BOOKS of the WEEK

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 171, 15 April 1933, Page 17

BOOKS of the WEEK

jßepiews and Passing Notes

THE IMMORTALITY OF MAN

New Points of View on Religion and Sex

“That Immortal Sea,” by Clifford Bax (Loudon: Lovat Dickson). In “That Immortal Sea,” the second volume to be Issued' in what the publishers call "The Bedford Edition of Clifford Bax’s works,” the author presents and expounds his reflections on religion and sex. Believing that the world is due for a strong revival of religious belief, Mr. Bax, with an eye for the modern man who has little religion and less morality, boldly suggests the paths that the new religious spirit and the new morality, as formulated by himself, will follow. The bombshells thrown with such force by Darwin, Ereud, and Einstein exploded so many accepted notions, and the squibs let off by Anatole Erance, Bernard Shaw, and H. G. Wells made amusing diversions for the intellectuals. But they have, now that the smoke has cleared, in no way “invalidated a belief in God or the soul.” Similarly the calculations of the astronomers, that place the earth in an insignificant position in the scheme <-f things, though they have reduced belief in anthropomorphism, are themselves reduced to zero when spiritual and immortal matters are under discussion; even the problems of cruelty and suffering that form for many the biggest stumbling-block to acceptance if belief in a benevolent and all-wise Providence,’are, to the author's way of thinking, problems that can.be solvedIn attempting to prove man's immortality, Mr. Bax casts a net over a wide and, at times, vague sea of religious belief, drawing therefrom ideas of Egyptian, Hindu, Chinese, Greek, and Christian origin in support of his argument. His only mention of established religion as a fantastic squirrel-cage of ideas, wherein even a man of high intelligence like Newman could only revolve, raises doubts as to the nature and extent of Mr. Bax’s inquiries. These lead to the belief that, as the human embryo recapitulates before birth the whole history of the race, from the fishlike gills and inonkey-like tail of our pre-human ancestors to the perfect human, in similar fashion the mind or man recapitulates the mental and spiritual history of humanity. The child discards the traces of the savage and becomes man, but, unfortunately, does not then pursue the struggle when it is most necessary for his welfare. Their bodies continue to live for many years, but spiritually they make no advance because they are dead. A great niahy people stop short when they have mentally developed up to the general level of their race and time. The latter part of the book is concerned with the changes brought about in conventional morals by contraceptives. Mr. Bax sees danger ahead in the relations of. married couples and contributes many constructive suggestions. NEW GUINEA GOLD “Gold-Dust and Ashes,” by lon L. Idriess (Australia: Angus and Robertson). This book will come as an entertaining revelation to those who imagined that the period of prospecting for fortunes in alluvial gold passed away with the close of the Klondike discoveries. Just over 10 years ago the first big gold strike wasmade in the Mandated Territory of New Guinea and for the fortunate few with the requisite experience and capital there were rich rewards. But the quest called for no ordinary qualities and the first few prospectors contended with the manifold disadvantages of tropical country infested with hostile natives. 'Mr. Idriess, in this rapidly-moving narrative, describes vividly all the stages of the advance from the solitary explorations of Shark-eye Bark, living and moving with the suspicious head hunters but respected by them, to the triuni pliant achievement of the Guinea Airways. Eight days from the coast on a tributary of the Bulolo River, Park hnade the initial discovery and a few determined men were soon on the field. Transport to and from the coast was effected by native carriers, procurable only by exhaustive expeditions into the interior and kept together with difficulty and expense. Many times these store trains were harassed by head hunters, whose ambushes could be checked only by a daring expedition into their villages. How John Levien, the far-seeing genius of the field, overcame the cumbersome carrier system is invigorating reading. The keen race to have the first machine on the newly-consructed aerodrome at the tiny port of Salamaua, the various difficulties of both parties through lack of capital and mechanical trouble torm a sterling record of human achievement. There is much, laughter even among the grimness of the perpetual struggle, humour in the artifice of the white man extracting obedience from the superstition of the native. The author handles with commanding pathos his culminating note of tragedy amidst success, when Levien, the man who had done so much for the fields and for New Guinea found an apposite resting place among the hills of his long toil. . . . It is a book to be enjoyed both for the perpetual thril*s of conflict and as a fitting tribute to the impelling energy of men in their search for the most elusive of all fortunes. MISCELLANY “Modern poetry is a thorny and tangled subject, into which the critic cannot penetrate without getting himself scratched. One can scarcely venture a word which will not seem controversial to somebody. —Mr. L. P. Hartley.

Mr Lloyd George is said to have finished ’ the 'first two volumes of his war memoirs, which will probably run into four volumes in all. The first volumes, dealing with the period before he became Prime Minister, nre likely.to be published serially before appearing in book form. Sir ' Oliver Lodge has just sent the manuscrint of a book to h‘s miblishers. At present the book is called The Ether of Space,” but it may be given the simpler title of “My Philosophy” before it is published This book may be the last that Sir Oliver will ever write. In nn aceomnanving note to his publishers he says ot the book: “U is really my pronouncement. probably tpy final pronouncement, to the world as to what I think of things in general.”

Sneaking of the function of poetry in the modern world, Mr. Wilfred Gilismi said in a recent lecture that it is a prime necessity because the poet crystallises his own and other people's experiences, and thus gives form and definition to life, lhe principle is not art for net’s sake, but ar for life's sake. Mr. Gibson added that writing poetrv demanded a skilled technique of emotion and expression, and defined it as a sort of celestial nintliematics which put two and two togetliei- and make one.

Mr. Archibald Henderson. Mr. Bernard Shaw’s biographer. has sold his collection of Shaw first editions and autograph letters -'- 54-page letter written in 1904 ..ivitig data for a biography fetched £480; a poem, - ‘Rain,” £2O; and autograph answers to fifteen questions on writing plays, £SO.

EMPIRE ANIMAL PRODUCTS “Animal Husbandry in the British Einpire,” by A. N. Duckham, M.A. (London: Oxford University Press). When the Imperial Bureau of Animal Nutrition was established four years ago at the Uowett Institute. Aberdeen, as a clearing station of information for research workers and other investigators, it was decided that one of the first tasks undertaken should be a survey of animal husbandry in the British Empire. Mr. Duckham was chosen to carry out this investigation, and the result of his labours has been published in book form. Over a thousand books, reports, and periodicals were consulted by Mr. Duek-i ham. who also had the added advantage of interviews with acknowledged authorities on the subject. Additional data was collected in the course of travel. From the information obtained he has compiled a brief but highly informative review of the significance, methods, problems, and potentialities of the live-stock and dairying industries of the British Commonwealth. All. New Zealanders, owing as they do their very existence to agriculture, might with profit to themselves read and study Mr. Duckham’s painstaking survey. His analysis of the position is characterised by a refreshing absence of the deadweight of statistics, Figures have been sparingly used, and then only when absolutely essential. In a foreword, Mr. Duckham’s chief, Dr. J. B. Orr, Director of the Ilowett liesearch Institute and the Imperial Bureau of Animal Nutrition. Aberdeen, very truly points out that farming is the Empire’s chief occupation, aud that the United Kingdom is the greatest market there is for aninial products. 'The force of this statement was never more apparent than it is to-day. At no time in the Dominion’s history has it been more obvious that the great key industries discussed by Mr. Duckham are the basis of this country’s prosperity, more so perhaps than the United Kingdom itself and other parts of the overseas Dominions more highly industrialised. Two chapters are devoted to an analysis of tlie position in Australia aud New. Zealand. Mr. Duckham stresses Low : dependant are New Zealand's livestock and dairying industries on world prices and markets. Lt is refreshing and indeed flattering to read that he considers New Zealand has the most efficient and highly mechanised animal industry in the world, with the possible exception of Deumin'’diseussing the beef industry, Mr. Duckham considers that if beef prices and economic conditions were favourable New Zealand could become a significant exporter of beef, especially if better quality and early maturity were aimed at. and if the industry were regarded less as a byproduct of fat-lamb production. He points out that the problems of long distance refrigeration without loss ot quality are rapidly being overcome. Great strides have been made by the dairying industry in New Zealand, anil one is reminded of these by Mr; Duekham. He makes the interesting statement that winter dairying is probably out ot the question on account of the unfavourable relation between the costs ot supplementary feeding' and returns for winter cream. At the slime time the author points! out that much could be done by ante-dating calving a month or so by the better feeding of dry cows, so that they come in at a higher level. . The possibilities of the pig-meat industry are discussed by Mr. Duekham. Me stresses the fact that Ireland and New Zealand are both grassland-dairying countries, where the pig population is closely eo-related with milk production, yet Ireland has a large bacon and pig-export industry, whilst New Zealand has <O,OOO sows and an almost negligible export "t pig-meat. The pig, lie says, was regarded in New Zealand as a useful drain pipe for dairy bv-produets for six months or so, and iis a hungry mouth in the winter. CAMEOS AND SKETCHES “Vagabond Flag,” by Essex Brooke (London i.Uape), “Outside Eden, by J. C. Squire (London: Heinemann). in his first book, Mr. Brooke has shown that he can produce something extremely readable. Yet it would not be unfair to "Vagabond Flag,” to state that there is promise in it of the writers doing e\en better in his next work. One gains an impression of great potentialities, not yet fully developed. .. This criticism is purposely slight, lot Mr. Brooke's talents greatly outshine Ins weaknesses. A genius is shown for atmospheric detail and delicate construction of theme that is delightful to encounter. His pictures, when once they are completed, stand out in the mind of the reader in bas relief, but occasionally the preliminary chipping at the surface of the stone is more tedious than it might be. The book is a collection ot short stories. They are not, properly speaking, stories, but 'there is no other convenient term, unless’it is “vignettes,” or, perhaps, “psychological pen sketches.” The an- i thor shows in his depicting of most of the characters an ingrained sympathy with frailties of the mind, undeveloped or distorted outlooks, and many varieties'of incompatibility of environment and personality. His skill iu producing fl finished likeness to the misunderstood subject is mixed with no description of selfcommiserating orgies such as is employed by many writers in the name ot the dramatic. Mr. Brooke may bo considered ns a writer with u very promising future before him. but Mr. .1. C. Squire is very definitely nt the height of his powers. Outside Eden” is the first volume of stories he has published since ’Lite Grub Street Nights Entertainments.” It shows nil the usual brilliance and that pleasant facility of expression, which makes eyen the slightest thing he writes, attractive. And some of the stories in this book ore certainly of no great importance. I hey are. however, well balanced by several ot Mr. Squire's best efforts, among which n particularly amusing tale of the Shake-speare-Bacon controversy and a crime story, "The Alibi” are outstanding. Perhaps finest of nil is the little sketch called "The Beader,” a study of the Briish Bending Boom nt a time when Mr. Squire was "a settled inhabitant of that peaceful, if slightly depressing pine,'. There was also in the reading room almost every day at that time “a neat little man . . looking like s «ery respectable Continental shopkeeper.” He attracted little attention ; in fact, he looked rather ordinary. His principal study was. “sociology, economic theory, and the philosophy of , history ; but he read good novels as well, , and lie occasionally perused., with apparent pleasure, volumes dealing with, the! shooting of game.” That man wns \ lad- I mir Ulinnov, later known to al] the world \ as Lenin. . , I And, says Mr. Squire, “what I regret | is that all that time at the Museum I did not speak to him. I did not notice nun. I I did not even know he was there.” I

RUSSIA INDICTED A Psychologist’s Picture of the Soviet Peoples “Russian Minds in Fetters,” by S. Mackiewicz (London: Allen and Unwin). In these impressions of conditions in the U.S.S.R., M. Mackiewicz paints a very forbidding picture. It is. of course, composed from one man’s opinions, but every statement made in his book he asserts, has been verfled by personal experience. He studies and weighs the problems of contemporary Russia from a psychological point of view and by so doing makes clear many issues which have hitherto been dark. Unlike the majority of writers about this much-discussed country, he states his facts with admirable restraint. He readily concedes that the youth of Russia are enthusiastic devotees of Communism and points out that'far from being a passing phase, this is a growing power that may, and will unless checked, spread farther than its birthplace.

• The author's psychological research makes clear the reasons why an entire nation now submits to a tyranny at least as bad as that of the Tsars. One reads of the rivalry incited between

groups of workmen, who are by this means exploited for utilitarian purposes; revolutionary excitement is fanned to hysterical despair by threats of war; insecurity is made sure by frequent issues of new and contradictory edicts in finance and law. No feature of life, as M. Mackiewicz observed it, is free from propaganda. The minds of the populace are drugged by it until hysteria ensues. The arts, whether drama, painting or sculpture, are encouraged only in forms that will further the teaching or prestige of Communism. Literature is encouraged within certain limits, the subject) being chosen for propaganda. Mentally the people are so restricted that they may be regarded as. victims of a potent drug or hypnotism. All individual thought, initiative and effort have been annulled. One objective alone remains—the deification of the new creed.

51. Mackiewicz found himself unable to judge the new Russia by the standards existing in other countries. No recognised standards of any kind could be applied there. Persecution, he states, is directed mainly toward three object's—firstly, religion, the one-tiine solace of all Russia; secondly, the “kylaks” (small farmers who still retain some manly Initiative) ; and thirdly, all national feeling, particularly patriotism. Physical privations further weaken a people suffering the insecurities of collectivism and espionage. The author had difficulty in purchasing ordinary | necessities. Everywhere he saw milelong queues—people waiting interminably for clothing, food, and even newspapers. All this shortage is explained away most convincingly by the leaders. Usually the blame is laid on some ill-wisher who intentionally damages the triumphs of Soviet construction—sabotage is blamed for practically every breakdown, the Stare itself being ever blameless.