HERRIOT SEES RUSSIA

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 86, 5 January 1935, Page 7

HERRIOT SEES RUSSIA

His Book a Laudatory Report to France

“Eastward from Paris,” by Edouard Herriot, translation from the French by Phyllis Megroz. (London: Gollancz). In a fairly recent cartoon by David Low, the nations of pie world, moving at the benign invitation of Mars, Master of Ceremonies, are shown taking their partners for the “next dance”; Germany is approaching Japan, and in another corner of the ballroom France and Soviet Russia are gravitating together. Between the cartoon and this book by M. Herriot, thrice Premier of France, in which he tells of his much publicised visit to Russia in July, 1933, I ■there is no small connection. M. Herriot, who proves himself a most scholarly politician, was sent to Russia as a national emissary. His were to be the eyes and ears of his nation, the information he found was to be gathered for his nation’s benefit. His was to be the task of reconciling the old anger and prejudices between the two nations, bourgeois and proletarian, in a demonstration of goodwill to wipe out memories of the intervention and later, all, in short, so that a military alliance might be welcomed. In this light, “Eastward from Paris” may be regarded as his report to the French people, their excuse for a graceful volte face.

From the point of view of Liberal Republican France, M. Herriot’s mission, being on behalf of peace, was therefore carried out in the spirit of a quest for truth. That, and the fact that his statements appear on the surface at least to be well balanced and documented, is about as far as one may go in attempting to be judicial over the real value of this “truth about Russia” book. The author is unambiguously enthusiastic, and he goes into a great deal of detail, much of it gathered at first hand, to show the reader why. M. Herriot entered Russia via Greece Bulgaria and Turkey, and left via Latvia, and of each of these places as he found them, politically and socially, he also has much to say that is of interest. I THE EARTH REVISITED Dr, Patridge’s Almanac 1935, by George Beaton. (London: Chatto and Wiudus). This almanac purports to contain the prophecies for 1935 of a seventeenth century astrologer whom Mr. Beaton brings back to earth some 200 years after his death with a mission to preach a gospel setting forth the futility of human life and endeavour, and offering in death “peace to those who would struggle no more, hate no more, pine no more.” Dr. Partridge, as he rises from his deep grave and meets the incoming stream of recent corpses, is said to hear them with one accord proclaiming their relief at escape from the horror and turmoil of human life to seek refuge in the grave. .

Dr. Partridge, then, returning reluctantly to earth at the instance of a higher power, finds men striving and battling without sense, order or coherence. The logical end of these activities was the release of death, and so he commenced his work.

The Almanac for 1935 contains prophesies for many days of the year. Beneath the outward cloak of sheer fantasy is concealed satire, tragedy, humour and even buffoonery. One is left hoping earnestly that human existence is not quite so dreadfully hopeless an affair as Dr. Partridge seies it and as he expresses it in his entry for November 5.

One, two. three, four, five—there are live great blessings to be had—lgnorance, Insensibility. Stupidity, Indifference, Peace, The first you were born with—the last is only to be obtained by death.

GARDENERS’ DEEIGHT

“Green Fingers,” by Reginald Arkeil, pictured, by Eugene Hastiau- (London: Jenkins).

This book is meant for people who Can always make their gardens do Exactly what they want to do;

but this would restrict the sale —hardly to the satisfaction of Mr. Arkeil or Mr. Jenkins. Rather, let us say that it is a pleasant book for all human gardeners. “Green Fingers” is named for those good gardeners who do a lot of weeding, and whose fingers, thereby, are stained green.

Mr. Arkeil appears to have felt the yoke of “the gardener.”

The Queen was in the garden, A-smelling of a rose. She started for to pick one, To please her royal nose; When up speaks the gardener: “You can’t have none of those.”

Neither has he much time for rock- ' gardens. Sweet pea culture is told In verse, which is tagged: But Gladys, she just shoves them in, And, golly, how they grow. The pests of the garden, slugs, car-rot-fly, green-fly, woolly aphis and blight, are duly dealt with, and here the artist comes in to add dislike to them. Noah “was never a gardener,” or he would have prevented the two wireworms entering the Ark. Then there is the “girl who was so pure—she couldn’t say manure,” but she is a gardener now. and that makes all the difference. All gardeners will love the book, and will desire it. for themselves, or to give to another gardener. The book closes with an epilogue. Before you put this little book away. Please promise me that you will never say: "You should have seen my garden yes ' terday.” iiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiEiiiitiuiiiiitiiiiniiiiiiitiiiiiiiiiiiiininiiiiiiiiiaiii