Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-07-09

SCPS hAc AoSAdNG PlSsuASS " SsSASAAesA.
"kultur'' and high mobility" Some OF
officious defense Of Germany and his
attempt to teach the people of Norway
some German ideas of "brotherly love-"
pointing to see the son of Norway's
great republican poet. Bjornsjerne
Bjornson, play the role Of a hired
agent for the German military machin-
cry. The fact is-and all the people OF
Norway know it-that if Bjornson, the
poet, had lived he would have de-
nounced the rape of Belgium in just
as strong language as that used by
Colonel Roosevelt
In temperament and fighting quail
ties. Roosevelt and Bjornson had very
much in common; for Bjornson. too.
like the Colonel, was a real gladiator
in the arena whenever there was any
substantial fighting to do. In the hard
fought battles for freedom, justice and
human rights. Bjornson always took
the van and he struck with the ham
mer of Thor for the best traditions
and ideals of the people. In the South
African war, he expressed himself
strongly in favor of the Beers; but his
great rival in the literary arena, Henrik
Ibsen. was Just as strongly probing
lish. Bjornson was an enthusiastic ad-
mirer Of Abraham Lincoln and some Of
the other great Americans as we'll.
In May, 1882, was present at one OF
his lectures in Christiania.. Norway.
and in the course of his eloquent speech
he drew character sketch OF Abra-
ham Lincoln, full Of poetical beauty.
He referred TO Lincoln and General
Grant as typical Americans-the flower
and perfection of American manhood
AS an orator Bjornson had no peet
in northern Europe. BY his magnetic
personality. his power of imaginative
fancy and the tremendous force OF his
eloquence, rolling like mountain tor
rents. he could keep an audience SPELL
bound for hours. He was an optinlis-
tic evolutiouist, viewing humanity on
an eternal march 70 higher and
nobler existence. If the poet had lived
now-with full view of the European
arena before hinl-I am afraid that his
vision of an eternal progress would
have received n rather severe jolt. He
would certainly have seen no "evolu-
ton" but hells pollution all around.
Bjornson was Norway's most popular
poet; but his son. Bjorn. has now made
himself very unpopular by his blunder-
ing attempt to preach the revised
gospel Of the kaiser for Norwegian
gentiles. 1t was this activity as Ger
man propaganda that brought the
fiery Frenchman. Cleinenceau. into the
arena against him, and the Norwegian
editors showed no disposition to come
to his defense at ALL
Norway is at present in no mood for
love feasts and fine phrases about the
good conscience of Germany" The
people stand face TO face
with stern facts and brutal reality, and
no pious preaching can alter the case
When the conscience of nations or in
dividuals has to be mended by phari-
saical dope. il is a rather unreliable
guide AS long as preachers and theo-
logical professors furnish an abundant
suppley OF spiritual cpiates. we can at
ford the swee. luxury of fine conscience
and we can strut proudly way up in
the temple. turn pharisaical face to
Heaven, and bieat piously our shining
virtues
But what is the use Of bother1ng
with conscience anyway? II the world
is to be ruled by brute force only, we
may Just as well discard the so-called
conscience without any fine phrase
ology throwing the worthless append
age into the great scrap-pile of
wrecked civilization When ministers
Of the gospel use the Bible to defend
monstruos crimes, tharsing God. whose
throne is founded on an eternal law OF
love and mercy. Tor the torpedocs that
sent hundreds OF women and innocent
children TO the monsters OF the deep:
yyI,en civilization &c farce and Chris
tianity a failure. then the world is ripe
for the final reaper. Ole o. Lien. Mar
shalltown, Iowa