POLITICS U.S.A.

Subtitled A Practical Guide to the Winning of Public Office this is a collection of twenty-three essays dealing with numerous aspects of the political life written by politicians and others closely connected with the profession. James Cannon spent two years putting the material together and it has been recorded in various ways: some articles were written by the subjects themselves, others were tape-recorded interviews, or excerpts from essays and speeches, still others were borrowed from the editor's own books. The book is divided into four parts: The Political Life, Successful Organization, The Campaign and Techniques of Modern Politics. Part One provides articles on How to Go into Politics by Senator Hugh Scott, a typical day of campaigning by Governor Brown of Calif., on being a politician's wife by Mrs. Charles A. Hallock, Why Go into Politics by Senator John F. Kennedy, The Importance of Preparation by Vice President Nixon, and The Politician's Responsibility by Adlai E. Stevenson. Other parts deal with political fund raising, politics in the ward, how politics is changing, the labor vote, planning a campaign, public relations, the use of television, delivering a political address and organizing the women. There's a very fine easy by Governor Ribicoff of Connecticut on Candor in Politics; a rather humorous one on How to Spend Campaign Funds by the late Mayor of Boston, James Michael Curley; and a surprisingly frank and enlightening article by Murray Chotiner, campaign manager for Senator Knowland and Vice President Nixon. Assembling such a book was a good idea and it makes very interesting reading.