rz Reviewed This Week A\ Political Biography of Lenin VLADIMIR I. LENIN: A PO-- LITICAL BiOGR APHY—~ Progress $2.75. HEARD an amusing story recently about the little “dried up” old man who for long years was custodian of the reference room im the British Museum in ondon—that fa- mous room from which so much of the world’s scholarship has come. It was some years after the Russian Revolution, and the name of Lenin, who in his exile days spent much time in the room, was mentioned to the fuardian of it. “Oh, -yes,” said the latter, “I recall him very well. By the way,’ he added, “I wonder what ever became of him.” I could not help recalling this anecdote as I read Viadimir I. Lenin: A Political Biography, Books, Tcoronto— the authoritative volume which = has been prepared by the Marx- Engels-Lenin Institute of Mos- cow. ; ~@ (pee is such -a thing as £ being so buried amid the wisdom of the past that one loses all sense of the tremen- dous events that may be occur- ring in the ever living present, which will be the past of our tomorrows. It seems to me that this is a special danger con- fronting the intellectual in a time of momentous transition, of momentous decision, like to- day, necessitating a quick and radical, a profound revision of eur modes of thinking in that post-Teheran world which we are already beginning to envis- age, beyond the tempestuous sea of struggle and sacrifice that still lies ahead. “@ ENIN was an intellectual, but an intellectual of a new type, a rare combination ct SEES PEOPLE'S BOOKSTORE thinker and man of action, a man who was not afraid to dream, “provided,” as he once said, “one sees to it scrupu- lously that one’s dream is made reality.” From his studies in the Brit- ish Museum of Europe, he gath- ered the material, the guiding knowledge of the past, which was to enable him to play so all- important a role in the Shaping of a new world. Lenin, in ,other words, used the past for whateyer it might have to yield, without permit-' ting it to dominate him. A con- firmed Marxist and one of the _ very greatest, he never mistook On The Screen ~Seamen LTHOUWGH it does not com- > pare with Action on the North Atlantic in either subject or treatment, San Demetrio London is an exciting and un- -usual film based on the actual experiences of 16 merchant seamen, who early in the war reboarded their burning vessel, subdued the flames, and without benefit of lifeboats, radio, com- pass, charts, navigation books or instruments brought their stricken ship home, saving 2 eargo of 11,000 tons of fuel for their country which in that grim winter of 1940 needed every drop. Produced by Michael Balcon, with the skilfull direction of Charles Frend, the picture holds throughout a feeling of inten- sity and realism which is far above the average production today. Qne dramatic incident is in Another fine book by Hewlett Johnson, Dean of Canterbury Socialism ank The Individual e An appraisal of the moral, ethical, religious, scientific and cultural values of Soctalism in the U.S.S.R. e 25 CENTS NOW. MArine 5836 420 WEST PENDER STREET AT Vancouver, B.C. the dry bones of textbook form- ulas for the conerete, the living, pulsating reality that life offers at every instant. Marxism, in other words, to fall back upon a phrase which has become a trite one by now, was for him not a dogma but a guide to action. That is why I feel that every intellectual who at this moment is engaged, with mental “‘blood and sweat and tears,” it may be, in trying to think things through for himself, could not- possibly do better than to read this new life of Lenin most care- fully, not once but a number of times.—Samuel Putnam. at War eruiser on conyoy work, which deliberately drew enemy fire upon itself to save the convoy. San Demetrio London will open at both the Paradise and Park Theaters on July 24. WN contrast, Are These Gur Par- ents, which comes to the Plaza next week, is one of the poorest excuses for a film that has ever been thrust upon an unsuspecting public. Supposedly dealing with the juvenile delinquency problem, the film drags on, badly acted and directed, through a hack neyed “plot,” to show the evils that can befall the children of well-to-do morons, if they are not given proper love and at- tention. A product of poverty and ig- norance, juvenile delinquents are in the main, bred in over- erowded areas where adequate housing is unknown and play- grounds are a novelty. This the film ignores. ‘Instead of presenting us with this silly drivel, a. film dealing with the serious problem of ju- venile delinquency could to some purpose have shown that even with all the mother love in the world, juvenile delinquents are a product of their environment, and one way to create good citi- zenship, is to’ provide proper housing with decent sanitary facilities, unlimited educational opportunities, plagyrounds and recreation centers, and adequate medical attention.Jchnny Ot- tewell. CurrentzReading HATURED in the July-Aug- ust issue of New Advance, Canada’s national youth maga- zine, is an article “De-Nazi-ing Nazis,” written by Werner Fischer, in which the former underground youth leader and member of Free German Youth in Britam, answers the vital question, “Can German youth be re-educated?” Yes! replies Fischer. But “only tremendous shocks and superior force can lead the German youth out of the fog of fascism, can make them think and gradually trans- form them into. normal human beings again.” Also included in this issue are two fiction features, articles on youth hostel vacationing, the new Ontario health plan, the Young Liberal conyention, and a brief survey of prospects in the coming: Quebec elections. A science feature by Dyson Carter and the last of the New Adyance series on the history of- jazz round out the contents. Books and People by Kay Gregory T is a matter of record that whenever people engage in a p otic struggle to defend their motherland, a healthy ew springs out of this very. struggle and contributes no little te unifying of the people for their common cause. A striking example of this is in India, where the people face the threat of Japanese Invasion and to clarify and cont themselves of the issues involved they are creating new arts 0 the very roots of workers and peasants. . It is no accident that Bengal, Andhra and Malabar, provi threatened by Japanese have been in the forefront of the cultural upsurge, and while some of India’s best-known ar leaders have been confused at the appearance of a new er when the struggle for independence had not been won, membe the Fourth All-India Progressive Writers’ Conference, meetin Bombay last may, had no doubts as to where their duty lay. ~ “Tf you sit on the fence with folded hands,” remarked or the leading members, “if you believe that the victory of the na led by the Soviet Union is no concern of yours, you are not pz the way for freedom from your national enslaver, you are a a worse slavery to take his place; you are aiding not only annihilation, but the annihilation of all peoples, all culture defend India is our concern; not to save this or that govern but to save ourselves, to save our people, to gain freedom.” Some of the finest expressions of the new anti-fascist cp were reflected at the historic Festivals of National Culture, last May in Bombay at the First Congress of the Communist 1] of India, following its legalization, and the first of theix kind to be held in India. Participants came from every part of ] from every class, nationality and language group, and the ten their contributions was indicated by ballad-singing of items this: : 4% Come out, you young guezcillas! . Come Rahim, come Rehman, come Jogesh, come Para Come out, Hindus and Maslims ail, Hold your weapons firna—sickle, axe, sword, Lathis, sptkes, javelins, bows and arrows . . . Hush, hush, hash, be careful, walk gently, Through the bushes and jungles, the deutls, Must not Rnow we are here. Strike with the axe, dagger and spike! Strike with the bows and arrows, and with javelins Be careful, lest one of them get away. Hack, hark, hack, the Japanese are coming to our vil We, all the peasants together, will achieve freedom! All over India, hundreds of songs have this one theme awakened people marching forward to defend their motherlan The collective folk dance is one of India’s oldest tradition: ‘simple old steps are now put to a new, potent use. Themes ¢ dances now deal with problems of the present, instead of go the past, such as the national crisis through August 1942 many important historic eyents up to Gandhi’s fast: Even the medicine man, still with paint on his face and fea in his turban, still carrying primitive medicines in his pack, of the people’s war. At the festivals one of them performe traditienal Harijan dance, the dance of the village crier, sing OR, heroes of Ind, the war of defense of the Motherla is come, ° Gird up your loins; the peoples of the world are: your side. The artists and writers of India are ising this theme and own great talents to arouse the people, to inspire them to ¢ their land, to forge a united effort, to win them a better _in which their culture will have freedom to develop to the # extent. (| EBBTOA has its own lusty brand of legends, ballads and lore, and many of these have now been brought together i volume edited by B. A. Botkin, A Treasure of American Fo! which John Noreross in the New Masses describes as “the tailed rearer and Salt River screamer of all folklore collectioi “Americans luy caustic things,” remarked one old-timer,’ would prefer turpentine to colone water, if they had to either... . An American luvs to laff, but he don’t luv to m bizziness of it; he works, eats and hawhaws on a canter So with all these folk tales. There is nothing slick or about them, but they are tales of life and laughter of frontier life: = Davy Crockett leads off the collection of roisterers, follow peut punyas Casey Jones, Billy the Kid, Buffalo Bill ad a The 1000-page book includes yarns told around the ee store aes oe eres slang phrases and expressions, two nacular o lad on Gene the Negro people, work songs, ballad @ pocenr Books has now had its product on the market fo years and celebrated its fifth birthday last month by pres: a silver replica of its trademark, a kangaroo named vat Mrs. Wallaby or Gertrude, to all authors whose Pocket Boa tions have sold a ‘million copies. Among these is Dale Ga (How to Win Friends and Influence People) and Erle § Gardner with his numerous mystery yarns.