Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-02-05


mans would condcsccnd to till the
fields.
So perhaps the wheel OF every ciVlli-
cation comes full turn. At first the al
vent of a vigorous and primitive people
hungry for fertile soil and glad TO nus
band 1t: the rise of a state financed pS
the products and defended by the own
ers Of the land the growth OF wealtn
and the inevitable differentiation VI
strong and weak, OF fortunate ana I'M
fortunate. or rich and poor. inc eN-
ploitation of agriculture by INDUSTRY.
and OF industry by commerce ana VI
commerce by finance; the cngroSSihc,''
of In, fields by wealthy men and the SUB
stitution of tenants or serfS or slaves.
for an owning peaSantry; the liStlesS
and vaStelcSS tillage that soon cXhauStS
The soil, the dependence upon imported
food and foreign trade: the lmperialiStlc
necessity for controlling foreign markets
and foreign fields, then war. and power.
and glory: then suddenly defeat by
some stronger incorporated beast, the
loss of markets. industries and wealth;
tho decay of cities and the arts: the I'd
vent of a vigorous and primitive pco-
ple hungry for fertile soil and glad to
husband it. Is this the cycle OF his
torv9 Here certainly is the road b.
which Rome fell. Let other nations
profit by IT,
No single cause ever cXhaustS the
meaning of even the simplest events,
nudge then how many factors must
have entered into the fall of this
colossus OF nations. As Rome exported
not goods. but gold. for her imported
nx&[ GSr l,ar IF
cious metal soon ran dry: when the
mines Of Spain and Sicily failed she
neared bankruptcy; and as early AS
900 AID HeliogabaluS, in the midst Of
wealth and luxury. repudiated the ma
tional debt. Marcus Aurelius sold his
crown Jewels TO pay his troops; but
when jewels were valued more than
troops the soldiers took matters into
their own hands; law relapSed into
force, judgment into violence. and no
later emperor was strong enough 10
reweave the loosened threads Of order
into that social stability and security
which is so vital TO the economic life
Trade laneuiShed. investment ceased,
employment fell and prices rose: pow
erty. the great enemy Of civilization.
crept like slow paralysis through
every organ OF the state. The bonds
Of political power and commercial OK
change, which had united distant
regions under one rule. weakened and
snapped: the great empire fell into
hostile halves. and spent in civil STRIFE
the resources that might have stemined
the barbarian tide
For now the surrounding hordes, see
ing their prey at last helpless before
them. grew in resolution and audacitr.
Pushed by the inundating Hugs and
other refugees from desiccated Asia. the
Germans found their way down into
Greece and plundered Athens. the CEN
ter and refuge of the surviving culture
Of the world drunk with pillage and
victory. they swept over mountains and
seas into Gaul and Spain and distant
Africa: everywhere they ravaged ancient
cities with fire and sword and laughed
as they put the torch to splendid eci-
fees built there by Roman architect;
and engineers No Roman army could
stop them; when the Emperor Va!e.la
tried 10 halt them at Adrianop!e IN
378 A. D. his own army was composed
of Germans almost AS completely as
that of the invaders: he was jgno-
miniously defeated. and when the ..ewS
OF his disaster crept across the empire
every adult nina UNDERSTOOD mat ms
vas the beginning Of the end In 4l0
Alaric and the West Goths captured
and sacked Rome: in 42o the Vandals
conquered Spain and Africa; in 45l it
was the Germans who. uniting for
moment with the Romans turned back
Attila and the Huns Al Chalons; al last
in 476 the barbarian general Odoacer
peacefully deposcd the last Of the en-
perors Of western empire. pitifully
named Romulus Augustulus. The Ger
mans were masters Of Rome.
But meanwhile new and subtle pow
er had established itself In the heart OF
the capital. not an army. nor a govern
ment. but faith: powerless in all the
goods OF the world. but strengthened
with hope and confidence so intense that
when the power Of the empire fell into
pieces it was the leader OF this I'M
armed and ill-clad host that drew the
shreds of order together and restored
the authority of the ancient city. tanned
the savagery OF the barbarians and pre-
served some measure OF classic letters
and arts as heritage Of culture for a
rebarbarized and rejuvenated world. In