Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-08-31

r Uncle SAM turns his attention with
equal facility from a great engl-
neering feat to the tiniest study
of insect life. He is interested In every
thing of the past, present and future.
For anything that opens up new Vlstas
TO the Intelligent enlightenment OF
man he becomes an enthusiast his
co-operation may be enlisted for any
plan that smacks Of ultimate Denenl
TO the people-so he becomes an advo-
cate of all of the arts and sciences.
His ardent zeal for investigation leads
him into interesting places all over
the world.
Most of his information is gained
through exploring parties. sent out on
expeditions to pursue various lines re-
sulting in extending the boundaries OF
knowledge. They carry on their ex-
peditions along lines Of which least
knowledge has been obtained. visiting
here and there to collect data tnat
will provide the citizens OF the country
access to information about every
region under the sun from almost
every standpoint.
Tbere have been twenty parties in
the field during the last year. some
of them are still out. Those VINO re-
turned have had much to relate Oh
interest, since their experiences Drousnt
them in contact with more or less ao-
solutely new and unknown conoltlons'
Dr. Ales Hrdlicka, curator OF the ui,
vision of anthropology of the Nationai
Museum. has recently returned from q
and Siberia on which he made olscov-
cries that throw light on the ori saa
of the American Indian the doct tha mas
been interested in proving the tneoIy
that the American aborigine Is the re-
suit of a migration or gradual over
flow into this country of a people IN
made to northern Mongolia. where ne
spent some time at Urga, the capltal,
and to southeastern Siberia. Here, Oy
direct contact with the people: . nvns
he was able to study their customs anu
traditions by personal observation. ne
found that the individual natives tnem
selves and many OF their customs re-
semble to a remarkable degree the
American Indian type.
So many widely different opinions nave
the question Of the origin of the In
dian that the results Of DR.. Hrdncka. 3
undertaking are worthy or the utmost
scientific consideration oiihgms as my
port a decidedly rational theory.
The physical resemblances between the
American Indian and the living peoples
seen in Mongolia, as well as the COL
lections at the museums visited. CANNOT
be regarded as accidental. for they are
as numerous as they are important. ex-
listing in no other part of the world
peopled by yellow-brown race These
resembIances are not Indicative of an
American migration to Asia. for emigra.
tion of man follows the laws OF ieas.
such conditions surely lay more In the
direction from Asia to America than
the reverse.
about the life of the Mongolians as he
found it on his travels he said:
Mongolia, the country. Is practically
unknown to the ordinary traveller. II
any should venture there ne would per-
haps go through in caravan and miss
everything but the scenery. 1t Is only
by living in among the people, eating
their food and sleeping in their huts that
any real intimate knowledge can come.
THE people and the country are un-
like anything else Of any other part of
the world, yet the people and the cond1-
lions do not impress one az Il he were
going through a land of savages, there
being on many sides evidences OF Q GER
tain degree of civilization.
THE Mongolians were found toto very
mixed groups OF people, embracing every
thing from individuals with blue eyes.
brown hair. rosy white skin and European
physiognomy to the dark brown beings
that SO closely resemble tho American
Indian. They evidently represent a great
conglomerate Of different people4
"They speak five princtp0 dialects.
They have a writing of their own. in
which q single newspaper - published.
The people have no schools, but reading
and writing is taught among the disciples
in the numerous monasteries. In re-
ligion the Monaghan is Lamaist, the
same as the Tibetan. but there are under
and even on the surface many remnants
of the former beliefs and practices which
belong to shamanism. system closel,
related In many respects to the beliefs
and practices of the American Indian.
Their present religion has had radi-
cal effects on the Mongolian character
and also on his mode Of living. 1t teaches
him that he must not kill any living
thing except In case of necessity. in con-
sequence Of which he ceases to be q
hunter or a fighter except under very
special circumstances. He also believes
that it would be transgression followed
by evil consequences to disturb in any
way Mother Earth, SO he practices nc
agriculture and is adverse to mining, ex.
ploration or any other work that neces-
STATES QlSSiHB iHlo SxC SIOuHOs
amples are told to the traveller OF cpl
denies and scourges following some Of
tense or another Of these rules.
such conditions have made of the
Monaghan a good-natured harmless no
mad II one meets him on the road, hi
is seen smiling at you from afar; II yol
come into his hut. he smiles again and
accommodates you gladly with the pool
facilities at his disposal He raise:
horses, goats and few cattle. which
afford him more or less poor existence
..He lives In round houses, or rathe,
tents built Of light lattice work and Gov
cred with thick felt. These houses b,
moves with him wherever he goes II
search Of new pastures. The traveiei
may pass one day through a virgin coun
try, and returning week hence find II
the same place a big thoroughly estab
lisf1ed settlement of -MorrgOiians.s
THE Monaghan also does not manu-