The New York Times Current History: the European War, February, 1915 Part 10

How could Russian Poles in the long run be unfaithful to the only powers they have been able to appeal to, the only powers which took an interest in them? How can they who are fighting for their liberty after so many years' ill-treatment be willing to seize an opportunity to ill-treat the only people who (to its misfortune) is in their power, the only people who have suffered far more and twenty times as long as they themselves; and the only ones who are too strong to be destroyed through any ill-treatment? How can the Poles, who were at times ruined as a State through the treachery of their own men, want to fling out the accusation of treason against a tribe which has never betrayed itself and which even in the deepest abas.e.m.e.nt never betrayed the only Slavic tribe who in the Middle Ages gave a refuge to its children?

I suppose that the Poles will maintain against this appeal to them that I, whom the Ruthenians could never bring to make any attack on them, am now, because of my descent, speaking in favor of a matter, which is very unpleasant to them. My personal descent has so little influenced my proceedings and way of thinking that during the whole of my public life I have been subject to continual attacks in national Jewish periodicals and newspapers as the man who denied community of descent and supposed community of faith.

This Spring during my stay in America I was continually attacked in the American Jewish papers as the callous denier of the Jews. It was nonsense, as is most of that which appears in print, but it proves at least that it is not on behalf of my blood but on behalf of my mind that I speak on this occasion. My sympathy is not with the Jews as Jews, but as the suppressed and ill-treated.

I am the man who a generation ago wrote: "We love Poland, not in the same way that we love Germany or France or England, but as we love liberty. For what is to love Poland but to love liberty, to feel a deep sympathy with misfortune and to admire courage and combative enthusiasm?

Poland is the symbol of all that which the supreme among mankind have loved and for which they have fought."

These were my words and hitherto I have adhered to them.

Shall I have to feel ashamed of having written them, now that Poland's future is being decided?

GEORG BRANDES.

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Commercial Treaties After the War

By P. Maslov.

[From Russkia Vedomosti, No. 207, Sept. 10, (23,) 1914.]

For reasons beyond my control,[2] I am unable as a member of the Free Economic a.s.sociation[3] to partic.i.p.ate in the discussion of the methods of raising money by taxation for the war expenditures. The political group to which I belong may not give full expression to its views. What follows is my personal opinion shared by several men.

[Footnote 2: Mr. Maslov, who is a well-known Russian economist, was arrested shortly after the beginning of the war on suspicion of not being loyal enough.--Translator.]

[Footnote 3: The Russian Free Economic a.s.sociation is one of the oldest scientific bodies of Russia. It considers at its meetings proposed taxation and various questions of economic policy. It is but natural that the proposed new taxes should have provoked ardent discussion in this a.s.sociation. How the war taxes should be levied (direct versus indirect taxation) and who shall be the taxpayers, were among the chief topics discussed at its recent meetings.--Translator.]

The attack by Germany is not only a menace to the democracy of France and Belgium, it not only threatens a political dictators.h.i.+p by the Prussian n.o.bility over Europe, but is a danger of far greater magnitude than these. For the first time Europe is in peril of having her commercial treaties determined by the sword. Up to this time even the smaller countries have been saved from such a violent course, and European capital has been obliged to restrict itself to the oppression of Asiatic countries. Now for the first time--in case of a German victory--Europe stands in danger of having her commercial arrangements forced upon her by an iron hand, and is threatened with being turned into a German colony. For in the case of a German victory no power in Europe will be able to withstand Germany. And Germany will deal without ceremony even with Austria.

On the other hand, in case of German defeat, the foremost capitalistic country, Great Britain, may not menace Europe for two reasons: First, Great Britain holds to the policy of free trade; second--and this is the main point--she cannot support with armed force her policy as against her allies.

In the meantime the danger indicated above threatens economically backward Russia; her agricultural population may be ruined, her industries may be destroyed. An unprecedented situation has arisen for Russia. All the social cla.s.ses of the empire are deeply interested in the repulse of the armies of the Kaiser. The working cla.s.s is just as much interested in the existence of Russian industries as are the employers. The peasants are in no lesser degree interested in the development of agriculture; the killing of industries and agriculture like that committed by England in Ireland centuries ago is a gloomy prospect for all cla.s.ses of society. If France and Belgium are threatened with a political oppression then Russia is threatened with an even more terrible economic subjugation. Such is the situation.

The poorest cla.s.ses of the people are taking part in this fight with what they have, with their blood. It is but natural that they should expect that the material burdens of the war will fall not upon their shoulders, but upon big business.

It seems to me that in discussing the sinews of war the Free Economic a.s.sociation has not considered fully the psychology of the ma.s.ses. And yet this psychology has a decisive influence upon the war, and is bound to be unfavorable to the war, if the ma.s.ses of the people feel that the financial burdens of the war are to be placed upon the weakest shoulders.

Considering that at the present moment our supreme duty is to repel the German invasion at all costs, I think that this duty will be better performed by putting the economic burden of the war upon the shoulders of the well-to-do cla.s.ses, for we have to reckon not only with the taxpaying capacity of the ma.s.s of the people, but also with their psychology.

I regard it as a great mistake that the important problem of the most economical methods of spending money raised by taxation has not been considered.

P. MASLOV.

THE WOMAN'S PART.

By MAZIE V. CARUTHERS.

Beside my ruined cottage, desolate, The children cowering 'round me, mute from fright, With tearless eyes and brooding heart, I wait, Watching through all the long, the weary night.

G.o.d of the homeless, look from Heaven and see!

Out of the deeps, a woman calls on Thee!

My little ones, they cry all day for bread, And, 'neath the shelter of my meagre breast, Stirs one unborn, who must e'er long be fed-- Another babe to hunger with the rest.

Madonna Mary, hear a mother's moan!

Pity the travail I must bear alone!

The ta.s.seled corn would plenteous harvest yield, But all the crops are rotting in the sun.

Where are the reapers? On some battlefield They fight for nought and die there, one by one!

G.o.d's comfort be upon them where they lie, Sheep to war's shambles driven--who knows why?

Death and destruction walk by day, by night, Men's blood is spilt and sacrificed in vain, While women wait for tidings of the fight Who may not even sepulchre their slain!

They say "G.o.d's in His Heaven"--but, instead, 'Twould seem He is asleep--or, maybe, dead!

A PHOTOGRAPHIC REVIEW OF THE WAR

_CONSISTING OF A CAREFULLY SELECTED SERIES OF THE BEST PICTURES OF THE WAR PRINTED IN ROTOGRAVURE_

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[Ill.u.s.tration: Sh.e.l.l Opens the Wall Surrounding the Convent of the Little Sisters of the Poor at Nieuport, Belgium, Exposing But Not Damaging the Shrine

(_Photo, International News Service._)]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Middle-Aged and Elderly Men in Response to the Last Call Leaving Berlin for the Front.

(_Photo_ _International News Service._)]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Louvain Peasant in Flight, Conveying His Sleeping Child and His Possessions on a Wheelbarrow.

(_Photo_ _Underwood & Underwood._)]

[Ill.u.s.tration: "Bridge of the Arches" Over the Meuse at Liege, Blown Up by the Belgians to Hamper the Enemy.

(_Photo by Boon, Holland._)]

[Ill.u.s.tration: French Artillery Advancing Through Chauconier, Near Meaux, on the Marne. One of the Houses on the Right Is Still Burning as a Result of the Bombardment.

(_Photo by Paul Thompson._)]