The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-05-19

Few things are more painful and trag-
ic than the apostasy Of Trotzky and Le-
nine to the teachings Of Tolstoi. During
the last thirty years of his life, Tolstoi
tolled increasingly to lessen the misfor-
tunes Of the peasants. Against the pro-
test of his own family he lived in mod
est room. wore the cloak of peasants,
ate the black bread and the thick pea
soup that made UP the daily fare Of the
worker in the fields He gacc every
ruble Of his personal income to the poor.
Night after nighe he taught in the
schools for peasants. He gave two hours
each afternoon; from four TO six. going
from one house to another where there
was some one who was sick or an in
valid, and in lowliest fricnshlp he tried
to help bear the burdens and carry the
sorTows of those who were In trouble.
One of the first things that Trotzky and
Lcnine did was to incitc these very same
peasants TO kill the landowners. Tho
home Of Tolstoi. therefore. was uooted.
and now comes the news that it has
been burned. The nolshcviki have tho
guns. the swords, and the strong: the
landowner, the merchant. the editor. the
school teacher. have no weapons and are
weak. Trotzky's philosophy is Let the
strong rob Cypress. or even XIII the
weak, providing they have any property
to leave behind.
Over against the deserted and ruined
cities, stands the teachings Of Tolstoi.
Here Is his shoemaker. who longs 10
please God and serve His children. Look
ing through the window. the cobblcr
bcholds an old brokendown man shovel
ling snow. Putting down his awl he
makes n pot Of hot tea, taps on the glass.
calls the poor ragged shivcring man in.
tells him not to mind soiling the floor,
fills the big cup with Ont tea, gives dou-
BILE measure Of sugar. and above all
breathcs kindness and calls the poor man
| .brother." When the old man goes
away the cobbluer makes him take half
his own food.
Again the cobbler looked through tho
window into the snowstornl. and saw
a strange woman standing against the
wall. trying TO protect her babe from
| the wind and snow. Opening the door
the. shoemaker called. Bring tho child
! in out Of tho snow. sit close 10 my stove.
and nurse the babe The woman an?
swcred. IT have had no food. and so I
have no milk" Then the cobbler opened
| his oven door and poured out all the
thick soup he was heating for his sup
! Dcr and toasted DTeau. anu N'lNNHtu N'i'
crust for the little child 1Ic gave UP
his room that Was warm and slept him
self in a little cupboard that was cold.
! 7In brought from a trunk all tho clothes
! That the wife Of his youth aid once
wornn and the soft garments that be-
| lonccd to his little child before it died.
! That night. when tho shoemaker read
! tho Gospels and knelt to pray. he thought
! there was some ono behind him. and l.n.
there stood the old beggar man. and he
vanished Then came the snnw-"l"aner'
| and he laughed as hc disappeared, Thcn
! tho door woman and the child cumc and
| they smiled. and vanised The word
| that the cobblcr read seemed written in
i living light. II was m hungrr"d and y'
! gave me meat: ! was stranger and Hc
| took me in" and the shoemaker knew
i that inasmuch as he had done il unto
/ rnc OF tho least Of Gods little ones. hn
/ had done It unto the Master. Strangely
enough tho influence of TolStofs Gosp"!
stories has. gone out into all the Garth
vet II has never reached Troizky or To-
! nine. The motto Of their life seems II
be this: whatsoever things are cruel
whatsoever things make for hunger on
for rage: whatsoever cnslavcs young
girls: whatsoever ruins factories. and
| loots stores, and kills land ownrr. and
! break the hearts az women and children
! We think on these things" Rut hrtt"r
! DAYS must como. Trotzky must go. and
! T"istoi. with his pity. his kindness and
his good will must return for The saving
Of Rus5ia's poor!