Europe—whither bound? (Quo vadis Europa?) : $b being letters of travel from the capitals of Europe in the year 1921 — John Shaqi
Europe—whither bound? (Quo vadis Europa?) : $b being letters of travel from the capitals of Europe in the year 1921Graham, Stephen
History
Europe—whither bound? (Quo vadis Europa?) : $b being letters of travel from the capitals of Europe in the year 1921
Graham, Stephen
Europe -- Description and travel
At Gallipoli thirty thousand troops with fifteen hundred women and five
hundred children were put down. Some of these are housed in the town,
but most are in tents on the hills outside. The American Red Cross does
very remarkable work ministering to the sick and to the women and
children. In general one has learned to distrust huge charitable
organizations, but they do upon occasion give opportunity to extremely
kind and simple-hearted men and women to give their life and energy to
suffering humanity. Such a case is that of Major Davidson at Gallipoli,
and another that of Capt. MacNab at Lemnos, where men are working not
merely for a salary but for sheer love of their fellow-men.
Davidson belonged to the Middle West and had probably seldom been out of
it before. He breathed American and was as pure a type as you could
find. Nothing of the cynicism of Europe about him, for he was that
old-fashioned and extra-lovable product, the God-fearing man. He was
kind to every one, and had the natural religion of being kind. His
door-keeper and sub-clerk at the main hut was an old Russian aristocrat
with a face that reminded one of Alexander III. "Well, Count?" Davidson
would query when he saw him, and smile cheeringly; "anything fresh?" The
Count had a rather characterless and cruel lower lip like a bit of
rubber. He was capable of a great deal, but he was quiet and obedient in
the presence of Davidson as if he had found a Tsar again.
"We must have a Tsar," said the Count to me. "But he must be terrible.
What the Russian people need is cruelty--not machine-gun bullets and
shells, but cruelty. They do not mind dying. The whip must be used!"
The gospel of the knout! His countess bade me pay no attention when he
said things of that kind. He was in reality the kindest of men and could
not bear to look on suffering.
He had lost lands, position, wealth, power of all kinds, in the old
Russia. He had something against the Russian people. In a curious way
he disapproved of Davidson's kindness. A man in rags would come in for a
pair of pants. Davidson would give him a pair out there and then.
"He does not understand us Russians. He should make him come five times
and then not give it him. That is the only way to get respected."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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