Books in Brief

Communism in American Politics, by David J. Saposs (Public Affairs Press, $5.00). The American Communist Party, born among Yiddish-and Slavic-speaking Socialists during World War I, has never spoken the language of the electorate. Of course, it has tried, and Liberal opportunitists have helped by giving their far-Left comrades the benefit of the doubt. The Red Trojan Horse was trundled into Liberal parties in California, Minnesota and Washington state, but inevitably ended by capturing it self only. Creation of the American Labor Party in New York in 1936 (word from the White House mobilized Democrats to round up 50,000 signatures needed to put the ALP on the ballot) was possible because such Popular Fronters as Sidney Hillman and Mike Quill believed they could follow the main chance and Moscow’s line simultaneously. They belatedly learned they could not. But the glory days of politicking with Communists were behind sponge- brained Henry Wallace, whose attitude toward his seeming followers was aptly expressed by fellow traveler Jo Davidson: “We Liberals cannot waste time kicking out the Communists. If we did, we would not have time to put over our constructive policies.” The Wallaceites went the way of all dupes, but their unfulfilled yearnings are a potential Communist asset. Though his prose has the plodding sincerity of a trade-union resolution, David Saposs has done his homework diligently. Some present-day “anti-Communist” Liberals may wish he had not. R. whalen

The Other Side of the Moon, Report of the USSR Academy of Sciences (Pergamon Press, $2.50). Soviet space triumphs have to date produced only three kinds of scientific data: “confirmation” of Western findings, results obtainable in simple laboratory tests, and disclosures so vague as to be meaningless. This report of the Kremlin’s alleged feat of photographing the far side of the moon is of the third variety. Samples: a “powerful” rocket of “improved” design, using “high-calorie” fuel and guided by a “precise” control system, was put into picture-taking position by “appropriate choice of its path.” Then “an optical unit” pointed “the photographic apparatus,” according to “a specified program.” “Special” protection of the film, “high efficiency” transmission methods, “special” TV equipment, and “various means” of eliminating ground interference added up to “an automatic programmed control system,” insuring “the correct operation of the whole apparatus.” The report, in sum, is precisely what we should by now expect to issue from Soviet achievements in space—a transparent farce. m. s. evans

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Communism in American Politics, by David J. Saposs (Public Affairs Press, $5.00). The American Communist Party, born among Yiddish-and Slavic-speaking Socialists during World War I, has never spoken the language of the electorate. Of course, it has tried, and Liberal opportunitists have helped by giving their far-Left comrades the benefit of the doubt. The Red Trojan Horse was trundled into Liberal parties in California, Minnesota and Washington state, but inevitably ended by capturing it self only. Creation of the American Labor Party in New York in 1936 (word from the White House mobilized Democrats to round up 50,000 signatures needed to put the ALP on the ballot) was possible because such Popular Fronters as Sidney Hillman and Mike Quill believed they could follow the main chance and Moscow’s line simultaneously. They belatedly learned they could not. But the glory days of politicking with Communists were behind sponge- brained Henry Wallace, whose attitude toward his seeming followers was aptly expressed by fellow traveler Jo Davidson: “We Liberals cannot waste time kicking out the Communists. If we did, we would not have time to put over our constructive policies.” The Wallaceites went the way of all dupes, but their unfulfilled yearnings are a potential Communist asset. Though his prose has the plodding sincerity of a trade-union resolution, David Saposs has done his homework diligently. Some present-day “anti-Communist” Liberals may wish he had not. R. whalen

The Other Side of the Moon, Report of the USSR Academy of Sciences (Pergamon Press, $2.50). Soviet space triumphs have to date produced only three kinds of scientific data: “confirmation” of Western findings, results obtainable in simple laboratory tests, and disclosures so vague as to be meaningless. This report of the Kremlin’s alleged feat of photographing the far side of the moon is of the third variety. Samples: a “powerful” rocket of “improved” design, using “high-calorie” fuel and guided by a “precise” control system, was put into picture-taking position by “appropriate choice of its path.” Then “an optical unit” pointed “the photographic apparatus,” according to “a specified program.” “Special” protection of the film, “high efficiency” transmission methods, “special” TV equipment, and “various means” of eliminating ground interference added up to “an automatic programmed control system,” insuring “the correct operation of the whole apparatus.” The report, in sum, is precisely what we should by now expect to issue from Soviet achievements in space—a transparent farce. m. s. evans