Review: "Crime Under Cover" (The Shadow)
John Olsen
The Shadow Magazine. Spies in our nation's capitol, Washington, D.C.
They slink about under cover so no one notices them. Lawmakers are
unaware of their presence as they go about their devious crimes. Only
The Shadow can stop their plans for death and disaster before it is too
late!
I must admit, this story didn't appeal to me. So much of it seemed
forced. The action was perfunctory. The plot twists, you could see
coming a mile away. I would count this among Walter Gibson's lesser
efforts of 1941... or of any year, for that matter.
Gibson loved puzzles and codes. That was part of what drew him to magic,
I suppose. So when he learned about a new "manufactured" language called
Esperanto, he felt obligated to write a story around it. And this is
that story. Personally, I found using Esperanto here to be distracting
and thought it made the story bog down. But Gibson must have loved it.
Gibson had mentioned Esperanto in his 1934 story "The Embassy Murders."
In that story, his characters jeered it as a failed attempt at an
international language. This is the second Shadow story to include
Esperanto, and here it is not merely mentioned, it is an integral part
of the story. Characters routinely speak in Esperanto, and Gibson seems
to take great joy in including translations. He even includes an article
at the end of the story that explains the history and structure of the
artificial language. Five years after this story, Gibson again used
Esperanto in his Shadow tale "Malmordo." Malmordo was the name of the
international criminal, and his name refers to "something that gnaws" in
the Esperanto language.
The plot? There's this eccentric old inventor, you see... And he's
invented a device that military powers around the world are clamoring to
acquire... It's worth over a million dollars to those governments... And
spies are trying to get it... Say, does this sound familiar yet?
What's the ultimate weapon of war? Well, in 1941 it was apparently
poison gas: "There are certain governments that would prefer to keep
poison gases as an effective offensive weapon, and they wouldn't care to
have the Neutralizer get into circulation as a defensive measure. We
know for a certainty that such nations have agents operating in this
country." So, if there was only some way to neutralize them: "Poison
gas, most horrible of war weapons, would be a forgotten menace if this
test went through."
Interesting how times change, and our vision of the most horrible weapon
of war changes with it. Today we have so many other terrible bio-weapons
and nuclear weapons that poison gas seems pretty tame. So when you read
this story - if you read this story, and I don't recommend it - you have
to put all of this into historical perspective.
Anyway, our story takes place in the capital of our nation, Washington,
D.C. The Shadow has traveled there, along with Moe Shrevnitz, Cliff
Marsland, Burbank and Harry Vincent, to look into the mysterious
circumstances surrounding Professor Ardlan's invention called a
Neutralizer. It tests poisonous gases, identifies them, and provides a
vapor that neutralizes them. Foreign spies are after the device - spies
who speak Esperanto so that they can't be identified by country.
Our proxy hero in this tale is Jerry Croft, young assistant to Professor
Ardlan. He is diverted from meeting the professor by a team of
Esperanto-speaking spies. All so that they can capture or destroy
Ardlan's invention. He is assisted by his newly-acquired friend, Harry
Vincent, agent of The Shadow. Failing in their attempt, the foreign
spies do finally succeed in discrediting the invention during a
government test. The test fails and Professor Ardlan is in disgrace.
Who is the hidden spy chief? Could it possibly be Congressman Howard
Anderton, who supposedly wants the device for the government? Maybe
millionaire manufacturer Rufus Bradwell, who had purchased a share in
the developing invention? Or mysterious Kurd Malga, the potential
superspy? Only The Shadow can unveil the master mind behind the devilish
scheme. Only The Shadow can save the valuable invention for the future
defense of our country!
In this story, Gibson presents us with a female spy. Yes, a female
villain. "She was sleek, catlike, dark of eyes and hair, the very sort
who might figure in schemes of international intrigue. Malga addressed
her as Freda..." This is most unusual for a Gibson-authored Shadow
mystery. Gibson's females were always innocent. But this one is
definitely not innocent. However, her part is a small one; she is
introduced so that a call can be faked to our proxy hero Jerry Croft.
After that, she is ignored. At the climax of the story, when the entire
gang is rounded up, she isn't mentioned. Did she escape, or was she
included in the round-up? Gibson doesn't say.
It would seem that good old Burbank finally got out of his
claustrophobic switchboard room and saw a little action. The mention of
his skirmish was so brief I almost missed it. It was just a casual
comment that "Burbank, who had been with Cliff Marsland in the truck,
the night before..." Burbank rarely gets to do anything other than pass
along reports from agents to The Shadow. Too bad we didn't get more
description of his adventure in this story.
Whenever another language is used in a Shadow story, author Walter
Gibson always includes The Shadow's name in that language. In French, he
was "L'Ombre." In Spanish, he was "El Ombre." In China, "Ying Ko." In
the Gypsy language, "Yek Ushalyin." And now, in Esperanto, "La Ombro."
Of course five years later in "Malmordo" The Shadow's name in Esperanto
was given as "La Ombrajo." A contradiction? Maybe just a different part
of speech? I'm no Esperanto expert, so I can't say.
This was the last tale of The Shadow before the introduction of Margo
Lane. The next issue was her first appearance in the pulp. Maybe this
would have been a good story in which to introduce Margo. It certainly
needed something. Maybe Margo would have pepped the story up a bit.
This story gets my recommendation... to avoid it like the plague! There
are so many better Shadow stories out there, why inflict this one upon
yourself? Of course, if you have in interest in Esperanto, this would be
the story custom written just for you. For the rest of us... you've been
warned!
John
--
"Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows!"
The wonderful old pulp mystery stories are all reviewed at:
http://www.spaceports.com/~deshadow/