Shelf

Stirred by June headlines to its quadrennial semiconsciousness, the body politic of the U. S.--the so-called "silent vote" which really decides presidential elections --began last fortnight to divide, if not into Republicans and Democrats, at least into Hoover voters and Smith voters. In many an instance the final determination of the individual to vote for Hoover or for Smith will not occur until November. A pretty girl at the polling booth, or an ugly man, or a hangover, a new hat, a spun coin, will be the deciding factor.

Practically all such votes will, however, cancel each other, as required by the law of equal chances. The weighty, decisive body of votes will be moved by instinct. In the last analysis, such issues as the campaign will present will sum up in two questions which instinct alone can answer:

1) Does the voter dislike or does he desire, at this time, the idea of a change, a transition from something familiar to something unfamiliar, in the governance of the U. S.?

2) Which candidate's personality appeals most to the voter?

Besides the rabble of chance voters, the mass of instinctive voters and the organized ranks of strictly party voters, there will be a limited class of voters to whom it will occur that, while an individual vote is infinitesimal in deciding the outcome, still an individual vote is interesting to cast. Many a voter in this class will plan, this summer, to do some political-historical reading. He will want books that are general and complete rather than specialized treatises on a few eras, issues, men.

Following is a two-party shelf of current publications well suited to the requirements of persons desirous of taking thought before voting:

THE REPUBLICAN PARTY: A HISTORY--William Starr Myers--Century ($4). Dr. Myers, Princeton professor, writes studiously, comprehensively, unexcitingly, dependably.

THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY: A HISTORY--Frank R. Kent--Century ($4). Mr. Kent, hot-pointed commentator of the Baltimore Sunpapers, strives for quiet lucidity in this book; tells a simple, well-connected story of the oldest party.

HERBERT HOOVER: A REMINISCENT BIOGRAPHY--Will Irwin--Century ($3). Mr. Irwin, a college mate of the Beaver Man, inclines to glorify but introduces enough facts to clarify.

ALFRED E. SMITH: A CRITICAL STUDY--Henry F. Pringle--Macy-Masius ($3.50). Mr. Pringle, an unassuming member of the Naked and Unashamed Club of free lance correspondents, reports frankly, fearlessly, sternly, not without humor.

TAMMANY HALL--M. R. Werner--Doubleday-Doran ($5). A biographer of eccentricians (Barnum, Brigham Young), Freedom, suffrage, peace. Mr. Werner reproduces all the war-paint and peacetime paint, all the cardinal sins and probable virtues of a famed phenomenon, in a manner calculated to sell books.

THE PRESIDENCY VS. HOOVER--Samuel Crowther--Doubleday-Doran ($2.50). Mr. Crowther, a skilled publicist, lengthily educes the candidate's fitness for office from his record in other offices.

PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRACY--Alfred E. Smith--Edited by Dr. Henry Mos-kowitz--Harcourt, Brace ($3). Dr. Moskowitz, husband of a skilled publicist (Mrs. Belle Lindner Moskowitz), lets some of the candidate's addresses and state papers speak for themselves, aided by selection and arrangement.

PROPHETS TRUE AND FALSE--Oswald Garrison Villard--Knopf ($3.50). The experienced, idealistic, Socialistic editor of the Nation looks from his high place at Smith, Hoover, Borah, Dawes, Lowden, Reed et al.

AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS (Fifth Edition)--Charles A. Beard--Macmillan ($3.75). First published in 1910, revised in 1914, 1920, 1924 and now, this text remains perhaps the most plainspoken, convenient instrument-of-all-work in the U. S. layman's political laboratory.