Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-12-22
FRONTIER OF CIVILIZATION
By DR.. Frank Crane


Not long ago an intelligent Hungarian
expressed himself somewhat as follows His
name cannot be quoted and it really makes
no difference, for it is simply the ideas them
selves he presents that are of Importance and
not the authority behind them These things
came out in the course of conversation:
There have always been two civilizations
in Europe, he said in substance. The civil
lization of Western Europe and that of
Eastern Europe
Western civilization was represented by
England, France, Germany, the Scandinavian
countries, Italy, and Spain.
Eastern civilization was represented by
Russia and the Orient.
Between these was sort of mixed terri
tory consisting of the Balkans and Greece,
where western civilization was predominant
and also considerably interpenetrated by
Eastern
The civilization of the East was supposed
to be in a way barbarian; at least it was
inspired by forces other than those which
dominated Christendom.
When people passed into Russia, in the
days before the war, while it was not ex-
actly like going to China or Japan, it was in
some degree like it.
The very language of Russia is wholly diff
ferent in it's root and branch from the Ian
guage of West Europe, which latter are al
more or less akin. One felt, therefore, in
crossing the line that he had got into an
other world.
What I am afraid of now as consequence
of the war is that the frontier of Eastern
civilization is going to move westward tc
the Rhine.
Events seem to be shaping themselves SO
that Germany will collapse. While that coun-
try is highly civilized and the people are
thrifty and sober, at the same time Socialism
and good deal of Communism and Bolshe-
vism is present.
Everything seems to be happening to
render Germany Bolshevistic. The old au-
thority is destroyed and the people were SO
accustomed to it that they do not seem to
know how to create a new one.
Their currency is going down and down
until finally bankruptcy is rapidly approach
ing. When that time comes and the facto-
ries are cold and business is paralyzed and
government has no resources, I do not see
how anything else can take place than the
same sort of tragedy that has overtaken
Russia. For out of anarchy, disorganization,
and collapse of commerce there always
comes the tyrant UGH as Trotzky, or the ad-
venturer such as Napoleon.
The Allies seem to be doing their best to
throw Germany into the arms of Russia
Once Germany and Russia get together ir
a common welter of Bolshevism, the superior
German mind will take the lead and the
| wave of Sovietism, with its attendant in
sanities of proletariat rule and Communism
will roll on to the banks of the Rhine.
| And I have strong doubts that there viii
| be force enough left ir Western civilization
| to make it stop there
| This is rather a pessimistic view, and yet
I do not know whether it is or not. Some
| times I think that Western civilization has
definitely failed and the hope of the world
| lies in the Orient.
| So said the gentleman from Hungary. And
| whether his ideas be sound or not they are
food for thought.
Copyright, 1921 by Frank Crane)