Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-01
Louvain Is Reborn
BY John Erskine.

WE read of the debate over the in
w scription for the new library at
Louvain It records the fact that the
old building, with It's priceless books,
was destroyed by the Germans in war
madness and that the restoration, so
far as such loss can be repaired is
gift from America. Now 1t is proposed
to say only that the library was destroy
ed in war and restored in peace.
However the debate may be decided,
time will adopt the second version. The
incident is now complete, the loss was
not only for Belgium, but for the world,
for Germany along with the rest of us,
and the restoration is not a rebuke nor
a monument to a stupid act. but sign
of faith in spirit and mind. of conf
dence that stupidity is best combated
or expiated by renewed search after
wisdom and truth.
The unique books cannot be replaced
but we can return to the pursuit of
learning, to the fair mindedneSs of SCI
ence to the scholarly calm. What more
could be desired for justice or for re-
venge. than to demonstrate that the best
Of man is invincible? With the dedica-
ton OF the library we celebrate the vic
tory Of Belgium in these halls hereafter
age without griefs and youth without
wounds will light the old lamps of
knowledge and will ask the still un-
answered questions OF nature, of human
life and of God.
1t was the happy lot of Belgium in
her temporary distress to become a
symbol Of those qualities which We
believe imperiShable-of courage, of
patience. of dignity. Restored Louvain
is now also symbol, the consciousness
of which prompted the inscription. But
just what the significance is we must
wait while to see adequately We can
be sure" only that it will not be narrow
nor primarily related to the incidents of
the war. To dedicate even battlefield
is to raise 1t from a historical to a
universal meaning.
What Pericles said at the public
funeral can still be easily understood
though We must consult a book to re-
call what battle those young Athenians
died in and what issues were at stake.
Lincolns speech is self-contained in its
immortality: we may in time forget
what Gettysburg at the moment meant
to North and South. At the dedication
of Louvain's new library will some one
tell us what this rebuilding means? Will
words be there spoken which will come
to mind whenever we visit the city,
which will make the city new term
in human aspirations?
X
WE should have a Milton for orator
w No one better could speak for free
dom and for the integrity of a small
country But in this case he might
pass by the political threat not only as
danger successfully resisted. but as
minor hurt: rather. he might tell us
again what it is to destroy good book.
He would be expressing our inarticulate
| instinct. Here not lives were lost, but
mere paper and parchment, manu-
| scripts. old records. musty volumes: yet
with no scholars knowledge of their
| contents We felt that more than life
had been destroyed. He could translate
| our horror.
| las good almost kill man as kill a
| good book Who kills a man kills a
reasonable creature. Gods image. but
he who destroys a good book kills rea-
| son itself. kills the image of God. as 1t
| were. in the eye. Many man lives a
| burden to tae earth. but a good book
| is the precious life blood of a master
| spirit. embalmed and treasured up on
| purpose to a life beyond life. 1t is
I true no age can restore life. whereof.
| perhaps, there is no great loss, and
/ revolutions of ages do not often recover
J the loss of a rejected truth, for the