Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-04-06

WCoROAAop WAAASAA "SeS AS@@S@ ~
war, after all the battles were
radically if people are
unlucky enough to see an
atomic war. Two novels on
the bookstands this week deal
with fighting in Europe in
1944-5, when the hard
driven, dependable rifleman
still counted a lot:
AND SAVE THEM FOR
PALLBEARERS, by James
Garrett (MeSSner; $3.50.
END OF A WAR. by Edward
LOOMS CBallantine: $3.50.
Both books are first novels
and are wildly written.
Both Infantrymen
Both writer's were combat
infantrymen. Mr.. CARROTS
And Save Them for PAIL
bearers" is the more effective
book. It contains, indeed.
some of the most blazingly
real descriptions of action,
from the view Of a squad Of
GIs in a rifle company, that
I've ever read. The central
figure is the squad leader,
Staff Sergt. Peter Donatti.
who was brought up in a
Detroit slum, but a senior at
a great university when he
volunteered.
Donnati hadn't a single
illusion. He knew the bitter
ness. the futility Of war. the
faults, the Stupidities Of the
army, and yet there wasn't a
harder fighter or a more
intrepid man in his outfit.
Even after he was severely
wounded. and with his par
tial recovery. the chief sur
geon at the base hospital or
dered him invalided home,
he ran away and rejoined his
outfit. driven by some COM
pulsion he couldn't under
stand. He knew only that he
had to be back with the men
with whom he'd gone through
so much.
They Come to Life
Not only u Donnati sharply
etched. but the other men in
his squad come 70 life. So
does 1t. Crawford, the be-
loved platoon commander.
who preferred to drink and
lounge about with his men
when they had the chance.
Equally clear Is Capt. Flagg-
Ter. sent to replace an es-
teemed company commander
who was killed. Flagger was
neurotic and frozen with
fear. which he tried to cover
up by introducing discipline
to which Charlie Company
was not used, at least not at
the front. Flaggler was prop
erly hazed, and he came to
change. =
Donnati's romance with the
hospital uufse seems lugged
in. as do e1Iae Of the other
goings on u Paris.
But. when James Garrett
is at the front. nothing is
contrived. everything COM
pellingly actual, happening
as it had to happen.
A Fighters Philosophy
END Of a War" is more a
psychological study Of one
soldier. Pvt. later Sergt.
George Leggett and his ex-
periences in battle late in the
war and in Germany after
the armistice.
There Is a near-perfect
account Of his first engage
ment. when his thoughts
sum up a fighting mans PHI
losophy: you just do what
they tell you and keep going"
Talent to Watch
But Edward LOOMS novel,
unfortunately, boys down in
its later phases. In Mr.. Gar
ret's story the action revolves
around a few men, and yet
you always have the feeling
OF the Army. its chains Of
command, its lowering au-
thority. But Mr.. LOOMS
Sergt. Leggett becomes al
most an island. going his own
way. giving the Army only a
stray reflection now and then,
in some strange way achiev-
ing an isolation. Then, too,
some Of Leggett's full-dress
conversations with other SOL
diers sound implausible. Men
under the stress Of active
service seldom are that ar
ticulate.
NonethelesS. both Of these
young writer's have talents
worth nourishing.
Rejecting on the way their