The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-12-06

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Paris, Dec. 6.-America has started
new current Of civilization In the world,
according to 0ugliemo Ferrero, the
Roman historian. Prof. Ferrero. In
lecture before the Societe des Com
ferences Etraneeres in Paris. contrast
ed America and Europe and declared
that new standards of judgment must
be formed II Europe Is to understand
America at its true value.
We are accustomed" said he. ito
regard things solely in terms Of quail
ity. We look upon the riches Of
America. for instance. with a kind of
disdain. They are often regarded in
europe in the same light as the riches
OF a barbarous people which, to ac-
quire them. has forsaken mans super
Tor spiritual activities. It is not neces-
sary to spend much time in America
70 see that Americans are very far
from being devoted solely to the pur-
suit Of wealth.
1 have also heard 1t said that Amer
leans are without taste for art: that
their cities are hideous. They are pic
tured as paying large prices for any
enans 1nat IL antique or passes as such,
witnout distinguishing the beautiful
ana the authentic from the mediocre
ana the false. It is unjust to say that
the American Is Indifferent to beauty.
Moreover. who would dare to af1irm that
the progress OF the arts. letters and
sciences is at this moment the principal
preoccupation of the old world? Listen
70 wnat ID said about US. We hear
mourning but talk of perfecting economic
equipment, the exploitation of iron and
coai mines industrial development. and
now to increase trade. II all this is
Sserican' then Europe must be un-
dergoing Americanizatfon at an an,a-.
angly rapid pace
N Ferrero sees in this new spirit.
wnacn mas developed since the discov.
eIy OF america, an immense historica
movement which threatens to over
throw the very foundations Of the pres
ent civilization. 1t is founded on the
idea Of progress, which. born at ths
eng OF the seventeenth or the begin
n1ng OF the eighteenth century. now
dominates our civilization.
Inc 1oea OF this progress IL M
ssag r. and indefinite in its meaning
powerful in action But it is q stranr nv.
phenomenon that just in this centnrv
OF so-calied progress everyone seems to
| ne complaining Of the decadence al
Things. Are we progressing or are We
| n0t: Can 1t be that this progress for
",tI IH we sacI1Ilce our repose. our tran
4uinty ana sometimes even our lives
IS only an illusion. This il the an.
preme problem which presented ifse1f -
me as the result Of ali I saw and Iearrs
curing my travels in North and Soufh
America. @o"e14
| In former times quality wa. NOR.
important than quantity. We have rnS
| reversed the world in which our an
| cestors lived. piling up riches has ha-
come our aim. We have won liberty.
| destroyed almost all the limitations al
.ne past. but we have had in the pro-
cess to abandon almost all the ,leaIe
OF artistic, moral or religious perfectson
neld In veneration by our ancestors.
Nowadays we must everywhere sacrf-
nee quality to quantity.
mus there are two standards nv
winch We may Judge civilization. the
| standard of quantity and the standsrs1
OF quality. One is typified by the civi-
izatiOn OF America and the other nv
the past civilization of Europe, Either
judged by the others standard. will an
pear deficient. You cannot reproa oh
q presidential candidate in the United
states who Is compelled to make hail
a dozen speeches during the dav n his
style Is not SO polished nor phrases M
nicely turned as those Of Cicero. Nor
could you expect such gems Of oratory
from Cicero ii he had been called unon
20 comply with the same demands al
are made upon the modern orator"
| The painting of sounds, noises ana
smells" is the latest ambition Of the
l
artists Sounds. noises and smells. they
affirm, are Incorporated in the express
Slons of lines, volumes and colors f11st AZ
IL es volumes and colors are INCORPORATED
the, point Of view Of form there are
sounds. noises and smells which are con-
| cave or convex, trianglar, elupsoidai.
15lone; conical. spherical. spiraiic. etc.
yellow, red. indigo sl1y-blue and Violet.
In stations. factories. garages. hangers
and in fact throughout the whole Of the
world OF sport and mechanics the sounds
are almost always red. In cafes restaur-
ants or salons they are silverish. yellow
and violet AS for the sounds. noises and
| smells OF animals they are yellow and
| blue; OF women, green. sky-blue and
violet" In order to be the latest kind of
| q futuT1st you must use plenty of reds,
screaming reds." and greens, never
enough greens; yellows. never enough yell
| lows exploding yellows saffron, copper
and early morning yellows.'
Hector Granet. an obscure scholar liv-
Ing at Viverols. in the Auverne. conceived
the idea of preserving in alcohol the
corpse of his dead father. This eccentric
act appears to have supplied the touch
! which WAC necessary frarSf0ryv, III nh.