1934-12-31 — Page 7

LITERARY NOTES

THAT BRITISH AGENT

More Moss Collected By A Rolling Stone

Retreat from Glory. By RH. Bruce Lockhart. (Putnam. 10s. Gd.).

Once more Mr. Lockhart takes his reader by the buttonhole of his

coat and whispers in his car. What

a confidential, conversational fol-

low, to be sure! You have to lis- ten; he has what a famous critic once called the hypnotising style. Now and again you feel, inclined to break away, especially when he

is explaining his financial embar

rasaments or deploring the prone- ness of Love to laugh at Lock harts:

When the adventures described British In his "Memoirs of a Agent" came to an end. he return- ed to this country, where he was "in demand as a kind of star turn' on Russia." He actually had the honour of an hour's audience of the King, whom he found better Informed and better documented about Russian affairs than any of his Ministers, with the possible exception of Lord Milner. His Ma- jesty showed a remarkable under- standing both of the causes and of the effects of the Revolution. Lord Balfour, on the other hand, knew little about the situation in Russia and cared loss, but was interested In the ideology of Bolshevism.

You meet in passing many cele- brities of the past, present, and future. Here, for example, is! Hitler at the outset of his carcer: "Twelve years ago, at the corner: of the Kellerstrasse, I saw a little black-haired man in riding boots and a cheap brown waterproof ha. ranguing a mixed crowd of gome 200 men and women from a soap- box. He

bareheaded. He WI18 spoke in short, jerky sentences. The crowd changed every few

THE CHINA MAIL, MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1934

Eddie Rickenbacker left and wy New York akles at dawn to lunch in sun-drenched Miami and was back in New York for dinner, using the same Douglas ship in which he lowered the transcontinen- tal record to 12 hours. He is shown (arrow) before the takeoff with some of the 15 who Gew with him, including Barry Faris (left) Editor of International News Service, Mrs. Richkenbacker, Ben Smith, capitalist, and Linda ey Hopkins, prominent Floridan.

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UNBIASED ESTIMATE OF HITLER

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previous contributions on the ON THE STAGE subject. In his introduction to kis book, "Strong Man Rules," he briefly traces the postwar history of Germany, declaring that Hit- ler's rise to power was an acci- dent an accident produced by a monstrous series of economic and sociological and political events.

These events led logically to the rise of the Nazi regime and the advent of Hitler, who riding the mam stream of the national- istic current successfully, yet made the mistake of attempting to graft a democratic govern- ment (with a Fascist bias) upon a people who have no idea of de- mocracy

Mr. Shuster gives an admirab- ly unblased estimate of Hitler, in which he refrains from branding him a monster, shows him to be an astute politician, and yet es- sentially a weak man. The author also interesting analyzes Hitler's Jewish. policy, his attitude to- ward the churches, his economic and other policies.

ART OF THE ESSAY

Essays of the Year 1933-1934.

(Argonaut Press. 58.)

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PRESENTING

AT ALL PERFORMANCES THEIR ORIGINAL' DANCE CREATIONS

The demands of modern journal-"WALTZ OF PASSION" ism have left their mark upon the The dance of perfection, a per-

a succinctness essay. There is

sonification of artistic graceful- ness in modern ball room

minutes. Some jeered. Some Many apt and interesting short these were: "All proletarian stories laughed and moved on.

Some stories are written in America are necessarily great stories" and and economy about, many of the stayed to listen." During a visit now, but I sometimes wish that "All stories, specialising in ob samples of this book which is elo- are necessarily rreatquent of an age in which the old to Doorn the ex-Kaiser, depicted they did not leave the impression scenity as neither monster nor mounte- of a land inhabited largely by stories." Respectability must be art of making 10 beautiful words getting a little abocked at the grow where only one grow before bank, talks of many things and criminals. gives his guest a portrait of him- It was Oscar Wilde, I think, who course of American action, has lost popularity to the sharp, We can hardly believe that it is stabbing paragraph. The steeple self with a saying of Abrahamn said of a popular novelist that he Lincoln written below it: "Nothing and exhausted the obvious: that a true representation of American chasing style, in which every new turn for idea has the appearance of a gal ly settled finally until it is settled points to one of the difficulties that life. Anyone with right,"

beset us to-day. To become a thankfulness at not being as other lant leap, hás a good deal to re Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia good, careful ratepayer la within men are might find suitable read- commend it, and, as

an 'article on "American Brown suggests, the conditions of become realities as we read. The the possibilities of most of us, but ing in Serbs he regards as "folly buccan such an accomplishment does little Lawlessness" in the current num- journalism as often as not trans eers with the peculiar quality of to provide the most attractive type ber of the Political Quarterly." late themselves into a valuable guts." As for the Croats, they of fiction. The other day. In a Yet we know that millions of quiet, discipline. The cold eye of the small unregarded people are leading de- sub-editor has probably made as Mare thought not generally dialey. village lending library, a

al, though indignant at their de-boy was heard to exclaim in a tona cent lives which are not represent- many masterpieces as it has mar-

red. privation of the higher posts in of disgust "There's no murdered in fiction: military and civil services.

jones left."

Author of "Our Vill-re

1

Mr. Ivor

In these 40 specimens of the modern craft there are many One would have liked to Sea Murder And Detective Stories It is a relief to turn from hectic styles. Mr. Ralph Straus is at his more of Moura, who seems to have Lecomo his external conscience.

It may be a question how far fiction to something of a slower happiest in "A Man with a Nose," The author, having exhausted his murder ones make legitimate read-fashion, and, opportunely, I come a piquant biographical study of reminiscences, should now drama-ng for the young, but if readers on such relief in another quarter that curious bohemian of the nine- lise himself in novels, a task for generally are to subsist on the lily, the "Countryman", which was teenth century, George Augustus which his peculiar and personal terature of crime it will be impos- sent to me some weeks ago by its Sala. A charming picture of Lord J. WGrey is contributed by Seton Gor- style is admirably fitted.

sible to fob off boys and girls with enterprising editor, Mr. the stories current in parish ma-Robertson Scott. The "Country dona balanced portrait as com- gazines and those of the milder man" is a wonderful magazine for pared with "A Visit from George those who like the country; it is Moore." an account of what seems Crime may be edifying: I do not crammed with information and to have been dulf weak-ond with

# think it does me any harm to read with interesting articles. I should a fussy old gentleman, by Philip think it has a great circulation, Cosse. Air, E. V. Knox's delight- "Macheth; but the substitution of!

"drinking in England", is repu- the murder and detective story forjand the number of its rather In

tensive advertisements is a the fairy tale or the school story|

sufb.ched, and there are contribu ficient confirmation of this. becomes a little alarming.

But tions from Rose Macaulay, E. M. what took my fancy was a reprint Delafield, Gerald Barry, W. J. of some letters by Miss Mitford. Lawrence, LA. G. Strong, Ellis the Author of "Our Village," to a Roberts, and Llewelyn Powys—sl- friend. I may confess that I have together a very pleasant compan- not read "Our Village" tough Ijionable collection.".

CHAMBERS' NEW LOVE STORY

About A Modern Cinderella

forms of adventure.

It seems to be part of a general] "The Young Man's Girl" is a tendency. And it seems to be be- odern love story by Robert W.coming rare in fiction to do any- Chambers, told with the skill of thing because it is right er to re- abaster novelist, of two people, train because it is wrong. Nowa- stating from the time when the days you must do a thing because know that I ought to have done so. I feel sure that I should get on beatiful Chiyu was very young it is interesting. We have to justify with her villagers. I do not think and had lost her father, and ourselves as the material for Wynard, out of sympathy, had fiction.

.L

that they are anything like those I badly treated by this manager that meet with in American fiction or he "left London in despair." used her at a model. Again and New Set Of Morals

those of Mr. T. F. Powys; possibly Even in those simple old days again, from this day forth, the two are brought together by

Fiction is forging ahead. It is they are not very like Thomas the literary life was a long scene crossing paths.

understood to be providing a new Hardy's. But I feel that Miss of anxiety and labour." It had its Chiyul developed into an ambi-set of morals, and these are best Mitford could not make offensive mitigations. "But for this wret tious peren, and after an inter-illustrated by characters who have villagers if she tried. These letched circumstance of being cheat- lude as ades-girl, rises to cherish-no morals at all. The world is not ters of hers are in part about her ed of the air profts of my best ed circles of society. Meanwhile, as bad as the writers of fiction geraniums and about a dog which work nothing could be more bril Wynward, the sculptor, en coun-make out; perhaps their justifica-is, it appears, a famous beast. It llantly gratifying than my visit to ters the artist's disappointments. tion is that is would be more tu- must not be supposed, however, London." She was there for a but out of an unconscious sensa teresting if it were.

that Miss Mitford led a merely month and had an extraordinarily of snobbery, demurs from ca-

You cannot obtain high excite-obscure and retired life. We find festive time. For three weeks aka pitulating to the one person who ment from a decorous life, it may her writing to this friend. about "dined out every evening with can help him the girl. How the he said, though I am not so sure on her tragedy of "Charles the First from twenty to thirty distinguish two are at last brought together that, writes Allan Monkhouse in which appears to have made some ed persons-thirty or forty more makes a story of continuous ro the "Manchester Guardian." One little stir. mantic interest that will hold the does not want Adelphi heroes, but reader to the very last page.

there is room for the herole which

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is something more than alick effect. licensee to refuse to license venty persons per diem."

The American magazine, atory it some years ago for Covent Gar published in New York, has lately den," but it was played at a thea have three or four clever men talk A MOVIE QUEEN! contained many stories of good tre over which the licensee had no ing to you from the moment you quality, and some of them are in control. It was not a mere auc- get up till you go to bed, and we cean; it was, as the author modest are hardly surprised to hear that ly acknowledges, "a triumph" and she "got to faint away regularly "praised too by the boat judges." every aftomgen. In those days

every way unexceptionable.

the British Empire book rights

True Representation Of American Life?

in The Life Story of CAWA Yet a friendly critic, writing to Unfortunately the manager de fainting was a ladylike accom- Scott, by himself. It will include the editors, mentions several "eup camped without wing Miss Mit plishment, hockey, long alks, and the story of his flight in the Lon- positions with which, at some ford, and the actor of high genius boneless corsete don-Melbourne air race.

time, he had credited them. Among who played. Cromwell had been so All this was a hundr

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