Potpourri of Politics and Travelogue
Naft, Stephen
Books in Review Potpourri of Politics and Travelogue Review by STEPHEN NAFT SOUTH AMERICA U SCEN SORE U. The Real Stery »f Fascist Power Polities in South America. By Roland Hall Sharp. N*W York:...
...Price 12.60...
...Footman's book is not an original study based on first-hand material, but a good compilation of the literature that has appeared in the recent years...
...of the smaller fascist-controlled neighbors, Bolivia and Paraguay, and of democratic Uruguay is, according to till author, the main source for the spread of fascist ideetegieal justifications of nationalist ambitions, aad the attempt oi the present rulers of Argentina to find a mass support for their aspirations...
...Greek Folklore Review hy 4RISTODIMOS HAt DIS A PROVERB FOR IT...
...At present, when no word in our vocabulary is more often used loosely, falsely and abusively than the expreasion "fascist," the author deserves praise for his very objective two pages of definitions of the terms dictatorship, totalitarianism, authoritarianism, fascism, naaism and communism...
...This act repre-aented the climactic point in the development of that organisation, and at the same time inaugurated a change in the Itus Km democratic public opinion...
...3.M...
...Footman's attempt to describe the main stages of its struggle, from the 60's to the eft's of the last century, should therefore be welcomed...
...Translated from Cueek by A. Arpajogbm...
...lVllSS BOKKR tells the story of Shanghai and the American colony there during the last year and a halt' before Pearl Harbor...
...Hence the schematic nature of the book which leads the author te some misstatements concerning views held by certain groups.aad individuals...
...The translator, Ann Arpajogloti, did a very good job, considering the difficulty of this special kind of translation...
...By Kdns Lee Hoke ?, in collaboration with John S. Poller...
...It is not accidentally that the greatest Russian writers—for instance, Dostoevaky, Leskor, Turgenev—paid ta much attention to the so-called nihiUsia...
...N*W York: Longmans, C.reen ? Co., 1946...
...These Shanghai internees experienced no "death march of Bataan...
...When Potter was released to return home on the (iripsholm, he was able to .smuggle past the Jap guard "certain business information" written on a roll of paper and concealed in a cigarette...
...M3 pag...
...The author's attention is centered on the most dramatic moments in the life of Nojrodnaia Volia...
...His experience as an internee was unpleasant, but not needlessly brutal...
...Power politics between Brazil and Argentina for the contra...
...the almighty Tsar of Russia, fell a victim to a terroristic net performed by Sarod-naia Volia, a revolutionary organization which earned great merit ia the history of Russian democracy...
...After all, Zhelyabov serves him only as an illustration...
...Miss Baker's description of life in Shanghai under the gradually tightening restrictions of the Japanese has all the atmosphere of Southern plantation life...
...he, a real estate operator, dictated a solier factual account with no literary pretensions but with a satisfying clarity and business-like conscientiousness...
...The publisher's blurbs are enthusiastic...
...Two Americans in China Review by ftOIEftT T. OLIVER FLICHT FROM CHINA...
...They gave little attention to Greek folklore— the culture of wide strata of the people...
...The book is prefaced by an enlightening introduction by Dr...
...Yale University Press...
...Genesis of Russian Revolution Review by » %Ar" Red...
...There are few English books dealing with the history of the Russian revolutionary movement...
...The author expresses mild astonishment at Lomberdo Totcdano's support of Vargas and his ambiguous speech during bis visit in Rio de Janeiro.' Sharp would doubtless have been more astou-isted had be known that Brazil's Communist Party recently came out officially in support of General Dutra, the presidential candidate sponsored by Vargas, and against the candidate of the liberal and democratic sections of the country...
...Macmillnn, 1945...
...Missee's social cal-eniinr, dress, and activities must be meticulously supervised to preserve her from either trouble or mistakes...
...Kape, barbarism, and murder—wanton destruction and wholly needless cruelty—suave cunning and sophisticated inhumanity — all are charges the Japanese cannot gainsay...
...Worthy of note is the author's tribute to Ezequiel I'adilla, Mexico's Minister of Foraign Affairs, one of the few truly democratic and liberal «nti-totafitarian statesmen of l.atin America...
...The Gieek proverbs gathered by the author if .4 Proverb for It serve to convey to thrf leader the background of Greek life...
...opportunity to know prewar China, and to observe at uncomfortably close first-hand the changes wrought by the Japanese occupation...
...Pages ? 236...
...Since the fall of Athens, the Greeks have led a rebellious life against their oppressors...
...i-' 7» On March 1, 1881, Alexandet II...
...If Footman intended to study it, he had to devote more space to it...
...TJbe first part (114 pages), entitled •Tunglee of Fascism," gives a surrey of fascist activities, organisations, influence and power, open or disguised, in Argentina, Brasil, Bolivia and Paraguay...
...Of particular interest is Sharp's contention that the Vargas dictatorship in Brszil, though outwardly only mildly fascist or less obviously so than that in Argentina, is more insidious and dan-geroui...
...II ·. more or lea's, blsmes the American State Department for the growth of Argentine fascism and its aggressive militarism, which he ascribes to our baring armed Brasil out at all proportion to ber defense needs...
...We are, of course, interested in the author's report on the role of "the fascists in these countries...
...Since the author gathered his material with great thorou'ga'aVs» his book is remarkable for its reliability, and is very useful a- an introduction, tu the history of the Russian revolutionary movement...
...This is the source of both the merits ami demerits of the book...
...then came the Japanese—and the luxury and charm vanished...
...longtime newspaper woman, writes in a »tyle reminiscent of 19th century poseurs...
...Master's bridge parties required every other member of the household to retire with bated breath...
...From this point of view, special 'line is to be attributed to the illustra!i.ins, among which are (he most successful accomplishments of J. Vassos...
...29 and 30...
...The third section, (IBS pages), entitled "Portrait of a Continent," is exactly what the title says, an interesting, vivid, pano-rsmic description of these four countries, richly interspersed with reports of personal experiences, observations and anecdotes...
...Potter dictatttd his story with restraint and a piling up of specific instances...
...Clarence A. Manning...
...Footman emphatically Stresses" the anti-Semitic notes allegedly characteristic of Zhelyabov (pp...
...Her story is an epitome of the "Shanghai mind...
...The Chinese are always picturesque...
...160 and ··,«*¦, or to represent the "populists," who at the Voronezh Conference opposed Zhele-abov's views on the methods of political struggle, .as proponents of mere cultural and charitable work among the peasantry...
...It is, however, questionable whether his method of relating these erenta in the framework of the biography of one of its leaders, Zhelyabov, is right...
...The sudy of modern Greece has begun only recently...
...New Win Id Publishers...
...This wisdom serves not only children, but also scholars and artists inspired by dances and songs which have lived through five thousand year...
...They felt that the nihilists had challenged he existing system of ideas, ana assailed its very foundations But this universal significance which is to be attributed to the work of the Russian revolutionaries, and which is so obvious in retrospect, finds no reflection in Footman's book...
...They can-be observed even today among Greek peasants and fishermen who aie still leading a primitive life...
...He brought back a well-written book, whine principal section...
...3.00...
...To her Chinese are inscrutable, marvel-ously efficient servants, who speak pidgin English, observe rigid codes, are completely loyal, and make life for "master and missee" very comfortable...
...He does make clear the miseries of ordinary, near-humane war imprisonment...
...jl^ few casual remarks lacking any proof produce a strange impression upon the reader...
...What they write confirms the stories of other reputable witnesses ami adds to the heavy load of guilt the Japanese must bear...
...A reader of the lunik might well be led to believe that China was a land that existed for Ihe side purpose of making a few lucky foreigners wealthy and indescribably care- free...
...1945 2(52 pp...
...This reviewer is not among them...
...chum was a land of luxury ami charm...
...JP tti a relatively short time ago scholars all over the world who were interested in Greece centered their attention on the study of Greek classics...
...It ia the same former Police President Dutra whom only a few years age all liberal* and Communists denounced as the soul of all fascist arctivities in Brazil...
...New trends appeared on the scene and stimulated the movement which in 1917 flooded Ruasia...
...This, in turn, roused Argentina's fear of losing her "right" of South American hege ¦sony, and hence the armament race against Brasil...
...elude by David Foielmmn, The life «I the Rueeion Terrorist 7.htlguboo...
...deal, however, with two entirely separate subjects...
...The book also includes maps and thirty-two pages »f excellent photographs taken by the author...
...It is for instance wrong to describe Mikhailovsky, the theoretical head of the Russian "populist" movement, as a liberal (pp...
...and other similar inevitable accompaniments of imprisonment...
...The demerit of the book lies in the underestimation of the ideological m. heritance left by the groups which it describes...
...They sought a breath of fresh air on the high peak« of the Greek mountains, in their precipitous ravines or on the rocky and barren islands...
...In ,tbi« book the record is clear...
...This clear distinction, rarely found in the prose of political writers, not to speak of our charming contemporaries in whose vocabulary Alter and Ehrlich and every contributor to The New Leader ig a "fascist," greatly contributes to the reliability of Sharp's analysis of South AineiL-un fascist movements...
...the pages are liberally sprinkled with "Missee, my think so you not got so many dress," and "Please, Missee, ran come kitchen-side...
...Pood was insufficient and <tf a poor quality...
...ThK author went to South America ait correspondent oi The Christian Science Monitor...
...Its merits consist in informing the reader about events that exercised considerable influence upon Russian and world history...
...her husband contributes another hundred pages on his nine-month internment by the Japanese...
...Otherwise, the suffering was chiefly because of lack of news, lack of accustomed comforts anil activities, enforced idleness, a -tense of frustrat ion...
...Padilla's ¦andidacy for President is opposed by a Koalition of the leactionary wing of the PMK, Mexico's ruling party, and of the communist-controlled Me-jican Federation of Labor, headed by Lombardii Toledano...
...Miss Boker's previous book on China was well received...
...Jap guards were lax enough so prsoners could rig up secret electric light connections and read in their bunks after "lights out" at 10:10...
...The Jewish problem ia the history of the Russian revolutionary movement is too aerious a subject to be dealt with in the stride...
...Illustrated by John ViMSin...
...He points out in his book the term "communism" is not used "for everyone with leftist tendencies any more than all extreme rightists are called fascists, unless these definitions apply...
...Many readers will doubtless like this book...
...Tha vicissitudes of this life found their expression in popular proverbs, those gems of the people's wisdom which parents and grand-parents tried to instill in the minds of the young as the wisdom carried down from time immemorial...
...Edited and compiled by H. J. Markelos...
...The two had an umiAua...
Vol. 28 • October 1945 • No. 42
