The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-05-13
ROOSEVELT MAKES
 BITTER ATTACK :
 ON TOLSTOY
Former President in One of His Characteristic Editor ials Assails the Russian Novelist for Championing the Cause of William Jen- nings Bryan in the Last Campaign.
Especial from United Press.)

New York. May 13.-Count Leo Tol- stoy's championship of the candidacy of William Jennings Bryan in the last Presidential election is made the sub ject of an attack by ex-President Roosevelt on both Bryan and Tolstoy, the influence of the latter of whom is declared to be for evil. The attack is in the form of an editorial in the cur rent issue of the Outlook. In combat ing Tolstoy's statement that MT. Bryan represented the party of peace, MT. Roosevelt says:
 "Now there was but one point in the platform of either political party in 1908 which contained any element of menace to the peace of the world. This was the plank in the Bryanite platform which demanded the immediate exclu- therefore of the Japanese. Coupled with this was the utterly meaningless plank about the navy which was, how ever, intended to convey the impress sion that we ought to have a navy only for the defense of our coasts, that is Amerely defensive navy, or, in other words, a quite worthless navy.
 Amy man of common sense, there fore, ought to perceive the self-evident fact that the only menace to peace which was contained in any possible action by the American republic was that contained in the election of MT.
 
 feet his platform.
 Count Tolstoy is a man of genius, a great novelist, but I have no ques- ton that whatever little Influence Tol- stoy has exerted among men of action has told on the whole. for evil. I do not think his influence over men of action has been great, for I think he has swayed or dominated only the fec b1e folk and the fantastic followers. Strong men may gain something from Tolstoy's moral teachings but only be- cause they are strong enough and sane enough to be repelled by those parts of his teachings which are foolish or inn moral Weak persons are hurt by the teachings.
 of wickedness which there is real dan-i ger of his writings mourning, for it is a 1amentable fact that as is so often the case with a certain type of mys- tical zealot. there is in him a dark streak which tells of moral perversity. That side of his teachings which is partially manifested in the revolting Krutser Sonata can do exceedingly lit tie damage in me for 1t would appeal only to decadents; exactly as 1t could have come only from a man, however high he may stand in certain respects, has in him certain dreadful qualities of the moral pervert.
 .'The usual effect of prolonged and excessive indulgence in Tolstoyism on American disciples is comic rather than serious. One of these disciples Wrole d poOh ou AInericdu InuHC.peL pro blems which aScribed our ethical and social shortcomings in municipal matters in part to the sense of 'Mili- taryism.' -4.+.t
 '' 'Militaryism' as an evil in our so- cial life is purely figment of the imagination. Moreover the fact that in spite of this total absence of mili- taryism there is so much that is evil in our life, so much need for reform. ought to show persons who think that the destruction of militaryism would bring about the millennium how com pletely they lack the sense of perspec- tive. So much for the Tolstoyism in America, the only place where I have in Russia itself I am not competent to say. But the history of the Duma proved in the most emphatic way that the greatest danger to Liberalism in Russia sprang from the fact that the Liberals were saturated with just such folly as that taught by TolstoYn