BVBNIKO LBDaBU-PHILADIilLlHXA, WEDNESDAY, MARttH U, 101fc
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Bs" .Aihbvt all rommiialcn'ians la Evening
Ledger, independence Square, VMIadrlvhtct,
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CLASS Hilt. SIATTFn.
1'iliLAiiKLriiu, kiinkmia, mahcii at. tits.
It t belter to believe a Jew things which you
know to Vc right than to hcllcve many
things, only to find later then
are not so.
Getting Results In Mexico
IT SEEMS to be comparatively easy to pet
results In Mexico when the man on tho
'spot really sets about It unhampered by In
structions from Washington. Within 12
hours after J. II. McMiuhix was shot by tho
Zapatistas tho Urn7.ill.111 Minister In Mexico
City, who Is acting for the United States, de
manded an apology from Znpdtn or from
Villa, who Is working with Zapata, and he
Insisted that the murderers should bo
punished and that reparation be mado to tho
family of the murdered man. Then he tele
graphed to Washington telling what he had
done. Of course Washington had to Indorse
his acts. Now ho reports that the apology
has been formally made and that he has been
assured that tho family will b Indemnified
and that the murderers will be brought to
justice.
This 13 the first npnlogy that has coins out
of Mexico since tho policy of .watchful wait
ing was begun. N'ot all the warships and
soldiers sent to Vera Cruz could wrest an
Apology of any sort from Huerta for his in
sult to tho American flag. And Carranza
has not been saying that he was sorry, for
tha despoiling of Americans by his followers.
But tho Brazilian Minister seems to get re
sults. Instead of sending personal representatives
across tho border to Interview tho revolu
tionary leaders the President ought to send a
private and confidential messenger to Mexico
City with Instructions to nsk tho distin
guished Brazilian diplomatist how he docs
It. Then, If ho gets the secret, It may be
possible to impart It to some one In tho
Stnto Department qualified to use tho same
methods If such a man can bo found.
Pure Beer for Pennsylvanians
TIHE Federal statute against adulteration
of food and drink covers only such drink
and food as enter into interstate commerce.
Beer brewed in Pennsylvania for tho con
sumption of Pennsylvanians and their guests
1b not protected by any law against sophisti
cation. Neither is the purity of whisky and
rum guarded against assault by the unprin
cipled. If liquor and beer are to be sold, it Is
Important that they should bo puro and that
proper penalities should bo provided for the
restraint of those who would mix up a con
coction of corroding chemicals and offer It to
the unsuspecting public.
The anti-local optionists in the General
Assembly are confident that they can defeat
the Governor's local option plan. If they
hnve power to do that, which Is not ad
mitted by tho Governor, thoy certainly have
power to pass n law incorporating into the
statutes' of tho Commonwealth the provisions
of tho national antl-adultcratlon laws. They
have been asked to do It. Will they show
their good faith by action?
The Knight of the Ponder Puff
SENATOR THOMPSON, who must have
been studying tho faces of the young
women whom ho has seen 1111 the streets of
this city, Is asking the General Assembly In
Harrlsburg to order that all substances in
tended to Improvo the complexions shall be
labeled distinctly so that tho user may know
not only what they contain, but that they ara
not injurious. Ills motive Is apparently ar
tistic. There Is nothing easier to look at
than a beautiful young woman. Sho does
not partake of that quality of sublimity which
Burke, In his learned essay on the subject,
said made ono tired to contemplate, but is
animated by tho spirit of youth which makes
all things live. So a man with an artistic
sense and an appreciation of the beautiful,
such as Senator Thompson must be, finds it
difficult to resist the temptation to protest
ngalnst tho disfigurement of tho faces of
young women by impure, cosmetics. Tha
gallant Senator, however, has at last yielded
to the temptation and makes his entrance on
the stage with the spotlight full upon him,
while he poses as the knight of the puro
powder puff. Every admirer of the beautiful
is hoping that he can persuade his colleagues
to, assist him In bringing about the great re
form which he has undertaken.
Amateur Athletics
"nUESlDENT IIIBBEN. of Princeton, nut
itLttttttttg
jSylKujwBi
r -IT his finger on the precise spot of Infection
from which germinates one of tho worst
evils of Intercollegiate athletics when at the
Yale. Alumni banquet ho advocated tho ab
solute, elimination of sideline coaching In
aStbalU This Doctor Hlbben officially
tijamed for Princeton's defeat by Yale last
,IaI. Yale, men might dispute this part of
Itoqtor Illbben's argument, but certainly no
'I9,ver of fair sportsmanship will differ with
blnj when, after condemning the Princeton
coaches for insisting on running the game
F from the sidelines fcr the first three quar-
Jepr, and praising the players for playing
their own game In tha lajt period, he
rear lied thlsi conclusion: ; jy
Princeton team have .epfjj'ded too much
upon the fnatrutttona i.Mlfe out from the
sideline We ought lojrgjfc out the ealva
tfon of our othletlo teams by nermlttlnc-
tlusir members a freer (&oc and obliging
thtm to play H19 rtnw In their own way.
I yhoulil heartily like to see this plan
Worked out In Intercollegiate sports.
Elector JIlbben'H diagnosis la correct, but
jMs prescription In not specific enough. He
ya coaches should not be permitted to send
ttr Instructions from the sidelines. But
tl;ett'l PQCtor Hlbben know that to do just
aiW i Ml MftitUton of the rules of the game?
Wt vm (i&ed, therefore, is a new preacrlp-
lt-, a snw rule. Jf the coaches enjoying
titi. i-r'vii.K mt bo jajeliaea won't obey the
rules prohibiting sideline coaching, then wo
heed ft new rule barring them absolutely
from the Held of play.
And why shouldn't they be barrecl7 In
track athletics no coach or trainer Is al
lowed on the field: the competitor must win
or lose on his own merlin. ' liven in base
hall Harvard, Yalo and Princeton have nu
agreement that their coaches shall bo barred
from the bench nud playing field during
the game, making tho plai-ers themselves re
sponsible for tho conduct of Iho game. Why,
then, shouldn't the coaches bo barred In football?
The "Keynote" Speech for 1D1G
E 1,1110 HOOT'S Union League speech was
a. summary of what tho nation Is think
lug at the present time. Dissatisfaction with
tho Administration Is widespread and dctp
pealod. Tho party In power had devoted it
self for years to stirring up the hatred of
(he poor against tho rich, No .hick Cade
ever mndo moro Unblushing efforts lp- hold
the mob by tho offer of tho loot of the rich.
Power and responsibility sober men, and
the Democracy has tried to forget Its old
errors, but Its thinking Is so saturated with
hostility to nil successful enterprise that
Congress has found Itself unable tn deal with
business questions In n business way. It has
refused to accept assistance of business men
In framing business legislation, because It
has been declaring for a generation that tho
way to frame a business law is to find out
what tho business men want and then glvo
them the opposite.
Mr. Hoot's emphasis upon tho business In
capacity of tho Administration waB none too
strenuous. And his declaration that tho
country was determined to have n change
corresponds with the conclusions of all other
observers. Tho conditions that prevail now
aro very much llho those which "preceded the
campaign of ISDfl. The Democracy, then, was
bowing down to the falso gods of free sliver
and Inflation, nnd the business men of the
nation deckled that If national bankruptcy
was to be avoided the Democracy must ho
kept out of power. Patty loyalty was
subordinated to business honor, nnd In every
great commercial centre Democrats nnd Re
publicans worked shoulder to shoulder for
sound money and McKlnley, In spite of tho
fact that McKlnley had once been tainted
with tho free silver heresy.
The Democracy today Is not nttacking the
gold standard, but its policy Is nttacking the
very structure of business itself. Some ama
teurs who do not know tho difference between
a sight draft and a Te.as zephyr have been
laying down rules Intended to make big busi
ness little, because, forsooth, every man who
Is richer than any other man Is a liar and a
borne thief and ought to be In prison. The
Republican party has been Infected with the
same germ. Mr. Taft boasted that he had
proved that the anti-trust law had teeth In
It, but he also proved that the teetli did noth
ing but tear and rend without effecting any
cure of what he was pleased to call business
evils.
Tho country has had enough of this sort
of thing, and it Is as certain as anything run
be that no candidate for the Presidency will
have any chance of election In I0IR unless
he runs on a platform of fnlr play for every
citizen, rich nnd poor, and unless he makes
It clearly understood that he proposes to uso
all his Influence to build up American busi
ness and extend American enterprise, instead
of tearing it down and hampering It In
every way possible for a narrow mind to
conceive.
Abolish the Toll Roads
NOTHING surprises visitors from other
parts of tho country so much as the dis
covery that the primitive toll road still sur
vives In tho vicinity of Philadelphia. Tho toll
road was abolished In New York years ago
nnd It Is unknown in tho other States where
a comprehensive system of highways has
been built for tho free use of tho people.
Pennsylvania has committed Itsolf to a
road policy, though it has not done much
yet. In comparison with what has been done
In Massachusetts. Tho toll roads, which aro
main highways, must be included in the new
system of State roads and they should bo
bought without delay. Some road purchas
ing mensuro like the bill calling for an
appropriation of $2,000,000, just introduced In
the General Assembly by Senator Croft, of
Montgomery County, ought to bo passed so
that the State can take title to tho pnrntcly
owned roads at tho earliest possible dale. The
only objection that can bo raised to the ap
propriation Is that It may bo spent unwisely;
but if tho money Is put In tho hands of hon
est men tho road owners will get a reason
able price for their property and no ono will
get a "rake off."
Tho best souvenir of "Billy" Sunday's stay
in Philadelphia would be an Increase of 40,000
In tho membership of the churches within
tho next three months.
Tho Indorsement of equal suffrage by the
Central Pennsylvania Conference of the
Methodist Church la ono of the straws which
show the way public sentiment is tending,
Germany has completed enough new war
ships since tho war began to replace all that
have been sunk: but she cannot repluce tho
slaughtered soldiers and sailors so quickly.
Why is It that they do not want nny
ghosts of Lincoln walking about tho White
House grounds, oven though they appear In
theatrical make-up for the moving-picture
men?
It is as unsafe now to carry concealed
liquor on the trains In Iowa as to carry, con
cealed dynamite, not because they are both
liable to explode, but because the Legisla
ture Is seeking to enforce the prohibitory
laws,
The report that the Governor has an un
derstanding with the Organization that local
option is to be defeated, while he keeps his
record straight by working for It, was cer
tainly not put In circulation by any friends
of Doctor Brumbaugh.
It is not true that all "Tom" Marshall gets
out of the Vice Presidency la hid salary. Bee
retary Daniels has had a flag designed for
him, and It will be displayed In his honor
when he appears on a warship In an official
capacity, Marshall gets glory as. ivell as gold.
If it can be found that Kentucky colonels
are immune to Rlggs' disease, the Johns
Hopkins Investigators, who have been seek
ing to substantiate the theory that the dis
ease is caused by a germ that inhabits stag
nant water, will welcome it as circumstantial
evidence in support of their hypothesis.
Every straphanger in Philadelphia ought
to protest against the passage of the bill, just
introduced in Harrlsburg, intended to pre.
vent the employment of unnaturalized
laborers on any public work. The subways
cannot be built without the help of the
aliens who are willing to do the rough work
that American cUItens spurn.
RUSSIA WINS ALLIES'
GREATEST VICTORY
The Taking of Przcmysl May
Prove One of the Really Decisivo
Events of the War Collapse of
Austro-German Winter Campaign.
By FRANK H. SIMONDS
Author of "The Oreat War."
N TAKING Przcmysl tho Itusslahn have
JL a
achieved by far the greatest allied triumph
on tho offcnglvo side slnco iho war began, It
may easily turn out ono of tho really doclslvo
victories of tho whotn conflict, coming as It
docs nt a moment when Austrian fortunes
nro fast waning and Austrian neighbors aro
partitioning llnpsburg provinces as a pre
liminary lo Joining tho fray.
Llko the fall of Antwerp, which It naturally
recalls, tho surrender of Przcmysl solidifies
the position of an Invader In a conquered
province. Against 10,000 squaro miles of con
quered Belgium Is now to bo set more than
twice bb largo an area In Oallcla. But tho
German achievement, thanks to the intrepid
ity of tho Belgian nrmy, was devoid of con
siderable military consequences, while tho
Itusslnn conquest seems bound to have far
rcachlng effects.
Antwerp Compnrntively Unimportant
To tho armies' of tho Czar Przcmysl was a
far moro serious menace than Antwerp was
to the Kaiser's armies. Tho Belgian fortress
was on the flank of the German communica
tions and could be contnlned by 11 small
force, But Przcmysl Is aqunrely on the mnln
trunk railroad, between Lcmberg nnd Cra
cow nnd the centre of several branch lines
and of various highways.
Thus, while the city held out, Russian
armies In Gntlrla were compelled to detach
corps to deal with the unconqiicrcd fortress
In their rear, anil their lines of communica
tion were bioken by the Austrian garrison's
command of highways and railroads vital to
the invaders nnd commanded by tho heavy
artillery of the Przcmysl forts.
Looking back over the progress of the siege,
It will be seen how great was the value each
side attached to Przcmysl. Tn September,
when tho Husslnns swept west along Iho
Lcmberg-Crncow railroad after their great
victories. I'rzemysl was first Invested.
Today all Oallcla east of the Dunajec and
north of tho Pruth is In Russian hands and
tho Slav frontier has touched tho Carpa
thians, perhaps permanently.
Weather Intervenes
This lepresonts a complete failure not
merely of the Austrian, but of the German
winter campaign In the east. Krom the at
tack nn Llcgo to tho defeat on tho Yser and
about Ypres the main German effort was di
rected at Trance, the chief purpose of Ger
man strategy being to crush Franco, dlsposa
c-f her nnd turn to the Russian frontier with
free hand.
After tho dcfenlM m Danders, Germany was
compelled to deal with Russia. Weather con
ditions, which now mado grand, opcintlons
impossible In tho west, might be expected to
favor such elfort In the east. Krozon marshes,
Milltl roads, ice-covered rivers, all would fa
vor :in attempt to obtain iv decision In Po
land, now n similar undet taking had failed
In Franco nnd Belgium.
Unfortunately for the Germans, tho weather
failed them. Nnpolcon was ruined by an early
Russian winter; William II suffered by an
open winter which turned the whole country
nbout Warsaw Into a bog nnd thwarted the
most gigantic combination of military his
tory. At Lodz tho Russian army was within
two steps of annihilation. Tho defeat of the
Masurian Lakes laid the whole northern
frontier of Poland open. But mud and marsh
spoiled the best laid plans of German com
manders. Gathering the Spoils
What Is most Important is the fact that alt
the liemcndous efforts of Germany In Po
land and East Prussia have not relieved tho
pressure upon tho Austrians. Despite all
tcmptntlnns, reverses, disasters, tho Russians
have held fast to their position nlong tho
Carpathians, have been ablo to keep their
grip nn Przcmysl and have now captured It.
This capture spells the final defeat of tho
German winter campaign In tho east. At the
close It is Russia, not Germany, that is gath
ering the spoils.
Tho fnll of Antwerp relieved a German
army, which pushed rapidly forward to reach
tho Channel ports. The taking of Przemysl
released an even greater Russian army. To
whnt point It will bo directed Is a matter of
conjecture. If It Is transported directly west
toward Cracow it may drive tho Austrians
west of tho Dunajec In upon Cracow and
threaten tho front of the whole Austro-German
force In Poland from the NIda to tho
Bzura. This Is the plan that Is generally ex
pected und may easily compel tho evacuation
of Poland.
On the other hnnd, tills force, moro than
100,000 strong, may bo sent duo south to the
Carpathians. With Its arrival Austrian forces
along tho Carpathians would probably have
to go back over tho mountains and onco
moro a Russian host would sweep down Into
tho Hungarian Plain, this tlmo freed from
any npprehenslon for their communications.
Finally, tho army which bus taken the last
tlalielan fortress cast of Cracow may bo sent
south Into Bukowlna to completo tho recon
qucst of this crown land and by a subsequent
Invasion of Transylvania persuade the wav
ering Rumanians to cast their lot with tho
enemies of the two Kaisers. Whichever of
these three courses Is followecj, it must be
that the consequences will be grave for the
Austro-German alllnnce.
The Moral Effect
But whatever the military consequence, the
moral effect of tho Russian success cannot bo
exaggerated. It Is sweet solace to the nation
which was defeated at Lodz and the Masu
rian Lake. It gives additional emphasis to
the sound of the Anglo-French artillery be
fore the Dardanelles. It will awaken new
and uncomfortable echoes alike in Ballplatz
and Wllhelmstrasse, Not less momentous will
be Its Influence in Rome, In Bucharest, In
Athors.
A few weeks ago German press bureaus
announced that Russia had been beaten to
her knees, her strength exhausted, and was
ready to abandon the struggle. The Russian
answer comes as a rude demonstration of tho
futility of such claims, Przemysl will be In
Russian history a fair counterpoise to Port
Arthur; the most considerable Russian suc
cess in Europe since Plevna.
In estimating the Importance of the vic
tory, the world audience will forget the gal
lantry of the defense. Yet the little known
now of the siege points toward a devotion, a
gallantry, a popular determination which
may be long mentioned In history. Weeks
ago the garrison sent back the defiant mes
sage: "We will eat our shoes." Six months
of resistance In present times must excite ad
miration on all eMcs. Antwerp fell tn twic
U 1 .. 4F " ' "
' .!i.,jvvfc
-v ft., . . ,. I ?
" . ""-ft, ,,.
, -'-.Aui,Kir WSS!f
,"--, --'--"'.r,t.WTS3
SS. u - '. WTrtWt-Vtt.s,
t i .. tStfjBKr-L --!iW.,jaiie.'-i
ns many days. A city and a province h.ivo
been lost, but not by any lack of gallantry
on tho part of tho defenders.
Yet above and beyond nil elso I'rzemsyl will
stand as one moro landmark In tho decline
of Austro-German fortunes. The summer
campaign ended in disaster Jit tho Manic and
the yser. Tho winter campaign collapses with
the fall of Przcmsyl.
CARD INDEX OF ARGUMENTS
From tlie Now York Kvenlnff Post Saturday
M.iEazlne.
The Suffmslst "If women had the vote tlieic
would be mi spcculatois lo raise the pilce ot
bicad."
The Antl-Suffiaglst "If women halted their
nun lueuil tlnie would be nu speculation In
prices."
I ii'iote these lines from nn anonymous wilter,
not because they am convincing, but because
they nre brief.
if ever the need of disarmament presented It
self hh ncute, It Is tho need of reducing tho vast
armament of pro-suffrage nnd anti-suffr.iso de
bate. Tho cane on both .'Ides wns exhausted
years ago. All that enn possibly be said has
been said. Special suffrage numbers of tho
ncwspnpcis nre a weailnoss to the spirit. Can't
Pro and Antl bo condensed, codified, clnllled
and numbeied? So thut l'io may sny, "I ad
vance argument number 231, " and Antl can
say, "I retort with argument number 151, sub
division (c)"? It la a decided relief when Btir-fi-asc
debaters lose their heads, forgot their
arguments and begin to call names.
IMPORTED WORDS
From tha Pall Mall Gazette.
In deprecating the uso of foreign terms by
writers of war news, O. W. V. Russell re
echoed a protest mado over n century and a
half aKO. The writer of a pamphlet published
In 1TCS complains that the English are con
tinually Importing words from France. "As ho
was In the service of tho French, Marshal Snxo
might be excused for writing 'coup de main'
nnd 'manoeuvre': but wo cannot aee whnt apol
ogy can bo mndo for our officers lugging them
In by head and shoulders, without the least
necessity, ns 'sudden stroke' might have done
for one. and 'a proper motion' for the other.
'Reconnoitre' is another favorite word In the
military way, and as we cannot tlnd out that
It is much moro significant than 'tako u. lew,'
wo beg leave It may bo sent home again."
FREEDOM OF THOUGHT
To the Editor of tha .Ev'tiliio J.edper:
Sir The religious vaudeville pantomime show
of "Billy" Sunday has been quite an attraction
from its sensational character and has drawn
many people Into It, who, sad to Bny, became
no wiser. Many of the remarks of the speaker
are really disgusting, frivolous nnd Irreligious,
and strange to say, that so-called Intelligent
men give their approval, or really have not the
courage to speak their disapproval, of tho so
called sermons and remarks of "Billy."
Hut he Is a falso prophet. Christ gives the
warning In about these words: "Bewaro of
false prophets that come to you In sheep's cloth
ing, but Inwardly are ravening wolves." Now,
"Billy" Is one of them; for he has shown tho
wolfs pelt In his ferocious attack on others who
do not think as he does. Where la his Christiani
ty in that? Have not others a right to think for
themselves, as -well ns he thinks for himself?
He has given no fixed doctrine which he can
declare is tho true one.
Ho spoke. In a very superficial manner for all
conflicting sects and denominations in doctrine
and tenets, except a few which he mentioned,
and has shown he has a shallow and superficial
idea of a concrete doctrine. If I wanted to
accept him as a teacher. I want him to tell me
which church to go to. If he can tell mo which
of the denominations he was speaking for and
which is the true and certain one, and he will
prove It, I will Join It. That Is a nut for him
to crack.
His egotistical, baseball hilarity and mob
vulgarity are certainly a vaudeville and sen
sational exhortation of a change to a religious
life, and his mob vulgarity will not Inspire
one with true reverence for religion, but the
opposite, and that Is superficiality.
LEONARD STABLER.
Philadelphia, March 20.
A MATTER OF AMUSEMENT
To the Editor of the Evening Ledger;
Sir The closing sentence of an editorial In
your paper of the 16th Inst., "There is alteady
little except prejudice left for them (suffragists)
to overcome," would be amusing were It not so
absurd. The complexities of the ''suffrage'
problem are, however, summarily cleared up by
the astounding intellect of your editorial writer,
and we, who are not In agreement with his
views, hold ours through "prejudice." Congrat
ulations, fellow membera of that "prejudiced"
majority opposed to "suffrage." that we shall
no longer have to exercise our Intellectual
functions; all problems wU be determined by
the gifted editorial writer of the Evening;
LiDOEn. A. R, BSUTH.
Olenslde, March 17.
HELPING PHILADELPHIA
To the Editor of tho Evening Ledger!
Blr-On behalf of the Poor Richard Club, I
wish to thank you for your editorial of yester
day, commending the action of Provost Smith
in offering, through the Poor Richard Club, the
buildings of the University of Pennsylvania for
the convention, of tho Associated Advertising
Clubs of the World In 1916.
This is the kind of "boosting" that will help
Philadelphia and the kind of writing appre
ciated by alt who are almlnif at higher ideals
in advertising". R H DURBIN.
President poor Richard Club.
PMliielplUa, Marcb 19.
EUROPE'S SPRINGTIME
BEST THOUGHT IN AMERICA
DIGEST OF TH
(1) Bookman "Chronicle and Comment."
(2) Atlantic Monthly "Tho Russians and
tho War."
(.1) Century "Tho Democratic Russians."
(I) Current Literature "Tho Renaissance
of Interest in Russlnn Literature."
(5) Outlook "War Relief Work In Rus
sia." RUSSIA AND THE RUSSIANS
"pt'SSIA for mine," said n young war cor
JLV respondent on a flying trip to New
York recently. "Russia is tho real story of
this war, and I want to get back thero und
wntch it happen." His feeling Is echoed by
tho current magazines, all of which agree
Hint "something big" Is going to happen In
Russia when tho war ends.
They senso tho waning of Russian au
tocracy. Tho Russian people, until now
drugged by oppression and vodka, havo been
roused from their lethargy by tho wur. Tho
old order is menaced by tho new strength
of the people's young, untried virility. The
shake-up produced by the war, tho abolition
of vodka, the probability that as a result of
tho war Russia will at last obtain possession
of Constantinople, with tho consequent stim
ulus' to production and trade tlieso aro some
of tho elements which promise to create a
grand transformation In Russia.
A delightfully vivid description ot Russian
llfo by Stephen Graham In tho Atlantic
Monthly derives added Interest from an ac
count of tho author In this month's Book
man (1);
Mr. Graham is tho son of the editor of tho
English illustrated Journal, Country Life.
Ho bears a. marked resemblance to Maxim
Gorky. Seven cnrs ago, when ho was in
early 20s, ho gave up a good business post
In London nnd wont to Russia to find him
self. He had but 1E In his pocket when
ho started. Ho reached Moscow and there
shnrcd a room with two Russian students.
Ho tramped nbout tho Caucasus, slept under
tho stars nnd received hospitality from all
kinds of queer people. Tho next year ho
joined tho Russian pilgrims, disguised as ono
of them, and traveled to Jerusalem. Lator
ho joined n party of Immigrants on their
way to the United Stntes, traveling with'
them In tho steorage across tho Atlantic to
Now York, nnd thence trnmplng to Chicago
and the farms of tho West.
Flies on tho Cossacks.
Mr. Graham, writing of his adopted pcoplo
In the Atlantic Monthly (2), describes tho
Cossacks;
Tho Cossack is always a soldier. Every
man has to servo In the nrmy. When ho is
farming ho Is said to be "on leave." The
village is not called a village, but a station,
a stanltza. No woman grudges her children
to the war. War Is the element In which
thoy all live, nud the maneuvers are bo wild
and fierce that many get killed In them, kill
one another ovon, forgetting that thoy are
only playing nt war.
Their homes are neither comfortable nor
clean the homes of eagles rather than of
men. Formerly robbers and border-riders
of the wildest type, they are now bred,
much as one might breed a type of horso
for sterling qualities. The women are lazier
than ordinary Russian peasant women nnd
fat moro and sleep more. As a fair com
panion of tho road explained to me:
"It's the women who must be blamed for
the dirt in their cottages. After dinner the
women always lie down nnd fall asleep, and
they leave all tho dirty dishes on the table,
and let the pigs and chickens come In and
hunt for food." That Is true. You enter
the little room that Is all in all of a home,
and you find 60,000 files buzzing over every
thing. Often of an afternoon I have entered
a cottage in order to get milk and have
found every one asleep, even the dog, who
but opens one eye at the noise of my step.
The baby lies in the swing cradle and tosses
now nnd then and cries a little. He would
be almost naked were he not black with
files. The children keep picking flies off
his body, and hurting him that is why he
cries. None the less, that baby will grow
up to be a sturdy Cossack. And they seem
none the worse for dirt and disorder, to
Judge from the fine young; men we see.
Summing up the situation, Mr. Graham
writes;
As nations go, Great Britain is like a man
of 45, Germany like a man of 30. but Russia
like a genius who is Just J.8. It is the young
man that you find in Russia, virginal, full of
mystery, looking out at a world full of color
and holiness and passion and sordidness, Rus
sia the silent one. silent for 25 years, and
then silent for 10 years more. Is either
speaking now, or is about to speak. The
spirit moves mysteriously in her. She begins
to know that her time Is at hand.
Edwin Bchoonmaker. the American essay
ist and poet, author of a series of articles
on Russia, writes of her democracy in this
1 MAGAZINES
month's Century (3), drawing a sharp ai-
.icuon oeiwcen the governing classes ml 't
tho governed.
foriT ' "S..MS ", jt 1
-. - " 'uiuii.i ii 1 1 11 1 'ina
ana which beenn to im ,nn.i,.j ... ."7 n
n thousand years nm. wi.n n..,i .'i"rS,'n
innn win, i.i .ii ""." .""'."i u 1
iii.i .1 V "erH, came in and eatab- A
shed themselves as rulers of tha land. T Is 1
not generally known that tho present hiuil 1
i,"m,a0,' wnich has held tho scentre for
..,,.. ' ,s ,ul, Ormnn. We In America'
....w ..u ouiueimng 01 tne part played by
ff? .V' of th0 house ot Hanover-Bruns I
WICJ. Ill flirt nnnrnoe nn u 1.-
position to tho Idealists of England, will un- 4
dorstnnd something ot what 300 years of Ger- 8
manlzatlon has meant to the Russian people.
For a lonu nerlod. when iho rnnt m.. i ?,
1
tho peasantry were serfs upon the estates of
tho Russian nobility, tho task masters upon
these estates were Germans, who had been
imported to wring a larger return from the
labor of theso unfortunate people. And th
record which they left in the land accounts
In n very largo measure for tho enmity be
tween the Slav und the German, which Is
finding vent In the present war. In the
higher ofllces of the ministry, too, It has been
the hand of the German that has set the
Russian Government In onnositlon to th
Russian people. 1
-luioi.u ta inu Kiuriucu luissiuii peasant, 111-5
terlllC his heart tn tho wnHH frnm Ihrfrroijli
ot the ages. From this man alone, in mod-
nrn times, has gone out the living conviction
that peace and brotherhood nrn realities des- 1
tlned sooner or Inter to conquer the world. 1,
From this heart of tho Russian people we"'
see, nun a saving spirit In the midst or Diooa
nnd death, snrendlnc- out over tho world that ;1
wldo circle of democracy beyond which you jj
rnnnnr en. .
Current Opinion translates from the Revue ?j
de Paris a tribute by Gustavo Lanson, "the j
distinguished French savant," to this spirit
of "Russian Humanity" (4):
Tolstoy, Dostoycvsky, Gorky, to cite but 3
three names, wrote only In order to dimlnlin
human suffering. All their work Is a crussdi
against evil, nn invitation for all mea to
throw asldo egoism,, wickedness, hardneM,
greed. They pity the people, but without
dulgenco for its vices. They are severe to
ward the great and the wealthy, but without
prejudiced calumny. Nothing In German m
erature, nor In any other literature la com
parable to this great wave of humanity wn
which tho Russian novel has Inundated Eu
rope. Realism, naturalism for French writers
used to menn pessimism. Irony, cruelty, uooa
ness and Idealism were ridiculed as the Win
nf Ilia rnmnnHn trtrita TIlA RllSfllanS DBT
rovenled to. us. havo taught us anew, it yo" if
prefer, that ono might be true, exai.. .
close to life, that ono was even truer, mors
exact, closer to llfo in expressing ' PW-Jr
derness, and In a word. In being "human.
Tf To rv.1,1 in hn Trenches."
That tho Bourco of the "humanity" InHuisj
Kinn lltemturn Is in tho very hearts and uv?s.
of the peasantry, Is Illustrated by the touch
im- stories told bv George Kennan in V"
Outlook, of their response to appeals .'
help for the soldiery, nnd this in spin
fliplr- nvn destitution (5):
A myriad of collectors took the J J"l
cities towns una viiiageo. vn. - rr-v
Trenches." They went from ""'"K.
collecting sneep bkius hiiu .... "",,,,,.
ins for the soldiers, and the quantity mi
talned was so great that It nearly swff 15 .
the Government's facilities for repuw ---- j
distribution, The peasants sometimes mo 1
stripped themselves In order to eena wy -
clothing to the "cold trencnes." .",5
aged peasant woman who was living '".
had nothing that she could give "rtht
towel. Sho gave that, and then sftet w
copper five kopeck piece (two ana a jg
cents) said, "Here, take this. too. &,
ing It for Kerosene, nut . i:" " "
TO THE GOOD SHEPHERD
Not of this fold, Thine other sheep .obey ta
And follow on by paths we do not Kno
Out (n the world, in other worlds, it - ,
Which God can find, and where
winds blow,
.ih ii
Free blow His winds, although our
"arrw' ,,.. ... .hu.h our fcf"uJ
warm omuca o dumb -,-.,.--.
are cum, ,. A
His heavens aid the fall of every iparr 0.
And all Thy sheep. .O Christ, may fla ,w 4
One Shepherd's voice, on hills where dusi
a""?ii .. UM ..j th pm
1 une nocit oeneaw mo U,"'"T " ,.iiin, m
I If any sheep has wandereq .rem -"A .Tnjr,
I pray Thee, ennst, 11 " "
o. ,.u.i c .,.. th-cn-belli (b
One fold at last; one Shepherd ,
And soma that nanny snow -v
climbing , -.r
To enter irl, O Christ, the Open v00?
LouU r- Benson, to, T6 is-3"4'
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