Evening Star Newspaper, September 27, 1931, Page 85

VUMAN nature, good business, climate plus depth and chemistry of soil, cheap land, a pressing problem of industry—and there you have slav- ery in the United States. To be sure, slavery developed into an in- section. In equal certainty, it away in another section after a prief period of experiment. But in either case, and in both, the issue rested upon the union component parts or upon their dis- n. case in point: The soil of New England and climate were against any practical ad- vantage rising from ownership of the Negro. Therefore slavery was abandoned—an unprofit- able business expedient. However, slavery did survive, in effect, for many years in New Eng- land by virtue of its lucrative ship-carrying trade between the African coast and that of Southern But in the South slavery developed, as we know, into an institution of political, social and tion as to account for a great majority of the claims to nobility of birth and descent that tre so glamorously dear to the most »f mankind. Transferred from its logical sphere of in- dustry to the realm of religion and morals, slavery became the cause of the crusader, most flercely militant of the forces of righteousness. And the Puritan of the North became the tor became the rampant abolitionist. interesting human point here is that, obliged 'or one cause or other to forego a thing, any- so0 despoiled becames virtuous intolerant beyond measure of the condemned thing. in respect to Negro slavery. ot wholly from that fundamental human trait, but there the element was, it. The South settle the question. A war of hatred and false claim and both sides of the boun- now, is not important. official seat of a united L33 SEE cpilget momentous need. And just tli!.s sort ormation and tuitiop is being cffered to public. Here is a case in point, = distinguished case in peint: B8 E BLAVE-TRADING IN THE OLD SOUTH. By Frederic Bancroft, author of “Life of Wil- liam H. Seward,” etc. Illustrated. Balti- more: J. H. Purst Co. OCUMENTED and of scientific first-hand approach is this comprehensive survey of the matter in . Bources c¢f information were sought by Mr. Bancroft in New Orleans, Richmond, District of Columbia waiting purc masters. The book is illustrated for the pur- pose of making visual every pcssible circum~ stance bearing upon this busin¢ss. From such € search and summary ceriain facts stand clear. Facts that have been the theme of many a hot dispute and lasting enmity. Here is one: Pamilies were separated in this enterprise. Another, children were sold away from~ their parents, young children and those not so young. Another, the breeding of slaves was a practice, comparable to th- breeding of horses for speed or strength, of cows for milk and bufter capacity, of pigs for sweet bacon and Smithfield ham. So the pickaninnies were with many ewners a crude form of eugenics by way of mating healthy forbears. Shockihg! Yes, but that is not the point. The truth is the significant point. Chapter by chapter Mr. Bancroft pursues the subject through the rise and growth of this enterprise, stopping at high points of circum- stance and sequence, of cause cud effect. He pictures Charleston at the heigit of its trade and our own District of Columbia as “the very seat and center” of the business. Memphis and New Orleans receive attention duc their importance in this respect. At the last of this engrossing investigation Mr. Ban-roft submits estimates as to “numbers, transactions and values.” ‘Why such ardors of scholarship and research upon this particular theme? Why such cone crete organization of indisputable detail into this comprehensive study? It is all over. Why not let the past alone? That is the great point. There is no past, just as there is nc present. Both belong to all that which is to come. And here lies the deep value of this exceptionally @istinguished unit of historic research. We have a large Negro population. Living side by side with us. These have the same political rights as we have, the same industrial demands, the same economic setting. Whatever these are as part of the nationul life they are by virtue of the facts and inheritances of those long years of slavery in this free eountry. Until we, the white people, are famfliar with those years in their work upon character—in=- , honesty, thrift, susceptibility to educa= $lon and the duties of a co-operatirg citizen- - NEW 2% 1DA GIIBERT MYER/ When the Question of Slavery Was Taken Up by the Crusader—Health Through Will Power— New Fiction of the Season. ship—until we, the white people, are familiar with that cld sceding ground, we shall stand in self-diminished strength as a part of our own country. No, Mr. Bancroft was not indulging himselt in an adventure of high scholarship and in the art of portrayal. He was preparing an in- valuable document for all of us to use in living up to our part in the wellbeing of this great commonwealth. Only a chapter of national I can think of nothing, just now, New York: The Century Co. PURE evocation of Pagan beauty. Magic drawn out from those far-away years when the £ éafi gsf il Uik il jif HY i?g g¥ g% 'S Efigiilgifi Eigggiés.g ol M HEH T @zgsagigfiégi i gigfigg i g g g 7 i 4 i E33sEE Eg i g i i £ E FEEREREF L1 ity ik §'§§E§ i fiits ] Lt ] i 8 | its beautiful rightness is glowing and lovely thro . recapture of the pagan spirit by Summer journey of a modern young the ancient high-set hamlet of Fantosque., -3 e A ! ; HEALTH THROUGH WILL POWER. James J. Walsh, M. D.,” Ph.D.,, author of “What Civilization Owes to Italy,” etc. Bos- ton: The Stratford Co. T°S just too bad that so fine a budget of pro- fessional knowledge and experience, that for distribution, bit by bit, among the spineless sons of men. Man has no will, none to mention. He has only lamertations after the “fact ac- complished” th-t he had not trained himself against just such <’saster as the one upon him. That which. steps away from immediate desire, ne matter how life-giving nor how soul-saving it may be, that is the ne In spite of the fact that ability and experience is, against the wind, yet it § R too, in its physical behaviars yields to the will, g0 this author declares out of a wide experi- ence. And, believe it or not, even “feminine ills” also can be delivered free from really fatal effects. A day-by-day book, filed with direction and advice drawn from expert knowledge and pro- jected in the plain speech of weekday prac- tice. If only there were any appreciable amount 11] JOW we heathen fret about those who try to make us true and beautiful and good”—Gerald Stanley Lee talking—“How is it people can seriously pick themselves out to be professors, physicians, lawyers, artists and even ministers in a day like this and a civili- zation like ours?” “What is our civilization doing and going to do with them and what are T free sources of supply for the story, for the short story. And radio adventures are crowd- presents Juvenile matter. So much of banality, of sentimentality, of mawkishness even, has with all good intent gone into writings for this class that it is like a rainbow of promise g EEEE 1 ofgk KA FEpsff gt Foatedinagtio E%?E%:tggg'gfi 4 T 3&E§Eai§rr§§3:§§!§t§§3§ deal. So long as we of vide crimes in actuality way, so to speak—just so I novelist keep alive to make only trouble at the moment load, excess in production. avénues of distribution. < “Easy to Kill” gives asample of the original. ity designed to invite attention and general acceptance. Two novel elements enter the story. Both are as up to date as tomorrow or next week. One of these is a woman in the role of super-sleuth. And why not? The other suggests, in slight measure, a mass pro- duction of murder that fits the current of the exclusive neighborhood that backs the whole matter., “Easy to kill,” these old folks. “Death from natural causes” stands as the prime conspirator of the bad man in such sudden taking off of ome and another of the wealthy ancients lving in seclusion here and there. The murderer escapes any hint of suspicion. Naturally. But—that part is for you. The best of the story centers upon the lady detective and her friendships in this new setting for her. She is good. Good because she has brains and charm. Good -chiefly, however, because she is quite believable. Al. most something for the author to brag about —that Madame Detective. He is very likely too modest for that. Writers are as a rule of the retiring stripe. So, let us, having read “Easy to Kill,” praise him a bit on our own account, Books Received vanced Points for Advanced Players. ; Julia Van Dernoot. New York: The Cen- tury Co. Commit Spiritual Assembly of and Canada. GOODBYE AND TOMORROW. By Leans Zugsmith. New York: Horace Liveright, GOODLY COMPANY; a Book of Quotations and Proverbs. By Jessie E. Logan. Chi- TURE By Victor G. Vecki, M. D. Boston: Stratford Co. BRIDGE DECISIONS; How Fast Can You Make Them? By David H Van Damm, BLOND INDIAN SEED More Ecomomical Than ' Most Harmiless—Natural 16 oz......75c “A BRILLIANT book— and delectable reading. $2.50 Nius. All Book Stores. ., WARREN & PUTNAM, N. Y.