Page:The Complete Works of Lyof N. Tolstoi - 11 (Crowell, 1899).djvu/25

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PATRIOTISM AND CHRISTIANITY[1]

THE Franco-Russian festivities which took place in October, 1894, in France made me, and others, no doubt, as well, first amused, then astonished, then indignant—feelings which I wished to express in a short article.

But while studying further the chief causes of this strange phenomenon, I arrived at the reflections which I here offer to the reader.

I

The Russian and French peoples have been living for many centuries with a knowledge of each other—entering sometimes into friendly, more often, unfortunately, into very unfriendly, relations at the instigation of their respective governments—when suddenly, because two years ago a French squadron came to Kronstadt, and its officers, having landed, eaten much, and drunk a

  1. In this remarkable work by Count Tolstoï, which powerfully aroused European attention, the principle of "non-resistance," which is so often, by opponents, made to take a doctrinaire, or even absurd complexion, is seen in drastic application to the huge militarism under which the world groans. As reasonable people, following Tolstoï, we must ask: "What other principle of conduct than this can possibly remove the incubus?"
    To those living outside of Europe, The unusual contentions of this work may not seem so startling as to those who live under a system of compulsory military service. But a little thought reminds us that we also maintain hundreds of thousands of fighting men, and that in paying taxes for government purposes, we are responsible for the appearance, upon the sea and in the field, of those whom Tolstoi might call "licensed murderers." So that the obligation of conscience raised by this book is equally binding upon all, whether Russian or English, French or American.—Tr.