The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-08-08
Count Leo TOlstoi Proplcsicd War.
New York Tribune.

Four years before the outbreak Of
the war, in the fall of 1910. Count
Leo Tolstoy prophesied the coming
of great world conflagration. This
prophecy, part of which has come
true, contained a prediction of the
rise of new Napoleon. The vision
Tolstoy had of this Napoleon i'm
mediately suggests Kerensky. Toll
north" enter the stage of the bloody
drama, and described him: "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 revelation of Tolstoy, dictated
to his niece, read, in part, as fol-
lows:
This is revelation of events of
universal character which must
shortly come. to pass. Their spirit
ual outlines are now before my eyes.
L see floating upon the surface of
the sea of human fate the huge sill
houette of a nude woman. She is
with her beauty, her ppise, 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, fiirts with all.
In her hair ornament of diamonds
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
transactions; her voice of metallic
character, like gold. and her look of
tions who fall victims to her charms.
And behold! She has three gi-
gantic 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. Patriotism answers with
flashes Of honest flame, but the end
is the roar of guns and musketry.
"The great confiagration will start
about 1912, set by the torch of the
first arm in the countries of South
eastern Europe. 1t will develop into
destructive calamity in 1913. In
that year 1 see all Europe in flames
and bleeding. 1 hear the lamenta-
tions of huge battlefields. But about
the year 1915 a strange figure from
the north-a new Napoleon-enters
the stage of the bloody drama. He
is man of little militaristic train
ing, writer or a Journalist, but in
his grip most of Europe will remain
till 1925. The end of the great ca
lamity will mark a 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 giants
the Anglo -SaXons, the Latins, the
Slavs and the Mongolians."
Tolstoy's new Napoleon was TO
be a journalist; Kerensky is. He
was to come from the north and have
little military training, which is
characteristic of Kerensky. In re-
cent speech in Kiev. Kerensky spoke
prophetically of himself in the fol-
lowing manner:
"Citizens, this is not the time for
words. 1t is the time of action. All
that 1 have been observing of late
makes me suffer. / might be unable
to justify all the hopes placed in me.
But, comrades, somewhere deep in
my soul 1 have faith that shall be
able to.
Il am going to the front with the
passionate desire to stop fraterniza-
ton with the enemy. l assumed the
burden of authority i'm order to show
the world that our army and navy
are able to defend liberty and bring
peace to humanity.
NO one can doubt that whatever [
do, whatever degree of power
reach, 1 must guide the country to
the safety of the constituent as
sembly." -