The Detroit times., 1916-06-07
Roman ROLAND.
BY DIR. FRANK CRANE
Copyright. 1915. by Frank Crane)

war labor under marked disadvantages
at present.
In lunatic asylum sane man is in
precarious position.
Patriotism is high ideal, but when
the whole community is afire with it the
man who has a higher ideal is apt, by
popular feeling, to be classed with those
who have lower. The internationalist
is Jumped with the peace at any pric-
ers." The man who is ahead of the COM
munal conscience has as hard time as
the man who is behind. Jesus was exc
cuted along with two thieves.
NJ. Roman ROLAND is one of the fore
most writer's of France. His Jean
Christophe" is perhaps the best piece Of
fiction done by anybody in recent years.
When the war broke out he grasped at
once the only idea that can save the
world from the horrible collapse which
stubborn and infamed nationalism inn
plies.
With the intellectuals of Germany
Iprostituting their influence to uphold the
Iintellectuals of France uniting to blow
the flame of hatred toward all things
German, he almost alone remained firm.
In the midst of the uproar of anger he
raised his voice for reason. His plea was
for that internationalism that will estab-
lish moral high court, tribunal of con-
science that would make effective The
Hague court. He has not ceased to do
his utmost to arouse Europe TO the folly
and madness of war, and to recall to
mems minds that cooperation, not war,
is the right and destiny of nations; all
that is valuable in each people may be
maintained not by struggle against but
by friendly intercourse with others"
He has been denounced as traitor by
his compatriots. with the exception of a
few who have defended him in the Pari-
sian press.
But, as Waldo r. Browne writes, "if
any remnants of human wisdom survive
the era of Staying and hysteria through
which the world is now passing, it will
be because somehow, and soon, the ideal
of human fraternity is brought to pre-
vail over the outworn creeds of national
ism and individualism. 1t must be so.
else Socialism, Christianity, and the COM
ity of literature, art, and science become
CHASTITY jest.
Roman ROLAND, with magnificent
courage, then fouted, insulted, and exiled
I by his countrymen, has stuck to his guns.
From his book, above the Battle" /
quote one passage TO show the temper
Of his pen.
"While the war tempest RACES, up
roofing the strongest souls and dragging
them along in its furious cyclone, / con-
tinue my humble pilgrimage, trying to
discover beneath the ruins the rare
hearts who have remained faithful to the
old ideal Of human fraternity. What
sad Joy I have in collecting and helping
them!
81 know that each Of their Efforts
like mine-that each of their words of
love. rouses and turns against them the
rage of the two hostile camps. The COM
batants, pitted against each other, agree
in hating those who refuse to hate.
Europe is like besieged town. Fever is
raging. Whoever will not rave like the
rest is suspected And in these hurried
times, when justice cannot wait to study
evidence every suspect is traitor. Who
ever insists, in the midst of war, on de-
Tending peace among men knows that he
risks his own peace, his reputation, his
friends, for his belief. But of what value
is a belief for which no risks are .run?"
When the intellectual history of these
times comes to be written the name of
Roman ROLAND will stand out in letters
of gold, as one who imposed the future
upon his fellows.