C THEl M1('I(,AN DI)ALY .......... ......... . ....... .... . ........ . .... -.1 ................ ..... . ......... IN THE WORLD OF BOOKS HUXLEY Exchanges His Satire For Exposition In Latest ENDS AND MEANS, by Aldous Hux- lep, Harper & Brothers Publishers, 1937, 386 pages. By HUGO M. RICHARD Aldous Huxley has come a long way since the days when he wrote those light satirical early novels of his. He has become so thoughtful that he is better viewed now as a literary philosopher than as a mere novelist. In his latest book, a kind of exposi- tory 'treatise called Ends and Means, he shows himself more profound than ever, also more controversial and pro- pagandistic. Ends and Means is an attempt to relate the politics, economics, and reform movements of our modern world to a personal ethic. In elab- orating this thesis, Huxley touches on practically every issud of our day. He writes extremely absorbing and provocative discussions of reform, violence, the modern state, the plan- ned society. He considers the prob- lems of war and inequality. He an- alyses education and religion. And his final chapters deal with the prob- lems of good and evil, mind and body, a chaotic or purposeful universe, and the formulation of an ethical credo. Huxley covers so much ground with so much brilliance and erudition that one is likely to be dazzled into accept- ing his conclusions too gullibly. The truth of the matter is that Huxley is writing a prolemic; consequently his assertions must all be examined critically. At least three of his con- tentions are exceedingly suspect. In the first place Huxley chooses to think that the universe we inhabit is orderly, purposeful, meaningful; while a universe of this sort would be a very nice thing to have around, (so friendly and convenient), it can be percieved, Huxley admits, only Au-A-air, freedom, dignity and hope, in first time in history, thousands of country, to 'reveal' some of their new- R E IN. AAwhich there was room for growth." educated youths, stirred to great von learning to the intellectually - Review Of Its History One of the most memorable para- dreams themselves by a universe of sterile countryside, the dark-living graphs and a fitting close to an in- scientific knowledge to which they peasantry, and have sought to en- adequate review follows: have suddenly been given access, list its alliance in building this ''.ore RED STAR OVER CHINA, by Edgar with length and width, but no per- forced around all Soviet districts by "dqat reis 'lowsshave 'enly be gen acced lis t lie i building Snow. Random House. New York,'cpil eth h hns Cr-N fUti"nyafw What this communism' has have 'returned to the people' turned abundant life' . .. and to a startling $3.00. munists emerge as real, vital people e ago, whens.h Unte on t f amounted to in a way is that for the back to the deep soil-base of their degree they have won it." By JOSEPH BERNSTEIN The life of Mao Tse-Tng, the Chi-theuointh the o ntf There have been a number of re- his own words and is as integral and Party had been virtually effected,, views of Edgard Snow's Red Star great a part of Red Star Over China Communism was a crime punishable Over China. Those in the New York- as soliloquies in Shakespeare's plays. by death in China. This explains the er, Nation and New Republic are par- There is no attempt to reconcile ir- scarcity of news, except for accounts_-.-.------ ticularly fine. John Gunther calls reconcilables, it is not written by a in the Communist International's it "magnificent"; Havelock Ellis, Marco Polo of the 20th century or by publications. "The Real China"; Herald Tribune, a partisan attempting to throw ban- Formerly the Chinese Communists _ _ __ _ _ "Authentic"; New York Times, "de- ana oil on troubled waters. Mr. Snow occupied territory in the southeast scription of one of the major and neither falls in love with a Chinese portion of China, where they with- most dramatic facts in modern his- princess, nor rides across Inner Mon- stood four giant "extermination" tory"; Malcolm Cowley, "one of the golia on an elephant, nor suffers a campaigns led mostly by Chiang greatest feats in our century"; and great moral transformation resulting Kai-Shek. They were almost com- so on. When this reviewer, then, in his retiring to an Italian villa to pletely unsuccessful: "it has cost the _----- - tells you that he considers it worth- speculate on life. It is the work of Chinese people about $80,000 for while, he is in good, though varied a good correspondent who saw where every Red soldier killed." In 1933, company. history was being made and not a Chiang Kai-Shek mobilized almost Mr. Snow has avoided the marring scoop with complete pictures. one million troops for a final cam- - personal superfluities of most for- There are about 9,000,000 Chinese paign. Meanwhile, Japan had "ac- eign correspondents filling in their Communists living in China's great quired" Manchuria during one "fi- PRIC ES PA for p spare time by writing a book. His northwest. They are occupying a nal exammation" drive. Invaded book is a straightforward, convinc- territory about twice the size of Eng- Shanghai during another and the ing model of reportage; generally re- land. Mr. Snow is the first person to province was badly impaired during portage is a two-dimensional form have broken the news blockade en- the fifht "remnant-bandit extermin- ation." ------~-~--~~~~~~~~~ ----~~~ The Chinese Reds decided to leave their insecure base and establish a Eve Curie W rites Superlati enew one in the northwest. The story of this heroic trek provides epic ma- __ terial for a greater war and peace.A N YT M E__ BO ffluustriov s Lvlotrer After marching more than 6,000 _ IImiles, fighting all the way, they "fi-_ --- - ---___ -- --- --- ---- -nally reached their objective with _------ MADAME CURIE, a biography by Pierre and Marie toiled and slaved their nucleus still intact, and their Eve Curie. Translated by Vincent together, he working for a professor- morale and political will evidently as Sheean. Doubleday, Doran and sestrong as ever. . . Hannibal's march Co., New York. $3.50. ship, she for her doctors degree. Ma- over the Alps looks like a holiday ex- rie decided to base her thesis on te cursion beside it." Mr. Snow de-! By ETHEL NORBERG "very active" rays given off ir, certain scribes the Soviet state that was Discoverer of radium, twice recipi- ores of uranium found in pitchbiende. organized: the program and the peo- ent of the Nobel Prize, with a list of Four long years of work in which ples, the social and political life, medls nd onoar tilesfiv paesPierre left his job to help her, two tond tsmahine industry redstrbu long--this is the record of Marie brains, four hands finally made in a tion of land, abolition of usury, aboli-FOLLETT'S Curie's life. I draughty shed an astounding dis- tion of tax-extortion, elimination of Under the skillful pen of her youn- covery-radium! privileged groups," cooperatives, MICHIGAN BOOK STORE ger daughter, Eve, this powerful, fas- The two young people published the single-standard marriage laws, social cinating character has come to life. results of their research, the value of insurance, universal education, thea- 322 South State Street at North University Phone 6363 It is small wonder that the biograph- radium, the process of obtaining it. tres, etc. "Here was a life at last of er should be as brilliant and talented But it was quite awhile before this good health, exercise, clean mountain by a mystical insight, a method of as is evidenced by her style of writing, 1 proof that is hardly appealing to when one considers her mother's ex-r many callous realists. In the second treme, almost superhuman, intellect.t place, Huxley makes a statement that Ably translated from the French by9 is going to make him unpopular with Vincent Sheean, this book is one of1 part of his collegian public; he in- the "musts" of the year.'E sists that chastity is indispensable to The story unfolds like the most fas-r a working ethic and to cultural cinating novel. Marie Sklodovski, thef achievement. Possibly such a posi- daughter of two brillinat school- tion is the natural recoil or reaction teachers, spent her youth in oppressed of a novelist who has too long been Poland-oppressed by the might of preoccupied with oversexed char- Imperial Russia. The family group, acters. consisting of her parents, three sis-t The third questionable conclusion ters and a brqther, clung together that Huxley offers is ,the statement bound by a patriotic fervor for their1 that the means adopted for achieving downtrodden country, venging theirz an end always modify or infect the hatred as best they could against the end itself, changing and distorting the Tsarist . regime by which they had1 result. Most people will agree with been impoverished. All of the chil-t HIuxley that "the goal of those who dren were brilliant in school, but wish to change society for the better Manya, as Marie was called, came offc is freedom, justice and peaceful co- with highest honors. She worked like operation between non-attached, yet a Trojan and even the Russian teach-F active and responsible individuals."'ers, who despised the little Pole, had1 Yet many people disagree with Hux- to concede that she was an excellent ley's belief that utterly pacifistic student. At an early age she exper-1 means can bring men to this goal. enced sorrow when her mother andP Many will urge that more dynamic eldest sister died in close succession.I and militant means are needed, and At the age of 17 Marie went to will intimate that Huxley's antipathy ;work as a governess to help put her to anything but love and charity on sister through the Sorbonne. Later, the grounds of the ends-and-means by dint of hard work and half-starva- rule-of-thumb is the rationalization Lion, she entered that famous school of a man who is afraid to face the herself in the physics department. A facts, who is skittish and mistaken in quiet, unimposing little figure was his choice of the means of reform. she, thinking only of her studies. It [n ENDS AND MEANS Huxley has was there that she met Pierre Curie written an incisive commentary on who, at first attracted by her re-. our tortured society and a dubious markable scientific knowledge, soon fell in love with her. handbook for reconstruction. There enstiled the happiest marital relationship imaginable between the Recent & Forthcomi ng tw ophysicists. working in collabora- R3uionuntil death by accident took one Fictiont of them. boon to science and mankind was recognized. Then they were offered the Nobel Prize in physics which gained them instant recognition. Public and press, alike, fairly haunt- ed them, driving them mad. But it resulted in Pierre's obtaining a pro- fessorship at the Sorbonne. However, this good fortune was short lived. One cold, misty day in April, 1906, while Pierre was walking absentmindedly across a crowded thoroughfare he was struck down by a horse and wagon and immediately killed. How did Marie take this loss? Choked with grief inside, walking around in a daze, writing to Pierre in her diary, she did not dare to realize that she would never see him again. In the midst of her grief, she was offered her husband's professorship at the Sorbonne, the first woman ever to be given such a position. From that time until her death, Marie worked arduously, never thinking of her health, of herself, of feminine pleasures. "It was a complete de- personalization, a concentration of all her soul upon the work she was doing ... I: TWLJGHT C ONCERT I How About That J-Hop Date? Remind her With FLOWERS from CHELSEA FLOWER SHOP 203 East Liberty Telephone 2-2973 WINTER IN APRIL, by Robert Na- than. Knopf, $2.00. THE WOODEN SPOON, by Wyn Griffith. Dutton, $2.50. THE PIONEERS, by Courtney Riley Cooper. Little, Brown, $2.00. THE SAILOR'S HOLIDAY, by Eric Lnklater. Farrar & Rinehart, $2.00. FISHOW'S WATCH and JEWELRY REPAIR 347 Maynard Cor. William Watch Crystals 35c University Of Michigan Concert Band WILLIAM D. REVELLI, Conductor * Hil uditorium l For Efficient Review of COURSES The Student Outline Series * The College Outline Series * Oxford Review Series . " f " 5V " f 75c TODAY at 4:15 P M. 0 0 68c III at ~ COMPLIMENTARY 11 11 v -- -- ._ - - -