Omaha daily bee., 1909-08-01

As long as the discussion lasted there
we're listeners in abundance. Only a few
steps away a doctor OF medicine discussed
tuberculosis and sanitary problems, and
in a few minutes a listening crowd
pressed about the debaters. Some even
ings later, on a visit to the park, a gifted
layman was preaching to a great gath
ering. A youth of Is or 10 standing near
the speaker listens solemnly and then off
and on interposes rapid, bitter objections.
~blasphemous in the extreme. Yet after
delivering his objections he smokes his
pipe and listens. calmly, as still as a stat
ute, attentive as II he were a devotee.
What shall we do with this Christi
cries the preacher as a climax to a longer
series Of arguments. Cruelty him. an
swers the young scorner. Next to me
stands a boy OF Is. He turns on the
youth and exclaims: "Ah, that's rubbish,
sir, don't you know that he has been
crucified? % And then follows half a min
ute's debate between these two, the
speaker continuing composedly with his
address. Whether the problems were So
cialistlc, atheistic, Roman catholic, evan
gelical, or political, the Immense interest
IN them as problems claiming attention
was very evident. London may be a busy
city, but the Londoner takes time TO
think, to reason, to discuss with himself
and others. Compare for a moment in
this respect London and Venice, gay.
happy, pleasure loving Venice. and the
metropolitan Importance OF London In
stantly finds it's explanation. A linking
sober people will always hold the sceptre.
There are good reasons for the fact that
London and not brilliant Paris, the beau
tiful Paris, is humanity'S capital.
You cannot call dark, sooty London
beautiful. The style OF domestic and public
architecture is heavy and cold as a rule
The tawdry sides OF life in cities like
Nuremberg and Venice, have a ~uniqueness
and often a nobility that you will miss ir
Lordon. London is a commercial and IN.
d~ustrial center and not a city with al
artistic population as the case is in Flor
ence. Italy's slums are filthy beyond
description, and still these romance peopl,
Of the south have a certain artistic al
about them that relieves the misery yol
witness. Besides, as they think less. broo,
less than the deeper northerners. they re
main happy In spite Of the squalor the
live in. LOndon's slum regions are giganti
in size. One evening l Wake through tn
notorious W~hitechapel district to see HOY
the poor Of London live, Truly l wa
astonished at the sights witnessed, and We
l must confess hat things were not haI
as bad as ! thought they would be, TIL
b city keeps the streets and lanes even
these slums clean and fresh. BY con
: p~aTison, Italy's slums are fearful
malodorous and disgusting. The poor
|. London live with a sad and broken hea
\ in their bosom. Italy's poor seem to lac
those ideals Of life that would enable the
p to feel keenly their sad lot. Therefore.
3 a sense, the poverty OF wealthy LondC
make one infinitely sadder.
d Kirg Edwards soliders-if soldiers the
must be-are a splendid lot. Calm. digI
n fled, silent. impressive, they lcok spiend
Il in their bright red coats. Militarism
q Europe strikes an American az a We
s. heavy burden on a nation = Europe