Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-05-05
BY CHARLES M. PEPPER.

E1HE Basques are looming up in the
great war. This is because Gent
Foch, commander in-chief of all
- the allies of the armies in France.
u Of Basque blood. He comes from the
ryrenees section of southern France and
the Basques are essentially a Pyrenese
people.
They have certain characteristics which
Hg Interesting to know of Just now. These
md expression in their customs and man
nefs which have endured for centuries.
Vhe Of these characteristics is exhibited
IN the game played chiefly by the Spanish
Basques. although it is familiar to their
Kindred race on the French side Of the
mountains. This is the game known as
pslota. in which the head and the hands
bay an equal part. and both are combined
IN a wonderful degree.
=. Skin, strength endurance and a wary
W8tcbfulness Of opponents are points in
sfhis game. 1t Is essentially a game of
strategy we'll Is o. strength and en-
6urance. This is one reason why those
mo know something of the Basque for
bears of Gen. Foch and the qualities which
ere transmitted from one generation to
mother of this remarkable people have
! eenndefce that the great war game now
!:
travellers. tourists and
writer's have visited the Basque provinces
~ France and Spain and have written OF
: The charm of their primitive life and Of
fissir racial individuality. They are a non-
Celtic people planted in the midst Of Celtic
raoes- They are equally a -non-Latin peo-
d "a O..
Susceptibility of the races Of southern
Europe. Much is written about their his
1Dsy which Is principally guesswork.
- The French Basques are not SO nu-
Haerous as the Spanish Baeques. They have
possibly absorbed little more OF the
French character than their mountain
kinsmen have absorbed Of Castilian char
6c1er. yet on both sides Of the Pyrenees
ley are essentially one people.
The Basque provinces OF Spain have
maintained their Identity for centuries.
while at the same time they have been
enc Of the basic units Of Spanish ma
tipnaiity. They nurture vigorous.
opIs assli in IN t be moSnssins
phey have maintained a very large de-
gree of political Independence. which
p the reflex Of their personal independ-
ebis quality. and for that reason what
1ver government there might be at
adrid usually has gotten along very
Snterested in political rights as an alb
ptract question. but as a concrete
imposition they have very clear views,
and the difference shown those views
has been state policy of the highest or
Though not numerous. the Basques
have had a large part In Spanish his
tory both at home and overseas. They
are excellent mechanics. which is not
always the case with mountain people.
Bturdy mine laborers and frst-class
men of business. The iron mines of
northern Spain, which are one Of the
jane comprised principally in the Basque
Nrea. Bilbao. the great iron center. is
-sestentially a Basque city.
while they preserve their own Ian
Fuaee. the large majority of the
Aasques also speak Spanish. and for
hat reason have sense Of pride in
thu Spanish nationality. While some
epAnish words and few Arabic terms
Nave crept into the speech of the
8asques. their language today. never
fneless. is what it has been for CEN
&Uffes. and II Is indeed a language of
yery marked individuality.
s-A. SO
1.-The BasQues learn Spanish without
xyeat difficulty. but few Spanish speak
f6E persons learn to speak Basque well.
Il IL very different from the liquid
casfilian IN which every vowel is pro-
Nnunced. There are many silent vowels
M-the BASQUE tongue. which. as spoken
Stid even as written. is largely a COM
a5faafion Of consonants. The names
Also are very long and are the despair
SCastitan grammartans.
THE Basques have had a very large
asrt I'm the overseas history of Spain.
ss{y1fSke the. natives of some mountain
sFe1ions they did not hesitate to venture
Hhread. and they proved very good
{ unFtneB. Their hardy spirit and their
loVe of adventure caused them to be en-
N1edfn virtually every expedition that
D. afntsent forth in the early days, not
s1sffh3tpndjng that they were from the
5loft& and the daring men who Jared
I, tmto' tie unknown seas would more