European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 10, 1948, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Books a glance at the month s Best Sellers the meaning of democracy a study of american characteristics Marcia Davenport s East Side West Side which topped the Liston Best Sellers in the United states last month has dropped to fifth place on this mid month score card supplanted by f. Van Wyck masons Eagle in the  second on the new list is now Ross Lockridge s Raintree county a Book which previously was in third place. The latter position has been filled by Thornton Wilder s the ides of March not mentioned Las month while fourth place is now filled by House divided1 the Ben Ames novel which took second place  the non fiction list is Josh a loth Liebman s peace of mind an old favorite which has i slowly climbed from fourth place in january and second in february to its present level. Immediately after this enters the Kinsey report sexual behaviour in the human male by Arthur Kinsey and his staff which till now had failed to be listed. John Gunther s "insideu.s.  is still going Strong though it has dropped from first to third  information please almanac 1948," edited by John Kieran is in fourth place instead iof Cleveland Amory s the proper bostonian which Slid to seventh on the list. A Book showing sales decline is the meaning of trea son Rebecca West s penetrating study of outstanding British War traitors. This has Slid from a prominent fifth position to eleventh making Way for a study of history by Arnold j. Toynbee. The time is noon. By Hiram haydn.561 up. Crown publishers new York $3.50. For its message of democracy its intellectual vigor and its emotional sincerity this novel is recommended toll students of world affairs. Or. Haydn has Lent an urgent Appeal to All thinking individuals to define for them selves what exactly they mean by the word  painting a comprehensive picture of american life today which also takes in the Continental escape area of the Montparnasse cafes he challenges us to clarify our social Outlook before it is too  multitude of americans he depicts Are carefully selected to exemplify Many of the insistent problems which our society has As yet failed to  his analysis of the problems brings him to the conclusion that they Spring from a common ground. The principles that we profess Are not those which we practice in. Short he says. Power is the keynote of. Too Many enterprises an the goal of too Many individuals institutions and parties. Through the thoughts and words of his characters in terms which we cannot fail to under stand he evokes the voice of the people to show that redress is needed not Only in our social life but even More specifically in our social Outlook the Book is sober realistic and because of that gripping and invigorating. If any criticism is to be made it must be Thater. Haydn occasionally lets his emotions run away with his pen to the Point of weak melodrama. The american people a study in National character. By Geoffrey Gorer. 246 up. W. W. Norton & co. New York. �3.mr. Gorer goes off on a Tangent about what he Calls the National characteristics of the americans whom he has studied with a great Deal of anthropological interest. Critically speaking it would need considerably More space Topin Down in Gorer s misconceptions with any form of thoroughness. The Book is filled for instance with a number of such Flat statements there is an absence of doors in All but the most private parts of most houses the Ideal american family consists of two children an elder daughter and a younger son and it is the Over ruling fear of All Amer ican parents that their child will turn into a  add to these such remarks that americans firmly believe Steak has Virtues no other food can give and one begins to wonder what led or. Gorer to entitle a Selec Tion of such sweeping generalities a is -.  As to or. Gorer be remark son College life and the inner Workings of politics in the United states they would have to be read to be fully appreciated. Mostly murder there is a tide. By Agatha Christie. 242 up. Dodd & Mead new York .$2.50. In her Best mystery manner Agath Christie gives us another Saga in the exploits of Hercule Poirot that indomitable Little French detective who in his exuberant Way gets his Man. There is a tide has All the ingredients of a Good Christie Story including the usual bearded mystery Man. It tells of one Rosaleen who is married to Rober Underhay in Africa until very fortunately for her he Dies leaving her Freeto marry millionaire Gordon Gloade. Is it jus Fher Good Luck pursuing her when number two husband Dies too but it is not As simple As All that and you Llave a lot of fun helping to unravel the mystery with Poirot. He died of murder. By Shelley Smith. 247 up. Harper new York. $2.50. The essential of a detective mystery is that it should move fast and he died of murder " moves very slowly. Other Wise it has Many of the ingredients Ofa Good solid plot with few thrills but a sustained interest. The characters Are unusual ones which makes for original Ity without too much unreality. Miss Smith for instance invests her murder victim Wesley Titmarsh with an Aura of Glamor by naming him head of the seekers a cult devoted to emancipation from the tyranny of the  a Les intriguing character is inspector chaos who is supposed to solve the crime but does it with All the muddle headed Ness befitting his name. Deadly ditto. By Christopher Hale. 222 up. The crime club new York. $2. Another husband millionaire murder Saga is deadly  in it Ruth Holden just acquitted of killing her Hus band has life rendered difficult for he when the body of a millionaire is found lying around her Home. More action than Subtle sinister doings Are offered Here for the Reader who likes his murder noisy and simple. Young hindu girls of Kashmir Are trained in marksmanship preparatory to taking an Active part in the fight against moslem rebels Haight helped to Lead. Fighting yank in Kashmir continued from Page 6 the pathans around their campfires my first Day at Kotili and i had a Long walkabout them with my orderly Mir aka bar. I decided that the mullahs were the real  was impatient for action. I wanted Totake Kotlik and show Sardar Ibrahim what an american could do in a fight. Just before dusk i called a meeting of All the chiefs and  gathered in the Little mud hut just behind a Ridge that i had selected for my Headquarters. We had Man tribes of pathans represented Haziris Mah suds Fridis and dirs. I selected Captain Mahmoud Khan a regular native officer As my interpreter. When All the pathans had filed into the hut i followed Mahmoud. They sat in a Circle Cross legged around a Little Smoky fire in the Center of the hut. They were a fierce lot but with their beards Many completely Gray they looked thoughtful and Wise  faced them with my hands on my hips my feet planted wide apart try ing to look Tough. I was a Little afraid i was not Only far younger than they but Shorter and lighter too. I began to speak and Mahmoud Khan interpreted sentence by sentence. Of course you realize it la be an awful Small  i told them i had come from Amer Ica to help the Kashmir moslem win their Freedom. I told them american loved Freedom and fought for it and Al ways helped others who fought for  told them about our revolutionary War and the heroes of our own  i spoke of Kashmir and the siege of Kotlik. I told them How surprised iwas to see fierce moslem warriors held at Bay by the Dogra hindu Garrison. I told them that by their actions on the Battlefield at Kolli the Fame or disgrace of the Pathan tribes would be spread among american fighters for Liberty. When i had finished there was a few moments silence. I could read no reaction on those impassive bearded faces. Then a tall Gray bearded Mullah Rose from the Circle and came toward me. He put his arms around me and embraced me in a violent Bear hug. I Felt relieved and Happy but Only for moment for As soon As he withdrew his arms and stepped away from me i was conscious that i was crawling with Jice. All these bearded sages were lice Ridden. Eventually i Learned to time my speeches so that i could drive to Rawal Pind immediately after being  at Rawalpindi there was a Catholic Mission with Dot and delousing equip ment the nuns came to know me  they saw my truck coming Down the Street they d get the equipment ready and have it waiting for me at the door. On the front at Kotlik my two thou Sand men held a a shaped line occupying the Jungle before the town and the ridges on either Side. At the opening of the u the Toad ran Back to Nau Shera it was the Supply line to hindu forces there. " the hindu troops in the town numbered Only seven Hundred but the town was Well fortified and their equipment was modern. They had 3.7 Inch Mountain guns mortars and Many Bren and machine guns. We had single shot Home made rifles Spears and tul wars those Long curved sabers. I myself had my two pistols As Well As a Short Sharp Kukli the Broad bladed Kashmir sword. The hindus also had planes tempests and spitfires which came Over regularly to bomb and strafe. But the Indian forests were so thick that our cover rendered them ineffectual. My Battle plan was simple. That night i sent a party of trained engineers from my regular troops to Block the Road. They were to Circle around fell Trees in the dark across the Asphalt Highway and Man the Road Block with one of our few Bren guns. My pathans were to Start a local variety of psycho logical warfare at Nightfall. I placed them on the ridges along the flanks  town. Their Job was to keep shout ing screaming and beating Drums All night. All night too i sent out random patrols through the Jungle to the Edge of the town to keep the hindus jumpy. The plan was executed perfectly. The pathans on the Hills led by their mullahs shrieked blood curdling threats that echoed through the Woods. They beat continued on Page 22 weekend april .0, 1948