238 



THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



with odorous bags and bales of the same, 

 aromatic drugs, and ginger, and pepper, 

 and cinnamon, and nutmegs that once 

 came a nine-months' journey around Af- 

 rica in tiny galleots, manned by half-pirat- 

 ical crews who braved desperate battle 

 and shipwreck and the spotted death of 

 scurvy to follow the lure of the sea and 

 carry the "odor of far-fetched spices" to 

 the trading ports of the Western World. 



So, although neither Morgab, in Herat, 

 nor Moe Klipstick, in New York, could 

 understand the reason why, and even the 

 druggist at the corner of Third avenue 

 was unable to explain it, there is a direct 

 and intimate relation between war and 

 the corner drug store, and the price of 

 hair tonic in New York may fluctuate 

 with the tide of battle on the battered 

 fields of Flanders. 



A FEW GLIMPSES INTO RUSSIA 



By Lieut. Zinovi Pechkoff 



THE PRESIDENT of the United 

 States, in his message delivered 

 to both houses of Congress, in 

 which he asked for the declaration of a 

 state of war with Germany, said : 



"Russia was known by those who knew 

 it best to have been always in fact demo- 

 cratic at heart, in all the vital habits of 

 her thought, in all the intimate relation- 

 ships of her people that spoke for their 

 natural instinct, their habitual attitude 

 toward life. 



"Autocracy that crowned the summit 

 of her political structure, long as it had 

 stood and terrible as was the reality of 

 its power, was not in fact Russian in ori- 

 gin, in character or purpose. And now 

 it has been shaken and the great, gener- 

 ous Russian people have been added in 

 all their native majesty and might to the 

 forces that are fighting for freedom in 

 the world, for justice and for peace. 

 Here is a fit partner for a league of 

 honor." 



These are great and true words ex- 

 pressed about my country. When I read 

 them I was thrilled, and my heart re- 

 joiced at the profound penetration of the 

 President into the heart and soul of our 

 people. 



FIT PARTNER FOR HONOR LEAGUE 



Russia is "a fit partner for a league of 

 honor." 



Russia does not seek conquest and has 

 not perpetrated aggression. Russia has 

 been always the defender of the small 



and oppressed Slav nations. Bulgaria, 

 Servia, Roumania, and Greece all owe 

 their independence to the help of Russia, 

 who waged wars against the Turk that 

 they might be free peoples. Wars that 

 were planned by the autocracy were sel- 

 dom successful and never popular. 



Russia always stood as one man for 

 the defense of right and principles. The 

 people know what it means to suffer for 

 an ideal. Our best men and women have 

 undergone for years and years most ter- 

 rible sufferings in the prisons, in exile; 

 and many paid with their lives. 



The Russian nature is rather passive 

 and very peaceful ; but once a Russian is 

 aroused nothing can stand in his way ; 

 he will go to the end. Russian nature is 

 peaceful ; but woe to the enemy ! No 

 sacrifice is too great for the cause of 

 liberty. 



THE RUSSIAN NATURE IS ALWAYS 

 DEMOCRATIC 



Russian nature is democratic and not 

 aggressive, and has always been so, from 

 the earliest part of Russian history. Our 

 folklore, our legends, the popular poetry 

 of the old ages of Russia, have always 

 told of the Slav nature being extremely 

 democratic. The popular poetry and re- 

 ligion of Russia are remarkable for the 

 profound love of peace and democracy. 



After the end of paganism, as before 

 it. warlike subjects played very little part 

 in the religious thoughts of the mass of 

 the Russian people. Even when the pa- 



