The Brooklyn Daily Eagle from Brooklyn, New York • Page 34

TREND: A SECTION OF THE BROOKLYN DAILY EAGLE, MAY 15, 1938 BOOKS BOOKS Reason Needs a Chance Professor Hogben Lectures On the Plight of Man and Suggests Some Practical Remedies Of Cockroaches and Snakes Dr. Ditmors, Zoologist, Explains a Philosophy of Life Through Insects, Birds, and Beasts i Cummings' Poems Eccentric Writer Turni Out Verse 'Not for Mostpeople' "ColleHed Poems," by E. E. Cum. mines.

Harcourt, Brace A Co, Nen Hogben. Random House, "Retreat From Reason," by Lancelot T. New York. $1.00. New York: Stokes "The Fight to Live," by Raymond L.

Ditmars. Si Co. $3.50. MAN is not the first on this earth to have organized systems of defense and disciplined warfare. For millions of years animals have survived by the use of such devices as smoke screens, poisonous gasses, and even electric shocks.

And, astounding as it may seem, the cockroaches, who have been on earth for 300.000,000 years, have PROF. LANCELOT T. HOGBEN, the author of the best seller, "Mathe-matlca For the Million," was chosen to deliver the recent 27th Con-" way Memorial lecture in London. His use of the word "reason," says Julian Huxley as chairman of the meeting, In his introduction, Is not to be confused with mere logic or "a priori" argumentation. "For him reaso- is truly reason, only If it is grounded In experience and prepared at times to accept the touchstone of fact.

It must adopt the methods science." Professor Hogben says at one point that "Reason has not failr us. It has not yet been given the chance." This lecture is a dlscu -slon of the present plight of man, York. $3.00. This collection of E. E.

Cummings' work includes, besides a score of nen poems, all of the work which he wishes to preserve from his earlier books "Tulips and Chimneys," "And," "XLI Poems," "Is Five," "Viva," and "No Thanks." In lus characteristic introduction Mr. Cummings writes: "The poems to com are for you and for me, and are not for mostpeople." It's no use trying to pretend developed the most complete organization in the entire animal scale, and "should have credit for the beginning of disciplined social life, of system Hhich exceeds that of humanity." Dr. Raymond L. Ditmars. curator of Mammals and Reptiles at the New York Zoological Park, and author of the "Books of Living Reptiles" and "Snakes of the World," has papably Written another book popularizing can be found among animals of natural history.

In The Fight Rnd gir Sucn extremes outlining causes, and making sug gestions as to practical remedies. He Live" he treats an aspect which many as the Leaf Butterfly, the Ceylonese nntiHar the mwt interesting: The the stress of economic disaster aw that we shall not harmonize the public needs of a progressive societj with the private needs of human nature until we have a science ol human nature. "To be commanded, nature must be obeyed. The nineteenth century set out to change says that the younger generation have found us out. "Their pitiable predilection for action without thought Is the legitimate offspring of thought divorced from action." that mostpeople and ourselves are alike.

Mostpeople and ourselves have He feels that the chief trouble less In common than the square- with education today is that knowl rooioiminusone. you and I are Sophus Keith Winther Author of 'This Passion published by Macmillan. methods of attack and defense Walking-Leaf, and the Owl But-which have evolved with the stmg- terfly are amazing. There are also gle to survive. By recording his the many animals-frogs, turtles, personal observations and experi- birds, who blend so well with their merits with monkeys, beavers, birds, environment that it is impossible to reptiles, fishes, and so on down the distinguish them except at very scale to he describes many range.

oi the queer weapons which protect Fierce battles take place in the the animal world. Snakes, both animal world in this eternal fight poisonous and non-poisonous-the to live. The insects have overcome author's specialty-naturally as- their handicap of size with a high- edge is encouraged as a means to numan oeings: mostpeople are snobs." more knowledge instead of being a means to action. "If democracy in produce only leaders who can talk, This grouping of poems shows Mr. Cummings faithful to the tradition which he established In his early work.

In an extremely modern Id ume a Drominent place in the nar- ly-organized system oi wariare. in it is doomed, and we can only hope to preserve it by a policy of educational selection which favors competence more than fluency," iom, so Intense as to become cryptic, rative. Dr. Ditmars' theme Is that al ant-wars, the defeated "tribe" is enslaved by the victors; and some types of ants form friendly "alli- He reminds us that social change achieving a subtle music, with strange newness of effect, and with though many of these effective and human nature without discovering its laws of change. It imposed new modes of cehavior on human beings without finding out how men must be educated if the new social pattern Is to remain a stable one." Statesmen are needed with a scientific background and scientists with a sense of social responsibility.

"Retreat from Reason" is not for the superficial reader. For so small a book it Is extraordinarily thorough, It has the power, as of a flash of lightning, to make the interested reader concentrate on points in -m education for life, not a living, and reasons for necessary and personal action which he might otherwise leave to some one else and never adopt for himself. Witty, brilliant and forcefully written, you will not easily forget this, nor want to. M. S.

precision even when the mood is has put new strains upon human nature without any attempt to fon-tify It with new means of resistance; that propaganda in directing mass hatred has precipitated the Retreat from Reason. Few people have yet asked seriously what kind of edu Undersea Sex Read and Learn and Laugh About Fish "The Life Story of the Fish," by Brian Curtis, Appleton-Century New York. $3.00. Whether you are an angler or a romanticist you will agree with William Beebe's introductory exhortation that you "read and learn and laugh." If scientific terms bore you and you don't care what the Phylo-gentlc law Is and aren't interested in diagrams of refractive phenomenon the author invites you to "skip to the next section or take a nice long walk." However, you had bet-er read it, for the style is provok-ingly satisfying even in sections where the subject matter is deep. Brian Curtis knows his stuff so thor-ougly that he puts a great deal of cation makes people less likely to be cruel.

He believes that scientific ignor vague and with a mind most sensuously aware, Mr. Cummings writes some beautiful poetry. It Is lively poetry, as well with a power of Imagery. Mr. Cummings Is a painter besides a poet, and some of the beauty of his communings with nature disclose the perception of the artist, as well as the poet.

Mr. cummings is, as well, a satirist, and enlivens his work with touches of wit and humor, and with whimsy; and some of his poems express the whimsy of the moment, and as such are of no more than momentary value, even deadly weapons have been in use ances" with snakes, for so long a time, it is only re- Strange to say, the apes, pos-cently that man has begun to dis- scssing the largest brains, and cover them. This theme is probably i physically the closest to man, are the explanation of the phrase "phil- not intelligent in proportion to osophic implications" which appears their resemblance. As a matter of on the dust-wrapper. However, this fact, in the game of attack and book contains little-if any-philos- defense, they are by far the mpst ophy; it doesn't need it.

The ma- stupid, neglectful of their young, terlal, the simple facts, are all in- and totally ignorant of their po-teresting and often fascinating. tential protective abilities, i We hope Many of the animal defenses are that this is not one of the "philo-startllng; some of the most tacular are to be found among the Dr. Ditmars describes the many fishes. As, for instance, the Bra- phenomenal and seemingly in-rilian eel, six feet in length, that genious protective devices of the can generate and hurl an electric animal world with no attempt at shock powerful enough to fatally scientific detail; his style runs ctun a man or horse. And owing 1 matter-of-factly! he to the tremendous hazards of ocean leaves all "oh-ing" and "ah-ing" life, there are fish which have been and there's plenty of it to the ance has much to do with the crumbling of social traditions under Apache Indian Life Children's Story Based on Life of Geronimo Color and Drama of Arizona Revealed though his best work reaches so Dr.

Raymond Ditmars and One of His Friends Explorer, niitiirnl historian and curator of the Bronx Zoo, whose book, 'The light to Lite' is being issued by Stokes Advice on Crashing N. Y. Munro Leaf Cites Pitfalls of Big City Advises Girls to Stay in Home Towns "Listen Liltle Girl," by Munro Leaf. Stokes, New York. $1.50.

"Mocco," and "Geronlmo's Stonr of His by S. M. Barrett. Harlow "Publishing Corporation, Oklahoma City. estimated to lay as many as reader.

The numerous photographic illustrations add greatly to the 000,000 eggs at a time. 'Mimicry is a familiar and widely- i value of this interesting book. distributed protective device, and A. G. Dilemma of the Farmer high a standard.

But, as has often been said, Mr. Cummings makes no effort to assist the reader by com-prehensibility in his work, which at its worst degenerates into typographical sinuosities, whimsies of spacing and punctuation and affectations In both. In spite of his surface eccentricities, and affectations in typography, Mr. Cummings' regular couplets, and sonnets, the regular swing of some of his verse must not be forgotten, even though some of his work seems to be written for the eye alone, In Munro Leaf makes a suitable apology for tackling his subject, admitting that no mere man can show real wisdom in the ways of women. But.

he did get much expert advice and guidance before combining More than 30 years, while teaching at Law-ton, S. M. Barrett came to know Geronimo, the captive Apache war chief held on the Fort Hill military reservation. He heard the old man's own story of his experiences and, through President Theodore Roosevelt, secured permission to take it down and publish it. Six years later, he was moved to write a children's story based more or less on what he had learned about the tribe's customs and wanderings.

Now the two volumes have been republished for those of us wtr want to know the real Indians. Both are suitable for young reader: one as a glimpse into authentic history and the other as a careful fit tional picture of the boyhood Informative matter across in a most entertaining and humorous way, seasoned with Just enough vocabulary increasing words. Here you can learn why the "Seahorse" is like a kangaroo and how the flirtatious "Bette," by refusing either to flee or to fight, turns the warrior male into a fond lover and devoted parent. Eccentricities and distinguishing piscatorial traits are most enjoyable and graphically told. The pettlsh-ness of the sea cucumber, the truth concerning the flounder (unfairly slandered as an ichthyological acme of lassitude), the sex reversals of the Novel bv of Hardship with his work as a director of Frederick A.

Stokes Company the making phus K. Winther Tells Story and Injustice in Nebraska SophuS K. Winther Tells Story ii uiLii a-iiiug ct auuu, mm, 51110 lace niicu Liicj. vi, lu crash New York. He had a good idea, and has realized it with a light and yet sensible and serious touch in this short book.

He started with the thought that some one with no axe to grind, with no missionary purpose, who could never be anybody's mother, might write best about what really goes on "This Passion Never Dies," by Sophus Keith Winther, New York, Macmillan Co. $2.50. patterns of visual arrangement, and Probably "This Passion Never Dies" will sell a few thousand and die in the Big City, and best estimate would not lend itself to reading aloud, an important requisit of po quietly by the wayside. But so simple and so wonderful a farming story a girrs cnances of making good. etry, which began as an art pri -swordtall (whose life cycle may be marily for the ear.

His power of Is It that it deserves a kinder fate. The dilemma or tne tarmer ana me In orden he takes up the In farmer as a national problem could not be put better into human terms. vaders: the Beautiful, the Brainy, From the viewpoint of human character, the old Danish immigrant and the Nice gjrlSi then adds a farmer of Nebraska, Peter Grimsen, is a masterpiece of indirect writing brief chapter on some tne prob. and understatement. The "story" belongs more properly to Peter's son, lems livlng made up of distinct stages in which it is maid, wife, mother, man and father) and larval young resembling eels much more than their adult selves, are all engagingly explained and Illustrated with many clean-cut diagrams and sketches.

H. R. imagery, his Immediacy of emotion, his deftness at conveying sight and sound, taste, touch and smell, and his linguistic virtuosity must not be lost sight of In the midst of his grotesques. A. B.

Hans, who leaves the farm to go to college, who is torcea to return 10 it out of loyalty to his father. The familiar story of the mortgage foreclosure is done with consummate sympathy and a skill that comes from long familiarity and understanding. That this farming family in the Space is lacking to name even 6tate of Nebraska is one genera- -he chief characters and the power-tion of immigrants, and their off- ful or touching parts of this stun-tpring, is last in the terrible de- ning bock. It is enough to say that, For the Beautiful, he discusses the opportunities and the Inevitable disappointments of modeling, of the theater, and some other of the odds and ends of like employment. For the Brainy, there are chapters on advertising, publishing, the department stores, and "odd- about the pay they may expect In case they land a job at all and th6 general impression Is that, on the whole, it's best to stick to your own town what New York employers demand from girls.

And Mr. Leaf's Information about living costs and conditions is accurate and discouraging. It Is true that for every possible Job In New York there are many applicants true for men, of course, the same as women. But it is also true that changes are constantly occurring, and that there are opportunities for the courageous and qualified. This straight-from-the-shoulder talk about what the girl must face ought to be helpful.

J. M. O. manhood of an Apache warrior. Geronimo was old when he dictated, through an Interpreter, his account of his life up to the time he and his band surrendered, and were taken first to Florida, then to Alabama, and finally to Oklahoma.

As he told it, the story was terse and factual. Mr. Barrett rounded it out with many details gathered from military history, indicating where the Indian's account differed from those written by his pursuers and captors, and explaining why. He told, in Geronlmo's words, why he went on the warpath against the Mexicans, and then why he fought the soldiers under Miles and Howard, who relentlessly hunted him and his band until it was hopeless to resist any longer. It is all the tale of a man who was sworn to vengeance, who was seeking an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth according to the Apache code; and it does not make the white reader proud of his kind.

In "Mocco," Geronlmo's biographer used freely the color and drama of the time in Arizona, and on the eastern slopes of the Rockies, when that old chief was a cub. 1 the story, Mocco's own family w. killed by Comanche Indians mo; or less as Geronlmo's was by Mexicansand for a long time the ten-year-old shifted for himself. Then he went eastward over the mountains to live with the Sioux. Grown up, he Joined them on war parties against the whites, traders and travelers; and then he and the Sioux warriors raided into Comanche land.

Taking revenge upon the tribe who had killed his family and carried away as captive the little girl with whom he had played, Mocco got back to the land of the Apaches. There he married the girl, then Mexicans came to raid and kill. Mocco's wife was taken to be a slave, but escaped and was killed by a mountain lion. He found her; and the rest of the story is concerned with his far and constant wanderings, his raids with the Utes and Pawnees, his contacts with the tribes of Indian Territory, his curiosity about Christianity, and his lonely end on the prairie. J.

M. O. Impudent Fairy Story 'Congressional Cave of Winds 'More Abundant Life 'Malefactor of Great Wealth' scriptions of the farm depression aside from the depressing parts, ments. And for the Nice he sur- "My Goodness! Said the Princess" (A modern fairy tale for by De Witt Carson. Kinsey New York.

$1.00. ln the 1920's in the land of the there is enough humor and realism veys the fields of social work, edu- free and the richest country in the to make this book worth reading cation, and more or less related world. They are Americans with for any one. One such part deals occupations. such a deeprooted faith in Amen-, with Hans' trip to New York City, it is down-to-the-earth Informa- can traditions that they frown at and his experience there.

Another tion, gathered from reliable sources, the mere mention of the word deals with Hans' mother's trip to that is here given. It tells girls "force." But all Americans are the department store in Omaha, the "My Goodness! Said the Princess" is a gift book, designed and priced for exchange among those who can look upon political experiments as very necessary, but not absolutely predictable. It is a satirical capable of hate, and hate springs second time in 20 years, and her eternal at injustice. Mortgage fore- feelings and methods of buying. closures actually killed many a sterling man, proud of his basic And surrounding the story is a real appreciation of the tragedy of Mother's Choice Should an Abnormal Child Be Permitted to Live? fairy tale which flings barbs across political lines, spreading ridicule and word cartoons with impudent but whimsical abandon.

The compassionate Princess, fresh from her progressive school, meets representative citizens and their political representations: (1) the seedy but silk-hatted Baron Malefactor "of Great Wealth," monotonously swearing about his frozen assets; (2) the forgetful and shirtless Amnesia, trustfully yearning for new Ideals to believe in; (3) the ill-housed, ill-clothed, ill-fed Third growling, function as a farmer, when such a man is shown that years of work count for nothing in the offices of death as well as a real feeling for historical trends from the vantage point of the center of the American food belt. R. W. the finance companies. For Tourists in Belgium Word Pictures of Land, Suggested Itineraries Included in Brooklyn Author's Book Julian Messner, New second child, daughter, came into the world so afflicted by a congenital bone condition multiple fracturesthat if she lived at all it must be as a hopeless cripple.

She fought to save Anne; and when that battle was won, undertook to give her daughter a childhood and youth as normal, under the circumstances, as that of her other three healthy children. She succeeded in that, too. The book is a straightforward account of the mother's struggle not only to conquer her own sorrow and resentment, but to give the daughter education, discipline her, teach her to swim and to think of herself as a human being fit to associate with other and unafflicted children. It is an honest, detailed chronicle of a sustained effort. And the result? She says: "Since Anne's high school days she has had four perfectly normal happy years at college, from which she graduated with honors.

J. M. O. "Let's Visit Belgium," by Byron gleel. York.

$2.50. "Courage," by Mary Llndsey. Dut-ton New York. $2.00. In a test to discover the extent of your sophistication, a teacher of story writing recently asked how you would answer this question: As the young father of a baby born blind, assuming that you and your wife might well expect other normal children, would you be Justified in asking the doctor to kill the baby? The answer, according to its asker, should be yes.

Now comes Mary Llndsey to refute this sophisticated view. Her the Gnome Child (now known as "More Abundant Life," the "Normalcy" of Warren's reign, styled "New Freedom" by Woodrow and "Full Dinner Pail" by previous adoptive and foster fathers). Without suggesting or forecasting any solutions, Mr. Carson clowns about in this cockeyed world's arena, conjuring up humorous and picturesque Identities to lighten our serious political considerations. H.

R. growing, and turning red; (4) the golden hearted Labor Horse; and (5) the back-slapping, shin-kicking gnomes. The smiling Skipper Gnome, whose resonantly toned Confidence Call quells Malefactor's snarls and stirs Amnesia to new enthusiasm, Lawyer Spitball, Lady Fanny, and their fellows introduce the Princess to many new entertainments including the Congressional Cave of the Winds where ventriloquistically controlled stuffed shirts occasionally heave with self inspired emotions. The tale concludes with a spirited deadlocked honeymoon in a half-buggy, half-automobile, after the failure of the ogre "Old Nine" to forbid the nuptials of Amnesia and A Life Spent Railroading Farm Boy Fulfills His Life's Ambition by Working Up to Be Assistant Yardmaster "Railroadman," by Chaunrey Del French. Marmillan, New Ymk.

S2.50. Harry French is a real old-time railroad man who worked upon the roads when they were In their infancy. He has told his story to his son, and it makes fascinating reading. The names of the roads upon which he worked have changed with the times. Many of them have been incorporated with roads now familiar to all of us, but which In their day had importance as individual short lines.

French started out as a boy on a homestead; but the death of his father and the poverty Cf his stepmother necessitated his being bound out to a fnrrr.er. He was to work on the farm until he became 21, and was then to be sent on his way with $25 in his jacket and a hor-e of his own. But he was destined never to fulfill that plan. At 13 he fell in love wll0 the trains Hf, nwd fl with railroading and ran away to i fan1. l-t one Wife, and was sepa- become a real, first-class railroad- The well indexed travel volume "Let's Visit Belgium," is illustrated with about 40 photographs of representative Belgium urban and rural spots and is recommended as reliable and authentic by the Belgian Con-sulate.

As an American pupil, teacher and tourist, Mr. Steel Is particularly well equipped to present Belgium's features of greatest interest to his fellow countrymen. This Brooklyn author word pictures of the Belgium of today are sketched against the artistic, architectural and historic background of that land, and readers of varied tastes will find ma-terlau to Inform and guide their selection of the high-points of greatest personal interest. contain the work of Albert Payson ra.ea irom some of his children. He man.

It took him many years to Terhune, Violet Alleyn Storey and Ci a selected traveler's vocabulary, currency and price information, data on Interesting and on dull museums, on cycling, sightseeing, shopping and hotels, on where to be entertained, taught, cured, or bored, and on the advantages of casual, organized or government-sponsored tours. Perhaps the most novel feature explained is the railroad commutation rates for five, 15 and 30 consecutive days which allow unlimited travel for about $1 per day a very practical scheme in that land of short distances and varied "aged but ageless" centers of interest. H. R. attain this ideal, but he made it met w-iih success and poverty.

He at last. A look at the list of rail- retired with honor but with a small roads on which he served in some competence, and had the satisfac-capacity or other is a glimpse into Uon of seeing at least one of his the history of railroading In this sons become a good realroad man Country. H.s story is the story of the first he learned to be an expert average hard-working man who telegrapher, but that work did not pride in doing his job to the hold him long. The office irritated of his ability. He a.sks no fa-Wm and he wanted to be out on Ivors, blmr.es no one for his failures The armchair tourist may acquire here a better understanding of Belgium and its people than will mileage-hungry tourists, who see more than they can appreciate.

The coastal plains and inland mountains are described, and the story of the great Flemish Guilds and much Walloon business and political history Is presented in Its relation to the relics of medievalism which are preserved today, incorporating the charm of antiquity with the pro-gressiveness of this great industrial people. The bravery of the Belgians has been recognized from Caesar's day and, having played so often the role of a bystander nation (in the centuries of successive European gang they have learned to survive and rebuild after each dis AdelphiAnthology Sixty Years of School Literary Magazine Celebrated "Through the Years: An Anthology of Student Verse," edited by the Adelphian staff under the direction of Marjorie F. Hendren. Illustrations by Anna G. Morse.

Adel-phl Academy, 75th anniversary. Brooklyn, New York. This 100-page cloth-bound anthology tif student poetry, "Through the Years," which has appeared in Rebecca Hooper Eastman, who were also graduates of the academy, but were not prolific in their student days. Perhaps some of the now better known writers of the 73 represented here would blush at the efforts of their student days. The volume Is illustrated by Miss Anna G.

Morse, for 35 years head of the school's art department, and is dedicated to the memory of the late James Post, who was for 30 years president of the board of trustees of Adelphl Acad the road. Whenever opportunity and at the age of 77 can look hack- came he grasped it, and worked in ward with the sense of a life well- several capacities from brakemRn to lived and work well-done. He is1 Art tne American workman at his best emy and loved by many generations I conductor and assistant yardmaster. Prom 1873 to 1909, when he retired, he was the best- railroadman that he knew how to be. He faced danger daily, for In his day safety devices had not been developed to N.

Y. SCHOOL OF FIE A1MM 01l Alt I (laroiit of girls and boys in the school. The volume makes a memento of un honest, human, proud and ready to meet his last call when it comes as fearlessly and caKcrly as he had met every call of Ms working years. A sturdy personality. thi mnn aster, modernizing without sacrifice "The Adelphian" student literary magazine of Adelphl Academy during the 60 years of Its existence Is part of the 75th anniversary of the Academy.

It contains the student of their traditional appearances or ANNUALEXHIBITION of STUDFT WORK usual interest and association for Ft tlHV mum li Henry Cloy French rhnui riitiiieer it hose story is hy hls son. C.hnuni l)r I ii mil, in Railroad mini fuh-lulled by Macmillan Byron Steel flronklyiiite who wrote 'Let's lisil Belgium, published by Julian Mcstptr, I at. those connected with Brooklyn' Adelphl Academy. ways. The prospective tourist will find three to SO-day suggested Itineraries, Saturdav Mm-clav.

Hi in io 10 Dm. Sunflnv 1 i in In Iht School nuildlnt, Brodi loth ny great extent and danger was French, and one of whom America I Um dally companion of the men may proud. F. L. P.

work of Anna Hempstead Branch, I among renowned pocU; but does not 1 A. B..