New-York tribune., 1906-04-22
AS TO "AMERIoAN INTOLERANCE"

II has not seemed necessary or desirable hith-
erto to discuss the somewhat notorious mari
tai vagaries OF Mr.. Maxim Gorky, further. at
any rate than to chronicle briefly the more or
less public performances of himself and his
female companion and the more or less public
attitude Of this community toward them. Be
yOnd those obvious details, and indeed even in
Them the matter is not an attractive one. DE
gustbus non disputandum est" and it is gen
orally agreeable to apply the same forbearing
rule to matrimonial complications, so long as
the criminal code Is not violated and the moral
code is not too fagrantly defied. 1t would
have been quite safe to leave the case of Mr..
Gorky and his domestic relations to be dis
posed of by the instructive taste and common
sense of the community, which thus far ap-
pear to have been entirely correct in their atti-
tude toward him. But be and some of his apOl-
ogsts or eXploiters have not been content thus
to let the matter rest, but have seen fit to rail
against this public for what they gracefully
describe as doing him dirt" and 1t is even
reported that in Russia much surprise is felt
at the intolerance Of the Americans" These
circumstances must be our excuse for recalling
2 few facts which to the thoughtful and we'll
informed may seem trite and superfuous, but
Of which some, In both America and Europe,
apparently need TO be reminded
We have been told with altogether needless
vehemence. that Mr.. Gorky's marital relations
are considered all right in Russia; that it is
difficult and costly to get divorces there, and
that therefore, it is customary for men to take
second wives without the fogmality of divorc-
ing the first: and that such proceedings are
regarded as quite regular and commendable.
That s no news to us. We are quite willing
TO accept it as true But what on earth has
il to do with the casef We are also credibly
informed that two and two make four, and that
the square Of the hypothenuse is equal to the
sum of the squares OF the other two sides of
q right angled triangle. But what have these
things to do with the attitude we should as
sumo toward Mr.. GorBy and his wives? Those
who raise such arguments miss the point of
| the whole matter. 1t does not count with us
so much as the small dust of the balance that
Russians, in Russia condone or approve his
amorous vagares. We are not Russians, and
this Is not Russia. We are Americans, and
this is America and America has as good a
right TO its standards of morals and of social
department as Russia has to hers. 1t is moth
ing to us that Russians in Russia do this or
that or the other thing. But we inexorably
object to having Russian any other alien
standards imposed upon us here and to being
told we are "intolerant' in not accepting them.
We may be intolerant from the point of view
of some but IN saying SO they are insolent from
If Mr.. Maxim Gorkys marital relations are
esteemed in Russia correct, he had q perfect
| right to stay in Russia and enjoy that esteem
| He had no business 10 intrude himself unasked
into another country where they are not thus
esteemed and expect It to revise its social and
moral code TO accord with his vagaries, and
then rail against 1t for inhospitality and intoI-
erance because II would not do so. 1t is an old
| saying that when one is In Rome he should
| do as the Romans do St Ambrose set lis the
precept, centuries ago. We inclined TO in
sist that America is as good as Rome-or Rus
| sla-and that visitors TO this country If they
| are TO command our confidence and esteem
should TO some extent conform to our moral
| and social standards If they do not wish IN
| do SO, or cannot do SO, the alternative Is sim
pie and obvious In the Congo we believe
people of the highest standing in native society
go about arrayed In nothing but breech-clouts:
| IN Turkey nothing IS more correct than for
man TO maintain an extensive seragllo, and In
| Japan ii is considered quite CONNIE Il faut FOR
people Of both sexes to perform their ablu-
tons IN public. Ars we intolerant because Me