New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-07-29
Tolstoy Prophesied
War in 1910; Foresaw
RiseofNewNapoleon
Prediction of World Leader I'm
mediately Suggests Keren-
sky. Russian Premier

Four years before the outbreak Of
the war, in the fall Of 1910, Count Leo
Tolstoy prophesied the coming Of a
great world confagration. This proph-
ecy, part of which has come true, con-
tanned prediction of the rise of new
Napoleon. The vision Tolstoy had of
this Napoleon Immediately suggests
Kerensky. Tolstoy saw "a strange fig
ure from the north" enter the stage Of
the bloody drama, and described him:
"He is a man of little militaristic train
ing, a writer or journalist. but in his
grip most of Europe will remain till
1926"
The revelation of Tolstoy, dictated to
his niece, read, in part, as follows:
"This is a revelation of events of a
universal character which must shortly
come to pass. Their spiritual outlines
are now before my eyes. see floating
upon the surface of the sea Of human
fate the huge silhouette of nude
woman. She is-with her beauty, her
poise, her smile, her jewels-a super
Venus. Nations rush madly after her,
each of them eager to attract her. But
she, like an eternal courtesan, firts
with all. In her hair ornament of dia-
monds and rubies is engraved her
name-'Commercialism.' AS alluring
and bewitching as she seems, much de-
struction and agony follow in her wake.
Her breath, reeking of sordid transac-
tons; her voice, of metallic character,
like gold, and her look of greed, are SO
much poison to the nations who fall
victims to her charms.
"And behold! She has three gigantic
arms, with three torches Of universal
corruption in her hand. The first torch
represents the flame Of war that the
beautiful courtesan carries from city
to city and country to country. Pa
triotism answers with flashes Of honest
fame, but the end is the roar of guns
and musketry.
"The great conflagration will start
about 1912, set by the torch of the
first arm in the countries of South
eastern Europe. 1t will develop into
a destructive calamity in 1918. In that
year see all Europe in flames and
bleeding, hear the lamentations of
huge battlefelds. But about the year
1915 strange figure from the north
a new Napoleon-cnters the stage of
the bloody drama. He is a man of
little militaristic training, a writer or
a journalist, but In his grip most of
Europe will remain till 1925. The end
of the great calamity will mark new
political era for the Old World. There
will be left no empires and kingdoms,
but the world will form a federation
of the United States of Nations. There
will remain only four great gisnts-the
Anglo -Saxons. the Latins, the Slavs and
the Mongolisns."
Tolstoy's new Napoleon was to be q
Journalist; Kerensky is. He was TO
come from the north and have little
military training, which is character
istic Of Kerensky. In recent speech
in Kiev, Rerensky spoke prophetically
of himsel. In the following manner:
"Citizens, this is not the time for
words. 1t is the time Of action. All
that I have been observing Of late
makes me suffer. I might be unable to
justify all the hopes placed In me. But,
comrades, somewhere deep in my soul
l have faith that | shall be able TO-.
81 am going to the front with the
passionate desire to stop determination
with the enemy. / assumed the burden
Of authority in order to show the world
that our army and navy are able to
defend liberty and bring peace to hu-
manity.
"No one can doubt that Whatever |
do, whatever degree Of mower reach.
| must guide the countri the safety
- H. roputitueut AaSer