The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-11-01

great number Of your readers who like /
myself. have lived in or visited TIN /
present theatre Of war. must feel that
whatever may he the outcome of the /,
titanic struggle. Finland and the Baltic !
PROVINCES should no divorced from Russia
and he placed In that status to which their
historical. educational and religious life
entities them.
1t was RIGA tKluges verlagD that first
gave expression to Rants philosophy 1t
was In Mitau. Kurland, that the late
Field Marshal Count Blumenthal was
born. The high schools OF the Baltic
provinces. whose pedagogic value was
rated a. high as any In Germany. seEred
as models for similar institutions through
out Russia.
But with Alexander III. ruthless era
Of classification ~t In. The prosecutions
became 80 unbearablc that at las, the
Finlanders and Baltic people perceived
the reressity OF Joining the Russian reNo-
lutiouists in order TO change the Govern
ment and gain their autonomy. The rev1-
iutioniSs IN Russia. like those after the
Crimean war have no faith in the prom
ises II the Romanor dynasty. In fact
every lover OF freedom scorns a despot
gift with a shrug OF suspicion the chains
of Ignorance and the NTH OF pauperism
will he the mete OF his subjects az soon
as his composure has returned. Those
will not when they see chance OF re-
IA ming happiness, run back into the pest
ridden camps OF death dealing atmos-
phcre.
And y. perchancc. the Slav world Of the
orthodox faith. uurturcd from infancy
with the hatred OF everything non-Slavic
may heed the words OF the iutriguers sur.
rounding the Little Father. tn" millions
! ~ the moro Intelligent inhabitants Of the
| empire will acclaim the dawn OF new
| era that throws Its rays over the down
| fan OF the present rulers
They know that while orthodoxy holds
| sway in Russia no breath of freedom will
| be allowed to come over it's borders The
| Jealous gods OF stupidity and outrage will
| throttle every attempt Of conscience and
| prudence to administer 10 the needs Of
| the vast multitudes crowding in darkness
| 4ad fear. The torch OF katkons Fan
/ slavlsm has been isnitcd and hrand!shes
| one terrible dictum before the eyes of AZ
! understanding civilization onc language.
| one religion, one empire
! Now IL In one thing to enlarge the use
| fulness Of a growing civilization among
new spheres, TO change by persuasion ana
assimilation lower strata into higher
| forms thus eliminating barriers In the
course Of development that no longer
separate differeuc =. but only artfuly re-
| s.mhe them Hut 1t is quite another
| thing to force upon higher culture a.
that Of Finland and the Baltic provinces.
| the enigma Of barbara institutions
| through the attempts Of the mighty TO
| eliminate the natural differences In rcli-
| gion, language and custom
Those millions Of allen national'les
view with tho greatest abhorreuce the
! approaching likelihood ot being fnrcefully
! deprived Of their attainme-ts and scpa-
rated from the contact with the Western
spirit Of democracy. In spite 81 the
4 tasa hat
the contemporary American views ot
everything German, the fact remains tina
the schools Of Germany and German
thought, from the "Tugendhund' 70 Heg-
! elian philosophy. and 40 forth, have more
than any other force provided Russia =
. aspiring generations with this western
spirit Of democracy.
How much more II thi. the case with
! the people in the Baltic provinces ard in
Finland And how terrible is their 10.
Many Lutheran minister in the Baltic
provinces was sent to siberia for no
other crime but telling the ignorant peas
/ antry not to give Credence to tho prom
ises Of the proselyters that the Russian
, | Government would make them rich land
owners II they embraced tho Greek Catho-
lie faith,
, II the Western world il ignorant Of the
sinister intentions ~ the Fan-Slavlst Gle
! meut the peoples inhahitiug Russia and
to a great extent rebellion. against an alier
: rule. are painfully face 70 tace with the
, problem Of individual determination 81
partial liberation. Between the two, II /!
natural that they would prefer tho DIS
. memberment Of tho empire in order Il
: secure a partial liberation.
Moreover. fully realizing the utter hope
. lessness OF the Russians proper. tied dowi
As they are with a semi relg ious super
stitiou. stepped "a they are in ignorance
= and led by hatred Of everything non
. Slavic. those parts Of the empire that ar
= imbued with the progressive spirit Of th
:, | Western world form inimicsl entities tina
:. for the well being Of the so-called na'io'
, | ara stumbling blocks in themselves.
- Rut II must he remembered that thes
entities become formidable and irimi"a
$ only because the Government has show
Itself inimlcal TO them. This Is the Grim
| of the Government and the excuse OF II
citizens. \ Governmt NJ that divides th
citizens with acts OF nepotsm cannot eN
poet loyalty. Ths hand, on the contrary
that in spirit of solidarity feels war;
& In the clasp of Jew. German, Pole, Lei;
Finn and Russian has the right TO cXpeC
. mutual conceptions of respect and In
70 terest. on this common ground variou
Y beliefs and traditions can gather an
= work out the salvation of tho future.
II AS our civilization grows older the mar
le row limits of national conceit should bs
come obvious to us and a country tina
IL wants to enjoy prosperity and happnes
l. should instead Of ra sing barriers as
'e Russia, demolish them by opening squs
opportunities to all and giving full swa
W to the onward march Of liberalism.
~ II is hoping against faith 10 eNpc'
u such things to happen In Russia. Wher
/, the spirit Of science Is permeating "A pee
pie as in Germany, where the growth
t. democracy gains such steady progres
r, an understanding Of tho mutually ~ II
q tcrest and the conception Of huna