East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1919-06-20
IN ROD UCT ON.
By PAUL N. MILIukov.

sUsi Is NOT necessary TO introduce Leonid
Andreyev to the American or British public
Leonid Andreyev needs no credentials. But
few Introductory remarks may not be out
Of place In order to help the reader to a bet.
ter understanding of the remarkable docu-
ment he has penned-
-Lesnid Andreyev Is one CT the two prominent
men Of iettersltne otheris GorkD representing
O generation which can no more be called
ycuns. but Is by half century younger than
that of our renowned novelists-Tolstoy Tur-
Queniev and Dostoyevsky- This generation is
born and grown up in a Russia liberated from
serfdom QSs1) in the struggle for political free
com. Both Leonid Andreyev (born ls7D and
Maxim Cork (born 1852 are highly repre-
sentative OF two different currents among the
Russian inteIlectuaIs OF this generation Their
personal charaeteristics emphasize and make
si1ar the contrast which. under the conditions
.f the present worlds war. has evolved into
-psn controversy and finished with both Of
s4aezn taking sides in the great struggle now
going on for Russia's future
Maxim Gorki born in a grocer's family
does not quite belong to the lowest social
strata. whose spokesman he considers himself
TO be. For time. though. he made himself
real tramp-Qf course, not Of the type described
and ADVERTISED by Mr.. Stephen Graham. His
,iucation is scanty and chiefly due to a disor-
a~-y reading. He displays good deal of COM
srn sense and he excels in realistic descrip-
.aons which he knows how to combine with
vs-rantic .xaggerations But he did not prove
capable of abstract thought and so far as
genera: tdaas are concerned 1noGesly fol-
lowed the i,AA of such we're considered by
ais generation 10 - <raat IuJl.sra',es qf
futnrs humaaf...
Keen S1ases.
q "a ssite 1:l:erent with Leonid ane-eyev.
a nns looking artists face, highly refined
.-rsoraity. Thin skinned and cversensIiive.
Andrsyey belongs BY si-4h 10 the middle class.
He was graduated fror.-. the University of Mos
COW. He is a lawyer by profession. although
he never practsed mis- vocation Not at all
politician ami IL may be seen from ;hS
appeal. not bit Of dlplonatfst. Leonid An.
creyev possesses Keen sense of his duties
p citizen Every great event aspect of Rus
sia's struggle for liberation was always likely
10 elicit from his soul thrilling response.
Russian of letters had never been looked
II By public opinion as nothing but profess
zionaI writer's Of fiction. They had rather
Desn expected lead rising generations as
teachers of life" In a lesser degree than be-
re 1T is still the case with Andreyev's and
Gorkfs generation. At period of a fin de
ssecIs individuIism. both Of them were stiu
pected o 5Oin the general trend Of the former
Tug n intellectual tradition. Cork did so:
y ndreyev failed His vanity. Il he has any. ia
: ~ much to follow acknowledged authori-
ues "a 70 put and to solve world problems in
eis own way and manner.
Jth Cork and Andreyev have at otce
reached the summit of their literary renovn
by publishing short sketches which have
,hown their talent at its best In GorkPs case
II was much easier. because he claimed TO oe
= Columbus Of a new social world of his feI-
Iow tramps. which were then supposed TO ex-
hfpit best specimens Of Russian democracy.
No be sure. he had predecessors In our ''popu-
Eats" of the 'hixties." like Leyitov. Nicholas
and others- But IL Is known that
4ew truth Is often old one well forgotten.
IN GorkPs gloFifIcation of tramps. however,
there was soDsthing really new. He scorns
II the idols of 'populists.- Russian peas
Antry. as being too passive and too Philistne
lie sxtols instead the dregs of the working
liass. which iEnpersonats to him both MARKS
PEDESTRIANS and Nietsche's suDerhuman
bsinEs. born for absolute freedom and ready
10 fight for IL
His Choies Of Topics.
ADdreyev's claim fsr attention on the part Of
bis contemporaries is quite different and more
lOmplieatsd- He purposeiy chooses his topics
--------A-+AA -zarid unknown but tran every