the theme
Evening star., 1951-03-25
TroyeIoque

Another lively theme show,
washington Artists Abroad" is
on view at the Whyte Gallery
Through next Saturday. Fifteen
painters have contributed one or
more glimpses Of several countries
Evening star., 1951-03-25
Art
Many Worthwhile
Small Exhibitions
Due to Close Soon
By Florence S. Berrymon

Although overshadowed by the
magnificent new Kress collection
at the National Gallery of Art,
and the Corcoran's 22d Biennial
to be unveiled next week end.
there are a number of worth
while small exhibitions now on
view land some not so interest
ing), all recently presented, which
will close the end of this week,
or after the first week in April.
Sue Fuller's collection of collages,
prints and string compositions.
at the Corcoran Gallery (Contem-
porary American Artists Series
No. I'D is high on the list OF
notable March openings; it will
remain through April, and will
be reviewed later. Also. new
dealers gallery, the IFA, has
Opened at 2629 Connecticut ave-
nue.. with an engaging exhibition
of portraits by Washington area
artists; this too, will have a de-
layed review.
X II X X
Ceramic National
A distinguished selection from
the Syracuse Museums 15tl,
Ceramic National exhibition, in
Guiding the major priZeWinnerS
Evening star., 1951-03-25
Books in Review
Sinclair Lewis Final Novel Ranks High
Among His Most Notable Achievements
Reviewed by Corter Brooke Jone
WORLD 81 WIDE ~
BY Sinclair Lewis. (Random House; $3J

published after the death of Sinclair Lewis
glow delight the reflection that
VIZ him
World So Wide his best book in years. comes close
three novels which his ranking achievements
farewell his public worthy notable
Evening star., 1951-03-25
ChiIdren's Book Artists

Original drawings and book in
IScriptions from the private collec-
Evening star., 1951-03-25
j. B. PriestIey
Goes to own
With Bells On

FESTIVAL
BY J. B. Priestly. (Harper G. Bros.
| $685.
The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1951-09-22
Edif tor la ! 3
Nation in jeopardy

The House rules committee is in our cor,..
its proposed investigation of the banning of enbs.
television broadcast of last Wednesday, Turnin
inson fstic battle.
From walk along John R. and on Hasting s,
there was evidence as in our of an unpreceda
budup of the result of the historic battle of the ma%
weights for the championship which was now beinc 1
by foreign" fighter
1t did not matter whether we owned a teleyisio, u
since few friends have them. but we felt that owJ
ship of powerful radio which has done us proud
y coralling the air which carried program CO.,
hundreds of miles away did have a deciding non,
avoiding complete blackng-out of the boxing con,1
except in few movehouses in other cities
Pondered long time in an uncomfortable fashion WI
the why powerful radio set had to be l
MED satisfaction of hearing irsthand accounngs
middleweight championship battle which excited the hg
emotions that have been the shelf since the pm
of Joe Louis i'm the middle thrties.
1t is reasonably to assume that the sponsors the M
ternationa Boxing Club, thought that such ban Won
mean more money in their Golfers but it reasonable
assume protest is in order because of the mental stat
forced hundreds of thousands rejuvenated boxing
Surely the mental state of the nation placed eop
dy and should be given more serious thought.