"Three Soldiers" in Judge, has
a good time snickering to h
over the author's funny name th
doesn't get time to offer much
cism. He does say, however,
"There is no question of its sin
It is the hurt, angry cry of a fin
who has felt the crush of the mi
stamper. We heartily recomme
to the disarmament conference.'
Although he has not yet pu
criticized the book, H. L. Menc
quoted by the publishers as s
that it is the best book yet w
about the war by an American.
In reviewing. "Three Soldiers
'The New Republic, Francis HE
handles the novel more from an
cal than a literary standpoint. H
it primarily as an argument a
conscription. "It is," he says,
vileness of conscription that giv
much force to 'Three Soldiers'
A. E. F. contained its high prop.
of young ien who should never
been soldiers. But as one see
machine working the marvel ic
so much rebellious spirit was re
in'this seething novel. And that,
all, is the best part of it. Mr
Passos's young man is indub
self-centered, morbid, bitter, bu
resistance is a fine thing. If
states cannot launch great war
less they mobilize public opinion
the sooner we learn to realize
our one hope of freedom is var
independent opinion the better."
But it is in two other New
publications that one mray fin
most comprehensive and dispa
ately analytic reviews. These p
are The Literary Review of The
York Post and The Nation,
Henry Seidel Canby, editor o
Literary Review, says "'Three
diers' is the first American war
written with sufficient passion
vividness of detail to count as1
Edison I
THE MICHIGAN DAILY MAGAZINE
such ture." He regrets the fact that the a matter of fact, he was neither of
imself novel will probably be discussed as these, as The Nation's critics make
eat he propaganda rather than literature. clear. He was merely a hypersensi-
criti- "To build up an argument against the tive, artistic soul who, through no
that A. E. F. and the conduct of the war conscious disloyalty, hated the army
cerity. out of materials like these is mani- and all the restrictions it placed upon
e soul festly absurd." In summing up his his individuality. He was impractical,
litary estimate, Mr. Canby says, "It is by no a visionary sort of a fellow who would'
end it means a perfect book, but it is a very have failed anywhere, and naturallyj
engrossing one, a first-hand study, enough he makes a failure of war.
blicly finely imagined and powerfully creat- The "Three Other Soldiers" also
ken is ed. Its philosophy we may dismiss as point out that "Mr. Dos Passos's book
aying incomplete; its conception of the free is not a chamber of ordinary horrors
ritten soul tortured, deadened, diseased by and so as a war novel it lacks the
the circumstances of war, we cannot appeal that civilians ordinarily expect.
" for dismiss. It is convincing, even though By( suppressing combat scenes the
ackett partial." author clearly shows that his emphas-
i ethi- I think of all the criticism I have is is intentionally on character as
e sees read of this novel, that by "Three affected by circumstances-particu-
gainst Other Soldiers" in The Nation comes larly by those scenes of crazing mon-
"this closest to a true understanding and otony behind the lines."
ves so appreciation of Mr. Dos Fassos's book.
The Waving aside "Three Soldiers" as a
ortion document, they say "it is first of all
'have a competent work of art, dealing as
as the any work of art must do with a special
that case, the case of John Andrews, third
tained and most important of three soldiers "
after ruined in France. John Andrews was,
. Dos, not an average soldier any more than
itably Hamlet was an average prince. He A w
it his was an exquisitely educated youth, a e
great musician who promised to pe a com- ore
's on- poser; he was hypersensitive; he was Vale
, then incapable of philosophy or humor in
that critical places; and he was only twen-
ety of ty-two. He had no more place in the
slaughter-house of the Western Front t
York than Hamlet had in a primitive and
d .the ruffian court. The truth of the book CO
ssion- is the truth for Andrews and not for Vak A n rp Razo
gapers those coarser souls who may have l ®
New enjoyed the war and who now declare
that Mr. Dos Passos has insulted the An @ l t k ku I
f The A. E. F.
Sol- Here these critics strike on a point a e46r razer
book which all the other reviewers have ap- 4tk a o46 . t Valet.
and parently overlooked. The others called
litera- Andrews "yellow" and "spineless." As "aint t W Wil present.
Co- i and si oneith
Calkins-FletcI
Ee ctne Iron
,. S
If this is, indeed, the author's pur-
pose, he has fulfilled it well. It is
noticeable teat all the critics, no mat-
ter in what manner they disagree with
Dos Passos, admit that he can write.
That his story is typical, or aims to
be typical, I think none of them be-
lieve. Yet such things as he relates
not only could have happened but
probably did happen in some instances.
He has told them passionately and
with a great deal of technical and
artistic skill. In so doing, he has
created a book which is a piece of.
art. Regardless of question of the
verity of the subject matter, the book
will, I believe, long outlive the criti-
cism against it.
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