The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1915-12-30

miGtakably pro-truth, which makes
their statements Of great value. They
are reporters. All great writer's are
reporters. All writer's Of power and
influence, whether novelists, poets, or
historians are reporters, and 1t IL their
sincerity and impartiality. their deter
mination to report life as 1t 10. and the
truth a. 1t comes to them. that makes
them great. The true basis Of all
talent is sincerity.
On my book shelf have grouped
several volumes because they seem
to be related. They are Thucydfdfes'
History of the Peloponnesian War.
Plutarch'e Lives" William Dudley
Foulke's "Slax or Saxon" Beveridge's
What is Back of the War;" and Sven
Hedin's with the German Armies In
the West" MIR. Foulke's book belongs
beside the other books because 1t Is
a truthful picture of Russia as a mil
itary power and q faithful portrayal
of the Russian character; 1t also
sounds the danger from this great
sleeping giant when It is fully awak-
ened. Some day. says Mr.. Foulke, the
military power Of Russia will menace
Saxon civilization. This is confirm
ed by both Beveridge and Hedin. Mr..
Beveridge says. "If the Allies win Rus
STA will be the one great predominant
ing military power in the world. No
decree of peace congresses can pre-
vent that result. Russia is world
within itself. No obstacle or defeat
retards her steady march"
And Dr. Hedin says. "A Russian vic.
tory. or the success of the Allies will
be more disastrous to Europe than a
German victory. for all-powerful Rus
STA would threaten the whole Europ-
can continent, including England and
her mastery Of India, but victorious
Germany would entail no menace to
Europe or the worlds peace"
1t is a pity that Americans. relying
upon British-censored news and British
owned American newspapers, can't
take these two writer's at their word
and see the true situation.
1t may be asked, why do you group
the Greek historian Thucydides with
these modern writer's? Because
Thucydides is now regarded as the
first critical historian and the great
est historian of antiquity; because he
was a searcher for truth and truth
teller; because he was on the ground,
was a participant in the war, was
simple and plain in his narrative. saw
things with a power behind the eye.
talked with the soldiers and leaders
Of Sparta and Athens, and reported It
all with the sincerity and impartiality,
Just as Beverage and Hedin have
done. This makes the sympathetic
chord.
1t may be further asked by include
Plutarch's Lives of the Greeks and
Romans? Because Plutarch's por-
traiture of the soldiers and great COM
manders of antiquity accords with tAe
portrayal Of the military men OF gen.
ius in this modern war as drawn by
Hedin and Beveridge. The heroes OF
Greece and Rome are brothers to the
heroes of the European contest. The
world has never seen men OF greater
military genius or commanding stat
ure than those exhibited in the pres
ent war. Some modern Thucydides
may record the truth for future gen.
crations to read.
"A cat may look at king says
John Ruskin, but can it see king
when it looks at him."
No, the cat cannot recognize what
it has not in itself The Greeks had a
saying that no god could conceal him
self from another god, while he could
conceal himself from mortals. 1t Is
bit Of modern psychological philos-
ophy that you can't recognize In
others any virtues you haven't in your.
self. That is to say that crook sees
only crooks in all men, and that
| honest and generous men quickly
recognize honesty and generosity In
others According to this all lovers OF
noble deeds. all men of generous i'm
| pulses, all persons who believe in