Suchergebnisse

The ways in which child soldiers are used in modern conflicts has become ever more sophisticated and prominent, with shifting capabilities and a focus on generational warfare, compared to when I faced them during my command of the UNAMIR mission in Rwanda twenty-six years ago. To confront this challenges, we need to keep our focus on the fact that the recruitment and use of children as weapons of war is the worst thing that we can do to children. We need to focus on the significance of bringing an end to the era of the expectation that children should participate in conflict. If we want to stop the use of warfare, we need to start developing a worldview where adults do not think that children should be involved in war. There needs to be no wavering in our view that use of child soldiers is the worst aspect of modern war. Children are a weapons system that have no place on the battlefield or in the world's security apparatus. How is it possible that we are prepared to let children be used as weapons when we are horrified by the use of biological and nuclear weapons?The Vancouver Principles are a critical part of meeting this challenge, and as we enter a new decade they are the culmination of the work of the international community that began in 1996 with Graça Machel's report on the impact of armed conflict on children. The VPs build on all the work that we have been doing at the Dallaire Initiative, and the work of the international community expressed in the Optional Protocol, the Paris Principles, Security Council Resolutions, and the initiatives to protect children and civilians. The VPs provide a higher level of strategic guidance that link all of these efforts to rally states to take action, and the immense amount of work that went into creating the Implementation Guidance is absolutely critical to this endeavour. It is one thing to set up the Principles, but another to turn them into practice guidance on how they can be carried out. We now need to shift our focus onto turning the guidelines into training guidelines and the development of new capabilities for our forces. With this in mind, the articles in this issue of Allons-y provide an important complement to the Principles and the Implementation Guidance, and will be of great use to policymakers, academics, and security sector actors working on this issue.In our work over the past several years, we have seen how hungry the security sector have been for something tangible to base their training on and upgrade and professionalize their forces on to confront the challenge posed by child soldiers. They see problem in peacekeeping of using force against children, and want to reduce casualties on their side and become more effective. With the Vancouver Principles we have taken the work of the Dallaire Initiative global, and we need to ensure that we use this tool effectively. To do so, we need to develop a central secretariat to help states take the Principles and the guidance and operationalize them into capabilities for their forces, and work with the UN to make sure that states have the required knowledge to do so. We also need to start thinking regionally to have more effective, coordinated, and rapid implementation of the Principles. The Dallaire Initiative has started this with our regional office for East Africa in Rwanda. Further work is needed to develop regional capabilities in Latin America, in the Middle East, and in South and East Asia. From our headquarters in Canada we can then assist with capacity building and strategy. With this direction, over the next decade we need to have this operational capability within every troop and police contributing country, and have every contingent going to UN missions qualified in this capability. This global engagement will aid in the reform and modernization of peacekeeping in order to end the use of children as weapons of war.In an era where human rights came to the fore in the 1970s through the 2000s, with our abilities to document, communicate about, and punish international crimes, it has not resonated enough with people that using children for adult work is wrong, and the use of child soldiers is the worst form of it. You cannot just look at a child as someone in need of food and education, but as a future adult. If we nurture children in war, then we normalize war for the future. It is illogical to want to prevent and end war without addressing the role that child soldiers can play in perpetuating conflict. In a practical sense, we have not been able to connect this in people's heads, only in the law. To eliminate a major instrument of war, we have to make the use of child soldiers unthinkable. ; Lgén (à la retraite) Roméo DallaireLa façon dont les enfants soldats sont utilisés dans les conflits modernes est devenue de plus en plus complexe et notable, avec ses capacités changeantes et son accent mis sur la guerre intergénérationnelle, par rapport à la situation dans laquelle je me trouvais lorsque je commandais la MINUAR au Rwanda il y a vingt-six ans. Pour faire face à ce défi, nous ne devons pas perdre de vue le fait que le recrutement et l'utilisation d'enfants comme armes de guerre sont la pire chose que nous puissions faire aux enfants. Nous devons nous concentrer sur l'importance de mettre un terme à l'époque où l'on attendait des enfants qu'ils participent aux conflits. Si nous voulons mettre fin au recours à la guerre, nous devons commencer à développer une vision du monde dans laquelle les adultes ne pensent pas que les enfants devraient être impliqués dans la guerre. Nous ne devons pas hésiter à dire qu'à notre avis, l'utilisation d'enfants soldats est le pire aspect de la guerre moderne. Les enfants sont un système d'armes qui n'a pas sa place sur le champ de bataille ou dans l'appareil de sécurité mondial. Comment se peut-il que nous soyons prêts à laisser des enfants être utilisés comme des armes alors que nous sommes horrifiés par le recours aux armes biologiques et nucléaires ?Les Principes de Vancouver sont un outil essentiel pour relever ce défi ; à l'aube d'une nouvelle décennie, ils sont le point culminant du travail de la communauté internationale qui a commencé en 1996 avec le rapport de Graça Machel sur l'impact des conflits armés sur les enfants. Les Principes de Vancouver s'appuient sur tout le travail que nous avons accompli dans le cadre de l'Initiative Dallaire, ainsi que sur le travail de la communauté internationale exprimé dans le Protocole facultatif, les Principes de Paris, les résolutions du Conseil de sécurité et les initiatives visant à protéger les enfants et les civils. Les Principes de Vancouver apportent un niveau supérieur d'orientation stratégique qui relie tous ces efforts pour rallier les États à l'action, et l'immense travail qui a été accompli pour créer les Lignes directrices de mise en œuvre est un aspect absolument essentiel de cette entreprise. C'est une chose que d'établir des principes, mais c'en est une autre que de les transformer en conseils pratiques sur la manière de les mettre en œuvre. Nous devons maintenant tourner notre attention vers la transformation de ces lignes directrices en directives de formation et vers le développement de nouvelles capacités pour nos forces. Dans cette optique, les articles de ce numéro d'Allons-y constituent un complément important aux Principes et aux Lignes directrices de mise en œuvre, et seront d'une grande utilité pour les responsables politiques, les universitaires et les intervenants du secteur de la sécurité qui travaillent sur cette question.Au cours de nos travaux de ces dernières années, nous avons pu constater à quel point le secteur de la sécurité avait besoin de quelque chose de tangible sur lequel fonder sa formation et sur lequel améliorer et professionnaliser ses forces pour faire face au défi posé par les enfants soldats. Ses intervenants considèrent que l'utilisation de la force contre les enfants pose problème dans le cadre du maintien de la paix, et souhaitent réduire le nombre de victimes de leur côté et devenir plus efficaces. Grâce aux Principes de Vancouver, nous avons mondialisé le travail de l'Initiative Dallaire, et il nous incombe de veiller à utiliser cet outil efficacement. Pour ce faire, nous devons mettre en place un secrétariat central pour aider les États à concrétiser les Principes et les lignes directrices en capacités pour leurs forces, et travailler avec les Nations Unies pour s'assurer que les États disposent des connaissances nécessaires pour ce faire. Nous devons également commencer à envisager les choses selon une perspective régionale afin d'obtenir une mise en œuvre plus efficace, coordonnée et rapide des Principes. L'Initiative Dallaire a lancé ce processus grâce à son bureau régional pour l'Afrique de l'Est au Rwanda. Des travaux supplémentaires sont nécessaires pour développer les capacités régionales en Amérique latine, au Moyen-Orient et en Asie du Sud et de l'Est. Depuis notre siège au Canada, nous pourrons alors contribuer au renforcement des capacités et aux stratégies. En ce sens, au cours de la prochaine décennie, nous devons disposer de cette capacité opérationnelle au sein de chaque pays contributeur en soldats et policiers, et faire en sorte que chaque contingent participant à des missions des Nations Unies soit qualifié à l'égard de cette capacité. Cet engagement mondial contribuera à la réforme et à la modernisation du maintien de la paix afin de mettre fin à l'utilisation des enfants comme armes de guerre.À une époque où les droits de l'homme sont passés au premier plan entre les années 1970 et 2000, par suite de nos capacités de documenter, de communiquer et de punir les crimes internationaux, les gens n'ont pas suffisamment compris que le recours à des enfants pour accomplir un travail d'adulte est une erreur, et que l'utilisation d'enfants soldats en est la pire forme. Vous ne pouvez pas simplement considérer un enfant comme quelqu'un qui a besoin de nourriture et d'instruction ; il faut également le voir comme un futur adulte. Si nous éduquons des enfants à la guerre, alors nous banalisons la guerre pour l'avenir. Il n'est pas logique de vouloir prévenir et faire cesser la guerre sans aborder le rôle que les enfants soldats peuvent jouer dans la perpétuation des conflits. Du point de vue pratique, nous n'avons pas été capables de faire ce lien dans la tête des gens, seulement dans la loi. Pour éliminer un instrument de guerre majeur, nous devons rendre l'utilisation des enfants soldats impensable.

"An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile - hoping it will eat him last"Winston Churchill Desde que –afortunadamente- Winston L. Spencer-Churchill tomó como tarea personal oponerse a la expansión nazi, el concepto de apaciguamiento ("appeasement") se transformó en anatema en la política internacional. De ahí en más, apaciguar supuso nada menos que ceder ante el mal, en los 1930s y 40s encarnado en Adolf Hitler y su aparato estatal. Los apaciguadores fueron aquellos inocentes –o irresponsables- que creyeron limitados los objetivos de política exterior de Hitler. Los acuerdos de Múnich de 1938, símbolo del apaciguamiento al Tercer Reich, son un ejemplo de historia viva: desde la mitad del siglo XX en adelante los usos y abusos de la categoría analítica "apaciguador o apaciguamiento" –directamente vinculados al fracaso de Múnich- han sido empleados para categorizar los más diversos fenómenos de la escena internacional.El profesor de historia en la Universidad de Yale, Paul Kennedy –conocido particularmente por su magistral The Rise and Fall of The Great Powers- ha escrito un importante artículo en The National Interest sobre el "appeasement" y su papel en la política internacional. Bajo el provocador título "A Time to Appease," Kennedy hace una reseña histórica del concepto, para luego esbozar una serie de hipótesis sobre su relevancia en el sistema internacional actual -explícitamente pensando en el futuro. Siendo uno de los historiadores vivos más importantes, la sección que discute los orígenes históricos es la más fuerte e interesante. Las conclusiones, por otro lado, son un tanto vagas, pero dan para la reflexión. Kennedy parte de la premisa de que la Historia ha condenado a la noción de apaciguamiento al campo de lo políticamente peyorativo, para luego vincular tal condición a la política internacional de todos los días: "…talk of someone being an Appeaser brings us to a much darker meaning, that which involves cowardice, abandoning one's friends and allies, failing to recognize evil in the world—a fool, then—or recognizing evil but then trying to buy it off—a knave. Nothing so alarms a president or prime minister in the Western world than to be accused of pursuing policies of appeasement."Tan certera es la apreciación del inglés, como equivocado el espíritu que mueve tales apreciaciones. Como ya he señalado en otro trabajo: el apaciguamiento es una estrategia de política exterior neutral, sin un resultado predeterminado, y que no se puede separar de la interacción siempre particular entre los estados involucrados. Las consecuencias del apaciguamiento británico -y en cierta medida francés- hacia Alemania en los años treinta ha manchado para siempre el nombre de este dispositivo político. Pero en concreto, su éxito o su fracaso dependen de las intenciones de quien es apaciguado. Robert Powell ilustra el punto: "Had German demands been limited, appeasement might very well have averted an unnecessary war. As it turned out, those ambitions were not limited, and Britain and France declared war on Germany."(1)Kennedy recurre a un ejemplo histórico escasamente comentado para refutar la expandida idea de que apaciguar es un error per se: las relaciones entre Estados Unidos y Gran Bretaña en los albores del siglo XX. "Even as the great powers entered the twentieth century," comenta el historiador, "one of the most exceptional acts of appeasement, and repeated conciliation, was occurring—yet it is something that very few American pundits on appeasement today seem to know anything about. It was Great Britain's decision to make a series of significant territorial and political concessions to the rising American Republic." El dilema que vivió Gran Bretaña en los 1900s es un problema recurrente para las grandes potencias en proceso de declive relativo. A diferencia de lo que suelen pensar algunas corrientes teóricas demasiado encorsetadas –a las que un enfoque histórico à la Kennedy les haría mucho bien- una potencia en descenso no sólo tiene que vérselas con un contendiente en ascenso, sino que se ve obligada a hacer malabares entre varios estados que ascienden relativamente, mientras trata de sortear la aparición in crescendo de asuntos complejos por todo el globo -ante los cuales tiene cada vez menos capacidad para hacerles frente. Inmersa en la confusión del descenso relativo –pero pronunciado- Gran Bretaña tomó la decisión consciente de apaciguar a Estados Unidos, mientras se iba perfilando antagónicamente ante la Alemania Imperial de Guillermo. Estrategia digna de un Metternich o un Bismarck. El ejemplo derriba el mito, instalado por el comentario despistado y ahistórico de las relaciones internacionales, de una relación especial entre Gran Bretaña y Estados Unidos determinada de antemano. El vínculo particular que se generó entre las otrora colonias norteamericanas y Londres fue, más allá de variables culturales que lo facilitaron, una obra de ingeniería diplomática. El siglo XIX había estado plagado de situaciones tensas entre los dos países (e.g. el apoyo, aún si fue un tímido apoyo, de Gran Bretaña a la Confederación en la Guerra Civil estadounidense, entre otros). El verdadero cambio de rumbo fue el resultado de la nueva política de apaciguamiento británica, que luego resultaría en la alineación cuasi-incondicional del siglo XX. (2)Volviendo a Kennedy: "In this case, appeasement worked, and arguably played a massive role in helping to bring the United States to an official pro-British stance as the two great wars of the twentieth century approached."Eliminar automáticamente al apaciguamiento del menú de opciones de política exterior, solamente porque una iniciativa particular no funcionó (i.e. Múnich), es una postura miope y amateur. Más aún, refleja una manera de hacer política guiada por las emociones –siempre una de las peores influencias para llevar adelante una política exterior exitosa. La observación del sistema internacional sin recurrir a la historia desemboca en análisis desprovistos de pilares, y por tanto superficiales. Pero el uso apresurado y facilista de la historia puede terminar en tomas de decisión tan alejadas de la realidad como las que están faltas de ella. La historia es dinámica y cambiante -los Griegos lo llamaban flux-; una circunstancia del pasado no puede ser aplicada in totum para explicar otras que se presentan en coyunturas y contextos disímiles. Existen entonces apaciguamientos buenos y malos. La tarea del estadista es saber cuándo se está apaciguando inútil y peligrosamente a un Hitler, y cuando se apacigua efectivamente a un estado con intenciones limitadas –por ejemplo, Estados Unidos a comienzos del siglo XX. Desafortunadamente, como señala Kennedy: "Certainty about such matters only comes, I suspect, with hindsight; and there we are all wise, because we know what happened." Pero esto no es nuevo en la política internacional; esfera que está plagada de incertidumbre. Los motivos de terceros estados son siempre inciertos, y por ende, todas las estrategias diplomáticas –no sólo el apaciguamiento- corren el riesgo de no funcionar como se esperaba. Alejándonos un poco del debate histórico, las implicancias del entendimiento y el uso del concepto de apaciguar son profundos en la política internacional contemporánea y futura. Habiéndose banalizado hasta el paroxismo el ejemplo de Múnich, disímiles regímenes han sido vistos como resurrecciones del Tercer Reich: la URSS, el comunismo vietnamita, China, el Irán de Ahmadinejad, inter alia. Todos regímenes con facetas terribles, pero no por eso con objetivos ilimitados de política exterior.¿Dónde ve Kennedy la relevancia del uso y abuso del concepto en el mundo contemporáneo? Según él, apaciguar, entendido como una herramienta de política exterior neutral, es un dispositivo necesario en la política internacional. Particularmente para la administración del orden en los períodos de descenso de la potencia dominante. Ergo, Estados Unidos debería, en su visión, aceptar la posibilidad de que eventualmente tendrá que comenzar a usufructuar selectivamente de tal dispositivo. Esto no quiere decir que Washington deba ceder en todo y hacia todos de aquí en más. Sino que en algunas ocasiones, empezaría a hacerse necesario dejar escenarios que no afectan directamente la seguridad estadounidense (se puede pensar en Irak y Afganistán), y elaborar estrategias macro que permitan ceder en algunas cosas ante el ascenso de China: "This privileged nation [the U.S.] —one is tempted to say, overprivileged nation—possesses around 4.6 percent of the world's population, produces about a fifth of world product, and is, amazingly, willing to spend over 40 percent of all the globe's defense expenditures. At some time in the future, sooner or later, there is going to be what economists call a 'convergence,' that is, we are going to have to trim our sails and no longer try to bestride the world like a colossus. As we do so, we shall make a concession here, a concession there, though hopefully it will be disguised in the form of policies such as 'power sharing' and 'mutual compromise,' and the dreadful 'A' word will not appear."La preocupación subyacente en el planteo de Kennedy es que la estigmatización del concepto, por las consecuencias políticas que podría generar a un líder el ser clasificado de "apaciguador," limita seriamente la consideración de mismo como una opción más de política exterior. El argumento es lógicamente impecable. Pero tiene un problema, o mejor dicho, una sutileza temporal. Para cuando Gran Bretaña comenzó su política de apaciguamiento hacia Estados Unidos, la capacidad de poder estadounidense ya era superior a la británica en todos los aspectos. A su vez, la capacidad de la Royal Navy de cubrir el globo había disminuido sensiblemente. La posición actual de Estados Unidos es por cierto disímil.(3)El timing es aquí importante. La otra cara de la moneda puede ser tan nociva como la que presenta Kennedy: el apaciguamiento extendido como resultado de una errónea comprensión de la real estructura de poder en el sistema internacional puede generar potencias revisionistas y contribuir a la inestabilidad internacional.Sin embargo, a mediano y largo plazo, el análisis de Kennedy debe ser tomado muy en serio. Apaciguar y otorgar concesiones va a tener que estar cada vez más en el menú de opciones estadounidense (siempre junto a otras como el Soft Power o la fuerza militar). Según Kennedy: "It is not a crime, or a moral failing, to recognize where and when it may be best to withdraw from a battlefield and to reduce a commitment." La sabiduría del liderazgo estadounidense va a estar en saber discernir qué situaciones y qué actores pueden ser apaciguados, y qué otros deben ser contenidos. Esperemos que estén a la altura de la situación.(1) Powell, Robert, "Uncertainty, Shifting Power, and Appeasement," American Political Science Review, 90, p. 746.(2) Sobre las rispideces del siglo XIX y el giro diplomático véase: Bourne, Kenneth,Britain and the Balance of Power in North America: 1815-1908,Berkeley,University of California Press, 1967.(3) En la conclusión de su libro The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers, Paul Kennedy había caído en el mismo error, argumentando de manera apresurada que Estados Unidos estaba sobre-expandido y que su descenso ante la URSS era un escenario esperable (irónicamente el libro fue publicado 1987, dos años antes de la caída del Muro de Berlín). *Profesor Universidad ORT.Maestría en Estudios Internacionales, Universidad Torcuato Di Tella (Tesista)

On September 19 and 20, the armed forces of Azerbaijan advanced on Nagorno-Karabakh, ending, within 24 hours, a so-called "frozen" conflict, the origins of which hearken back to 1988.[1] The war between Armenia and Azerbaijan over this mountainous territory in 1992–94, and the subsequent stalemate, punctuated by several flashes of violence, led to over 30,000 casualties on both sides and the forced internal migration of over a million Azerbaijanis. The recent flight of over 100,000 ethnic Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh into Armenia has put additional stress on that country. While such conflicts rarely end quickly and neatly—it will take decades to tie up loose threads—there are already some lessons we can learn from the conflict.Lessons from the ConflictMultilateral efforts to resolve conflict are important. They conveyed to the leaders of the conflicting parties that the world and regional powers were watching and would hold them accountable. A negotiated resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict was added to various governments' foreign policy goals. Regular visits to the conflicting parties served to discourage or delay any military planning. The groups of leaders and officials from the conflicting parties in Nagorno-Karabakh were relatively small and challenged with many issues at the same time, so whenever they had to deal with special negotiators from the U.S., Russia, France, and other countries, they had to put down what they were doing at the time.Michael Keays (far right) in Stepanakert/Khankendi, with U.S., Russian, and French peace process negotiators, September 1998.Image CreditThe interest and involvement of several countries in the region ensured that the conflict would not fade away and be forgotten; this is a feature of human behavior often referred to as "compassion fatigue." Consider the fact that, as of this article's publication, over 50 conflicts are currently active in the world—and that number doesn't consider non-state conflicts. Counting those, the number is well over 80. Most of these are in Africa, and coverage of them in the mainstream media is rare.[2] In the U.S., what should have been an obscure conflict occasionally received press coverage so that Americans beyond just the Armenian diaspora knew about it. Public interest tends to have an impact on whether governments make an issue a priority or not."Frozen" conflicts can flash at any moment. This is true especially if mediators are distracted. Back in the late 1990s, there was a view that someday, Azerbaijan would probably retake the Nagorno-Karabakh region by force with a modern, appropriately sized army purchased with oil money. This concern was allayed by the sense that the conflict would have to be resolved before oil from the region could get out to Western markets, something that seemed distant. That sense of distance fell apart when the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline was opened in 2006.[3] Once the oil started flowing, Azerbaijan's financial situation improved, and, not surprisingly, the country started working on building up its military capabilities. Seventeen years later, it found itself in a position to try to retake Nagorno-Karabakh militarily. It helped that it not only had the means but had the space, in the sense that Russia and the U.S. were focused on Russia's brutal war against Ukraine. What was considered by many experts a "frozen" conflict suddenly became hot, and then ended even more suddenly. The military resolution of the situation also reminds us that seemingly endless conflicts can actually end. Nagorno-Karabakh has gone the way of Tamil Tiger-occupied Sri Lanka, a conflict which also appeared irresolvable until 2009.[4]Money talks, and who your friends are matters. Azerbaijan slowly built up its army with the intent of taking back Armenian-occupied areas surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh and the region itself. Azerbaijan's defense spending grew dramatically starting in 2004, from $144 million in 2003 to $1.2 billion in 2008. In January 2009, Azerbaijan claimed it would increase its defense spending to $2.3 billion. It could do that because its economy was growing at an unprecedented rate. Smart spending is as important as being able to outspend your opponent. While Azerbaijan's armed forces decreased in terms of personnel from 2007 to 2019, its quality increased significantly, primarily due to assistance received from Turkey and Israel, but also the U.S. Azerbaijan Armed Forces 2007[5] 2019[6]Army: 85,000 56,000Air Force: 8,000 8,500Navy: 2,000 2,500Total personnel: 95,000 67,000In a war of attrition, numbers are significant, but in this case, the capabilities edge on the Azerbaijan side—largely due to training, military exercises, and technological force multipliers—proved to be the winning factor, even as it was on the offense and had to fight uphill. Turkey has been heavily involved in the modernization of Azerbaijan's military since 1992, and it started providing Azerbaijan more robust professional military education and access to joint training and exercises in 2010.[7] Israel also played a key role in Azerbaijan's military modernization. In 2012, Azerbaijan purchased $1.6 billion worth of weapons from Israeli Aerospace Industries, an additional $5 billion worth of weapons in 2016, and another $127 million worth of weapons in 2017.[8] Most of the purchases consisted of unmanned aircraft and satellite technology to improve battlespace awareness for the Azerbaijani Armed Forces. All of this proved critical to Azerbaijan's victories on the battlefield in the fall of 2020, and then its retaking of Nagorno-Karabakh in September of this year. This also revealed the substantial weakness of Nagorno-Karabakh's defense forces and Armenia's political and logistical ties. Russia, Iran, and the worldwide Armenian diaspora—Armenia's allies and supporters and, through it, supporters of Nagorno-Karabakh—proved incapable of defending those trying to tear the region away from Azerbaijan. The wealth and generosity of your allies matter, and in this case, Azerbaijan had the better, more capable allies. President Ilham Aliyev has demonstrated that he is not as weak as observers once worried he was after the 2003 death of his father, Heydar Aliyev. Azerbaijan's security and negotiating position are much improved now.Occupying another country's land is costly and usually ends badly. Armenia had external support from its wealthy and politically influential diasporas located in the U.S. and France, among other places. These communities did a lot to keep up the dream of an independent so-called Nagorno-Karabakh Republic ("Artsakh," according to Armenians) alive—even at one point by financing the construction of an impressive highway linking Yerevan with Stepanakert/Khankendi—but enthusiasm, the leveraging of sympathetic politicians in important countries, and money to build roads and churches rarely change the conditions on the ground that matter in warfare. In fact, these factors can intensify the desire of refugees and internally displaced people to return to their homeland, and push for the chance to do so. Immediate LessonsBeyond the key takeaways above, we should consider three more ideas as we reflect on Azerbaijan's recent military operation in its Nagorno-Karabakh region.First, this is an opportunity for the U.S. and allies to reach out to Armenia to help it to process what just happened and support the displaced. Russia and its peacekeepers standing between the Azerbaijanis and the Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians clearly failed to stop Azerbaijan's offensive. Russia and Iran are increasingly becoming pariah states, given their aggression against Ukraine and Israel, respectively. They are on self-defeating trajectories. Armenia should be encouraged to further orient itself westward.Second, the inaction of Russia's peacekeepers in Nagorno-Karabakh as Azerbaijani forces advanced might suggest to outside observers that Russia is distracted and stretched to the limits by Ukraine. In other words, Russia's ongoing occupation of parts of Georgia (Abkhazia, South Ossetia) and its troops in Transnistria without the government of Moldova's consent, while long-standing, might be worth pushing against, as Russia may not be as strong as we have long believed. At least it could be perceived that way after what just transpired in Azerbaijan. This bears further analysis. In the meantime, if the U.S. and other Western countries have not yet done so, they might consider cautioning the Moldovans and Georgians not to test Russian resolve, given Mr. Putin's likely, unpredictable, and escalatory reaction to a testing of perceived Russian vulnerability. And the U.S. and others should keep an eye on Transnistria and the occupied territories Russia has been expanding in Georgia. Several recent and upcoming events concerning Moldova could provoke incidents, including the November 5 local elections, the potential parliamentary approval of Moldova's National Security Strategy (which lists Russia as its main external threat), the EU's decision about whether formal accession talks with Moldova can begin, and the renewal or expiration of the OSCE mandate in Moldova by the end of the year. It is worth remembering that Moldova is neither a member of NATO nor the EU and is not far from the Ukrainian port city of Odesa. Russia has been repeatedly targeting Odesa with missiles and drones, possibly as part of a larger effort to take Ukraine's entire Black Sea coast and link Russia up with Transnistria to Ukraine's west.Third, if the U.S. and its allies and partners have not yet done so, they should make it clear to Azerbaijan that they will be watching them in the post-conflict period. As the saying goes, they should "trust but verify." They should also warn Azerbaijan not to take military action to establish a land bridge between Azerbaijan proper and the exclave of Nakhchevan, an act which would require the seizure of Armenian territory.Michael C. Keays is a senior diplomatic fellow at the Kennan Institute of the Wilson Center. While the author is on detail from the State Department to the Kennan Institute, the views are his own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. government or the Wilson Center.[1] Vladimir Solovyov, "Azerbaijani Control of Nagorno-Karabakh Will Not Stop Conflict in the South Caucasus," Carnegie Politika, September 28, 2023, https://carnegieendowment.org/politika/90655[2] Anna Marie Obermeier and Siri Aas Rustad, Conflict Trends: A Global Overview, 1946–2022 (Oslo, Norway: Peace Research Institute Oslo, 2023), https://reliefweb.int/report/world/conflict-trends-global-overview-1946-2022#:~:text=Despite%20the%20increase%20in%20battle,in%2038%20conflict%2Daffected%20countries[3] bp Azerbaijan (website), "Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Pipeline," https://www.bp.com/en_az/azerbaijan/home/who-we-are/operationsprojects/pipelines/btc.html[4] Jayshree Bajoria, "The Sri Lankan Conflict," Council on Foreign Relations, updated May 18, 2009, https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/sri-lankan-conflict[5] GlobalSecurity.org (website), "Azerbaijan—Introduction," https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/azerbaijan/intro.htm[6] Edward J. Erickson, "The 44-Day War in Nagorno-Karabakh: Turkish Drone Success or Operational Art?" Military Review, August 2021, https://www.armyupress.army.mil/Journals/Military-Review/Online-Exclusive/2021-OLE/Erickson/[7] Haldun Yalçınkaya, "Turkey's Overlooked Role in the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War," GMF (German Marshall Fund), January 21, 2021, https://www.gmfus.org/news/turkeys-overlooked-role-second-nagorno-karabakh-war[8] Erickson, "The 44-Day War."

- n i-f^Jk^ t A; NOVEMBER, 1899 ooTheoc Qettysbur Mercery that the drama was indebted for a great improvement in this respect. He gave to the dithyramb a regular lyric form, and arranged it to be sung at these festivals by a trained chorus of fifty. To this chorus was given the name cyclic, inas-much as it was grouped around the altar. The chorus now be-came a very important factor in the drama. Neighboring towns vied with one another in producing the best bodies of trained singers ; large prizes were frequently offered to this end, and as a result of constant emulation numerous improvements were con-tinually being made. Although the Dorians had most to do in originating the drama, it was allotted to the Athenians to bring it to its greatest perfec-tion. Thespis (536 B. C), seeing that the existing mode of per-formance was more or less wearisome to the audience, conceived the idea of a dialogue between the leader and one of the members of the chorus, chosen especially for the purpose. The leader stood upon a raised platform, and in the pauses of the choral song, conversed with this member of the chorus, or the answerer (hypo-crites) as he was called. Besides the addition of this actor, or a?iswerer, Thespis made various other improvements. He in-vented dances in which he carefully trained the choristers; he changed the metre of the chorus, and gave to the whole perform-ance a larger element of unity than had theretofore characterized it. The organization of the chorus was further improved by Phrynichus (512-476 B. C.) who introduced the custom ofsub-divid-ing it into smaller bands when the nature of the play seemed to demand it. He dismissed everything light and farcical, and for the themes of his plays resorted to the mythology and history of his country. Instead of satyrs and buffoonery we now have heroes, princes and their attendants. In this we see the dawning of real tragedy. Although there were a number of writers intervening between Phrynichus and Aeschylus (525-456 B. C), they were ofminor im-portance; and it is to Aeschylus that we now turn our attention. It was reserved for this great writer to make some important and lasting changes in the drama; of these we state but a few of the most important. Aeschylus introduced a second actor, and thus THE GETTYSBURG MERCURY. 201 made possible a dialogue, independent of the chorus. This change had the effect of making the choral song secondary to the dia-logue and thus bringing the drama to its maturity in permitting the presentation of a complete scene before the eyes of the audience. He furthermore introduced into his tragedies many imposing spectacles, and made their execution more vivid by improving the expression of the mask, making the costumes richer, and intro-ducing the use of the cothurnus. Aeschylus was a very prolific writer, and his works rank among the very best in the language. It is interesting to note that he was the first to set the example of competing with trilogies, combinations of three tragedies, con-nected more or less in thought and supposed to be acted successi vely. We come now to the part played by Sophocles (495-405 B. C.) who was in his time the favorite tragic poet of Athens. L,ike Aeschylus he was a very prolific writer of plays, and his produc-tions are of the highest merit. He also made some improvements in the drama as he found it. Of these the principal are the fol-lowing : He added a third actor; made further improvements in the costume; invented the krepis, a boot of white color, worn by both actors and chorus. He furthermore increased the number of singers in the chorus from twelve to fifteen. His plays abound with grand and heroic personages, and are frequently character-ized by the supernatural element. His language is pure, majestic and highly poetical. He and Aeschylus stand forth as the two great masters of tragedy. To complete the list of the great dramatic writers of Greece who are known to us of the present day, we need but add the name of Euripides (480-406 B. C). This writer though ranking in general popularity with Aeschylus and Sophocles, was in some respects greatly inferior to them. His independent and at times reckless style has caused him to be greatly criticised. He has been accused of breaking in upon poetic harmony for the sake 01 novelty and effect, as well as of belittling the dignity of the gods. Euripides instituted the following changes in the drama: a cur-tailment of the function of the chorus and an expansion of the function of the messenger. He was also the first to use the pro-logue. Euripides was inferior to Aeschylus and Sophocles in the vigor and artistic moderation as well as beauty of his works, but he nevertheless was the author of many excellent productions and deservedly ranks with the world's great tragedians. —C, '00. 202 THE GETTYSBURG MERCURY. MUSIC AND SHAKESPEARE. IT is always interesting to examine the opinions of a man con-cerning the work of a fellow-craftsman ; but it is still more interesting to examine the expressions of a great artist about the nature and functions of an art differing from his own. There seems to be a somewhat widely-spread belief, that litterati are most miserably misguided in their opinions about a corresponding line of art work, i. e. music; but it will become evident upon an examination of the works of any great writer, e.g. Shakespeare, that this opinion is fallacious. It must be born in mind while we consider this subject, that the music described by Shakespeare, differed somewhat from that of to-day; the very term "music" would invoke different ideas among different classes of people and at various periods. It is probable that Shakespeare never heard anything like a Modern Concert Grand Piano, unless with the imaginative ears of genius ; so we must be careful not to think of sixteenth century music in nineteeth century ideas. No poet or musician has written more brilliantly or sympathetically about music than did Shakespeare. Possessing wonderful versatility, handling an immense array of subjects with great mastery of detail and happiness of expression, we find the '' Bard of Avon'' as much at home when he touches the bounds of the tonal art, as he is in all the other departments of knowledge. Besides recognizing the beauty of music, he appre-ciates its great power and influence, and shows his complete mas-tery of the art, such as it then was, by his frequent expressions of technical ideas. In Merchant of Venice, Act 3, Sc. 2, he puts into the mouth of Portia this poetical description of the character of music : "And what is music then ? Then music is Even as the flourish when true subjects bow, To a new-crowned monarch : such it is As are those dulcet sounds in break of day That creep into the dreaming' bridegroom's ear, And summon him to marriage." Further on in the same play, Lorenzo and Jessica hold quite a discourse about music; it is full of beautiful imagery : "How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank, Here will we sit and let the sounds of music Creep in our ears, soft stillness and the night Become the touches of sweet harmony. THE GETTYSBURG MERCURY. 203 Sit, Jessica. Look how the floor of heaven Is thick inlaid with patines of bright gold : There's not the smallest orb which thou behold'st But in his motion like an angel sings, Still quiring to the young-eyed cherubim ; Which harmony is in immortal souls; But whilst this muddy vesture of decay Doth grossly close it in, we cannot hear it." And further, Lorenzo gives us the familiar,— "The man that hath no music in himself, Nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds, Is fit for treasons, stratagems and spoils; The motions of his spirit are dull as night And his affections dark as Erebus: Let no such man be trusted." This passage, however, when tested by actual experience, will not always hold true; Shakespeare evidently felt thus it ought to be. Somewhat similar to it is the following from Julius Caesar, Act i, Sc. 2,—characterizing a cynic : "he looks Quite through the deeds of men ; he loves no plays, As thou dost, Anthony ; he hears no music ; Seldom he smiles." About the great power of music this passage from Midsummer Night's Dream, Act 2, Sc. 2, bears witness: "I sat upon a promontory, And heard a mermaid, on a dolphin's back, Uttering such dulcet and harmonious breath, That the rude sea grew civil at her song ; And certain stars shot madly from their spheres, To hear the sea-maid's music." Again in Two Gentlemen of Verona, Act 3, Sc. 1, we have:— "For Orpheus' lute was strung with poets' sinews, Whose golden touch could soften steel and stones ; Make tigers tame and huge leviathans Forsake unsounded depths to dance on sands." Of its power over the human soul and mind, Benedick, in Much Ado about Nothing, Act 2, Sc. 3, tells, in this figure:— "Now Divine air! Now is his soul ravished ! Is itnot strange that sheeps'guts should hail souls out of men's bodies?" And in Romeo and Juliet, Act 4, Sc. 5, this passage, with a similar idea, occurs: 204 THE GETTYSBURG MERCURY. "When griping- griefs the heart doth wound, And doleful dumps the mind oppress, Then music with her silver sound, With speedy help doth lend redress." Then, too, the King in Henry IV., when stricken and looking about him for relief, commands: "Let there be no noise, my gentle friends Unless some dull and favourable hand will music whisper to my weary spirit." Lucrentio, in Taming of the Shrew, gives expression to a well-known use of music, when he says : "Preposterous ass! that never read so far to know the cause why music was ordained, Was it not to refresh the mind of man after his study and his usual pain?" The mental effect is brought out by the King in Richard III:— "This music mads me." And the Duke in Measure for Measure, tells of the moral effect: " 'Tis good; though music oft hath such a charm, that it makes bad, good and good, provokes to harm." Allusion to the close connection between music and love, is made in Act i, Sc. i, Twelfth Night, when the Duke says:— "If music be the food of love, play on; Give me excess of it, that, surfeiting, The appetite may sicken, and so, die." And Cleopatra asks for the same kind of food, "Give me some music; music, moody food Of us that trade in love." In Love's Labor Lost, Act 4, Sc. 3, we find a musical simile of love: "For valor, is not Love a Hercules, Still climbing trees in the Hesperides? Subtle as Sphinx; as sweet and musical As bright Apollo's lute, strung with his hair; And when Love speaks, the voice of all the Gods Make Heaven drowsy with the harmony." So, also in Romeo and Juliet, Act 2, Sc. 2, we have "How silver-sweet sound lovers' tongues by night, Like softest music to attending ears." The "Music of Nature" is referred to, in many passages through-out Shakespeare's works; such expressions as "murmuring THE GETTYSBURG MERCURY. 205 brooks," "high-singing larks" are frequent. In The Tempest, Act 3, Sc. 2, Caliban reassures Stephano, after hearing Ariel's pipe, "Be not afeard; the isle is full of noises, Sounds and sweet airs, that give delight and hurt not." And Stephano replies—with a note of self-interest:— "This will prove a brave kingdom for me, where I shall have my music for nothing." In the next scene of the same play, Alonzo says:— "The winds did sing it to me and the thunder, That deep and dreadful organ pipe, pronounced The name of Prosper." That our author was well acquainted with the technique of music, is evidenced by the frequent occurance of such terms as "divi-sion," "discord," etc., and by the several passages concerning time-keeping. The King in Richard III., Act 5, Sc. 5, utters these words: "Music do I hear? Ha! ha! Keep time. How sour sweet music is When time is broke and no proportion kept." And the base Iago says, in Othello, Act 4, Sc. 1;— "That's not amiss; But yet keep time in all." In Romeo and Juliet and in Two Gentlemen of Verona, other especially good examples of a technical use of musical terms are afforded, that deserve mention. One finds many places in Shakespeare's works where inciden-tal reference to the art is made, throughout his other productions too, aside from the plays, there are numerous bright gems that glow with musical beauty and to follow up and present them, is a most interesting and enjoyable pursuit. In conclusion we would quote the words of the tired king, Pericles: "The music of the spheres, list my Marina; most heavenly music It nips me unto listening and thick slumber Hangs upon mine eyes; let me rest." a^p —W. W. P., '00. It would be an unspeakable advantage both to the public and the private, if men would consider the truth that no man is wise or safe, but he that is honest.—Sir Walter Raleigh. 206 THE GETTYSBURG MERCURY. A CHANCE MEETING. NOT many years ago, on a beautiful day early in the fall of the year, a Southern gentleman left his home in Georgia to visit the battlefield of Gettysburg. This battlefield had a peculiar interest for him because he had taken part in the great Gettysburg battle. It was the first time he had visited the battle-field since the day of the battle. He was accompanied by his wife and daughter, an accomplished young lady just passing out of her 'teens. They arrived at Gettysburg and went to a hotel. At this same hotel was John H. Stephens, from New York, who had taken part in the same battle. His son was with him and as they sat in the lobby of the hotel, the Southern veteran, entering with a paper in his hand, took a seat near them and began to read. The Union veteran glanced at him and thought he had seen that large Roman nose before. Several times afterward, he saw the man and thought that he had seen the face but was un-able to place it. In the afternoon of the next day both parties visited the battlefield. On the other side of Culp's Hill the New York gentleman and his son alighted from their carriage and walked toward Spangler's Spring. The old gentleman led his son to a large rock which was hollowed out on one side and said to him : "On the second day of the battle we were struggling in this vicinity and were driving the rebels back. I was rushing on with the rest of my comrades through the dead and wounded, when suddenly I was seized by the leg and almost fell to the ground. I looked down to see the cause of this sudden hindrance and there lying at my feet was a rebel soldier beckoning me with his hand. I stooped down to examine him and found that he was badly wounded in his hip and the blood was streaming from a wound on his head. He began to talk in a low voice and I bent lower in order to hear what he had to say. He began. 'There is a small village down in Georgia where a mother and small child are waiting for the return of the father, but he never will return. I feel that I am getting weaker and I would like to ask a favor of you before my lips are sealed forever. That mother is my wife and that child, my daughter. My name is Ralph D. Benson. If it would not be asking too much, I would THE GETTYSBURG MERCURY. 207 like you to send a message to them if you can get a chance to do so. This is the last request of a dying man and I believe you will not disregard it.' I told him to go on as I saw his voice was getting weaker. 'You just tell her,' he said, 'my love for her has remained the same throughout the trials and turmoils of this war. Tell her that I kept up my spirit with the thought of returning to my dear home never to leave it again. But that dream has now faded away. Tell her my last prayer is, that God may protect her and the child.' He murmured a few more words which were unintelligible and then became unconscious. His appeal had touched me, for my thought went to a home in New York State. The man's face had such an earnest look while he was speaking, and as he lay there a sad, but tender smile played about his lips. He still breathed heavily and I resolved to remove him to some shelter if in someway he might yet recover. I lifted him up and half dragged, half carried him to this very rock you see before you and I placed him in this cavern. From the small spring you see yonder," he said, pointing his finger toward Spangler's spring, "I brought water and bathed his face and forced some water through his lips. I left my canteen with him in hopes that he might regain consciousness and have use for it. Then I was at once compelled to leave and hurry after my regiment." "That was indeed, a very peculiar happening," replied the son, "but it seems strange to me that you should try so hard to save the life of a rebel, especially in the midst of battle." "That may be strange," answered the father, but as I said before, the man's tale touched me and there was something about the man that I admired—he had such a noble, honest-looking face." At this moment their attention was attracted by the creaking noise of a carriage descending the winding driveway and the voice of a guide repeating the story of that portion of the battle which occurred in that particular place. As the carriage approached they recognized the occupants to be the venerable gentleman, whom they had seen at the hotel, his wife and daughter. When they came nearer the rock, the old man arose from his seat and told the driver to stop the horses. He then said to the guide, "I know too well about the contest which took place here, for I participated in it myself. The battle is as fresh in my mind as though it had happened but yesterday. We were being driven r^ 208 r//^ GETTYSBURG MERCURY. back when I received this wound which I carry to-day," he said, laying his hand on his hip, "and as I fell, I struck my head against the gun of one of my fallen comrades. It dazed me for a few moments, but I soon awoke and found that my regiment was being driven back by a New York regiment. I was bleeding freely from my head and side and was beginning to think that my end was close at hand. My thoughts went back to my home in the South and I would have given anything to be there if only for a few minutes. The thought struck me then to send a message, if possible, to the dear ones at home. I attracted the attention of a passing soldier, gave him what I thought would be my last messsge on earth which he promised to send to my wife. Here is a link in my story which I often have wished could be supplied, but there is only one person who can do that and he may be dead now. The next thing I remember, I awoke with a great pain in my head and everything in utter darkness. I felt around with my hand and touched nothing but cold stone. Be-side me lay a canteen from which I took a draught. I soon called the attention of some passing soldiers who lifted me from the shelter in which I was placed. I recognize this very rock and I have kept the canteen on which are inscribed the initials, J. H. S." By this time Stephens knew the man before him to be the man he had saved and, as he finished his story, Stephens stepped up to him and said: "If you can recall the rock in which you were placed, look at me and see if you can not recall the soldier who placed you there. My name is John H. Stephens and it is my canteen from which you drank. So give me your hand, comrade, we have drunk from the same canteen." Benson was struck speechless for a few moments by this unexpected revelation but gave a hearty grasp to the hand which was placed in his own. He soon regained himself and said: "This meeting I consider one of the most fortunate events of my life. Often have I longed to see the brave man who so generously saved nry life and to whom I am so deeply indebted. That moment has at last arrived and when least expected. What is most surprising is that we meet where we last parted, but, thank God in very different relations." They chatted on in this way until the sun had descended behind the hills and it was time to depart. They still had much to say so they arranged that both the old gentlemen should go back in THE GETTYSBURG MERCURY. 209 the same carriage and leave the younger members to take the other. This arrangement was very satisfactory to the younger pair and they made no objections. They went back to the hotel and spent the evening together. The old gentlemen told stories principally of their own experience in the war, while the young folks found no difficulty in enjoying themselves. It was a late hour when they retired that night but they were all up early as Stephens and his son intended to leave that morn-ing. They parted with many regrets and arrangements for future meetings. As they were about to separate Benson said, "Don't let anything hinder you from coming to see me next month, as we have arranged and be sure to bring your son with you." "I will come," answered Stephens, "but I can not speak for my son as he never did like the southern climate." But the merry twinkle in his eye and the smiles that appeared on the faces of all told that there was not much danger on that score. The two old gentlemen entertained a very warm friendship for each other from this time and made annual visits together to the battlefield of Gettysburg. But a still stronger friendship sprung up between the son and daughter which finally resulted in making a still closer connection between the two families. —H. A. L., '01. "SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER." Considered Historically and Critically. [GRAEFF PRIZE, HONORABLE MENTION.] OLIVER GOLDSMITH lived and died, and considered as a man, his life was a failure; but thought of as an author, one is obliged to exclaim "One of the few, the immortal names That were not born to die." Literary work always betrays in some manner the life and characteristics of its author, and in no production of merit is the writer revealed more fully than in the works of Goldsmith. In his essays we recognize the hand-to-mouth journalist and the struggling genius ; in the compiled histories we see both the hand of a master of beautiful style and the carelessness of a debtor ; in the Vicar of Wakefield we get an inside view of his father's family as it was during his boyhood days ; in the Traveler we see N 2IO THE GETTYSBURG MERCURY. the homesick wanderer ; in the Deserted Village we hear the la-ments of the man over the decaying surroundings of youth ; in the Good-natured Man to have a testimony of his generous na-ture ; and She Stoops to Conquer immortalizes a supposed episode of his school-days. Thus all through his works we see the author as he was. But after all he is best revealed to us through the agency of his novel and his poems ; and it is a conceded fact that when he abandoned poetry for prose, the world became that much poorer. However, necessity, as a law, considers only self, and when the need is money it bows not to the general good of mankind. Poetry made him famous, but poor men cannot live upon fame ; so to supply the money to silence impatient creditors, he compiled histories. " I cannot afford to court the draggle-tail muses," he said to Lord Lisburn, " they would let me starve, but by my other labors lean make shift to eat, to drink, and have good clothes." While he was working at paying compilations however, he wrote the Vicar of Wakefield. That work elevated him to the front rank of prose writers, and " the success which had attended him as a novelist emboldened him to try his fortune as a drama-tist." Accordingly, " he wrote The Good-natured Man, apiece which had a worse fate than it deserved." " In 1773 Goldsmith tried his chances at Convent Garden with a second play,—She Stoops to Conquer." The history of the production of this play is rather peculiar, and illustrates the error of judgment, by which even competent men are led astray at times. At the time a coolness existed between Garrick, the great English actor, and Goldsmith, caused, it is said, by the actor's criticism on the character of Lofty and other supposed defects in the Good-natured Man ; but this coolness was not as frigid as it had been shortly after the unpleasant criticism ; and it is evident from his conduct, that the author would have submitted the new play to his estranged friend at Drury Lane had it not been already promised to Colman, the manager of Convent Garden. It is also evident from subsequent developments that Garrick would have ac-cepted the play. Goldsmith was usually reckless in the matter of fulfilling his promises, but in this he was honorable and gave the play to Colman. It seems that Colman was unconscious of the real merits of the manuscript, and kept it in his possession for months • THE GETTYSBURG MERCURY. 211 without replying to the author, impatient for a decision. Finally, when the "fountain of patience" was exhausted, Goldsmith wrote to the manager, begging him to give a decisive answer, and not keep him in suspense any longer. He promised to remove, without argument, any objectionable parts of the play ; and said that he would refuse to allow it to be submitted to any other judg-ment save the manager's own. He concluded by saying, " I have, as you know, a large sum of money to make up shortly ; by ac-cepting my play I can readily satisfy my creditors that way, at any rate I must look about to some certainty to be prepared. For God's sake take the play and let us make the best of it, and let me have the same measure at least which you have given as bad plays as mine." To this appeal Colman replied by returning the manuscript, upon the blank leaves of which he had written "distasteful re-marks," renewing his previous promise, however, to produce the play at some future time. This discourtesy provoked Goldsmith to such an extent that he offered the play to Garrick, but Johnson, the author's tried friend, persuaded him to withdraw it, saying, as an argument, that it would be disadvantageous to take it from Convent Garden in such an abrupt manner. Then Johnson had a strong interview with Colman and persuaded him with "much solicitation, nay, a kind of force" to produce the play. Colman disliked the play and predicted its failure, even after he was seemingly compelled by Johnson to produce it. After considering its merits, such a judgment seems very strange to us. Colman was not alone in the matter of condemning it, how-ever, for some of the best actors joined in chorus with his dislike and refused to take any part; but their places were filled by others and the rehearsal began. But even then the end of all difficulties was not yet in sight, for the piece was without a dignified name. The Mistakes of a Night, which is now the second title, was considered too low for the play. "We are all in labor," said Johnson, whose efforts to have the play produced were enthusiastic throughout the whole period of disappointment and delays, "for a name to Goldy's play." The Old House a New Inn was suggested by one of the literary wits, but that, too, was dismissed on the plea of its awk-wardness. Then Reynolds, the great artist, announced to the I f 212 THE GETTYSBURG MERCURY. members of the club what he thought would be an appropriate title—The Belle's Stratagem. This name was still under consid-eration when, it is said, Goldsmith, in whose mind Dryden's lines may have reverberated, "But kneels to conquer but stoops to rise," suggested, She Stoops to Conquer. The night of March 15, 1773, having arrived, the play was produced by Colman at Convent Garden. It is said, that Gold-smith dined that day with his friends, and, says Sir Joshua, "nearly choked" with agitation. When they started for the theatre, he turned his steps in a contrary direction, and wandered about in St. James Park. But the triumph of his grand comedy was complete. Contrary to the expectations of the manager and many of the actors, it proved a very brilliant and triumphant success for its author. George M. Towle says, speaking about Goldsmith's death, "Exactly one year after the hisses at the Good-natured Man had been gloriously avenged by the roars of applause and laughter over She Stoops to Conquer, Goldsmith was struggling with his fatal illness. Still a drudge and a debtor, still struggling with money troubles, still a poet for fame, but a hack for bread, his buoyant spirits at last succumbed." A uervous fever laid him prostrate, and on the morning of April the 4th, 1774, when asked by his doctor, "Is your mind at ease?" he replied, "No, it is not." These were his last words: the great genius sank untimely, though wearied, into an unmarked grave, leaving "She Stoops to Con-quer" as a lasting monument of his literary triumph. "The candid critic is a gentleman of whom all authors approve if he praises their last volume. 'What I wanted,' they explain, 'is no gush of praise, as from a friend; but simply a calm, just re-view, slating my work if it deserves slating, commending it if it deserves commendation.' Noble fellows. Then when the critic, who is very young in this case, observes that the work bears dis-tinct traces of genius, is Shakespearian without Shakespeare's coarseness, reminds one of Milton in his best moments, and sug-gests Tennyson before the Poet Laureate's hand lost its cunning, the author smiles gently to himself, and repeats that what he wanted was an honest criticism, and he thinks he has got it." THE GETTYSBURG MERCURY. 213 The kind of criticism which Mr. Barrie describes in the fore-going quotation is only too common in current literature. Praise, not justice, is that which is wanted by the average author. But when we consider the fact that there are only a few living master-critics, we will not be surprised when we read the so-called criti-cisms of literary productions. Criticism is an art, and only those who devote a whole life-time to its study can ever hope to master it. To criticise any work, whether of a poetical, fictional, scientific, philosophical, historical, or dramatic character requires a master-knowledge of the subject on the part of the critic. Dramatic criticism requires an additional preparation—that of observation, for only by observation can the technique of acting be mastered,—perhaps, even then, participation in the renderings of the play may be required. If this be true, dramatic criticism is the most difficult of all. Nevertheless with all due regard to the greatness of the task before us, we humbly offer the following criticism of She Stoops to Conquer. Time establishes the value of anything ; and when a play con-tinues to be popular one hundred and twenty-six years after it was written, it must be of more than ordinary merit; and such, indeed, is She Stoops to Conquer There is, however, a dispute about this play which has never been settled, i. e. is it a comedy or a farce? The Encyclopedia Britannica says, '"The Good-natured Man had been too funny to succeed; yet the mirth of the Good-natured Man was sober when compared with the rich drollery of She Stoops to Conquer, which is, in truth, an incomparable farce in five acts." In Chambers Encyclopedia we read that "he escaped from enforced compilations (Histories of Rome and England, History of Animated Nature) with his best poetical effort, The Deserted Village (1770); and three years afterward achieved the highest dramatic honors by She Stoops to Conquer; still one of the most popular of English acting comedies.'' Horace Walpole, as quoted by Mr. Black in his Life of Goldsmith says that She Stoops to Conquer is only a farce. Prof. Ward in his Eng. Dramatic Literature says that Farquhar's Beaux Stratagem "is written in the happiest of veins; and may be regarded as the pro-totype of Goldsmith's She Stoops to Conquer, like which it hovers rather doubtfully on the borders—not always easy to determine— 214 THE GETTYSBURG MERCURY. between comedy and farce." Black's Life of Goldsmith speaks of the play as being a comedy ; so does Forster in his Life and Times of Oliver Goldsmith. Other authorities, such as English Men of Letters, Irving's Biography of Goldsmith, essays and magazine sketches could be quoted ; sufficient could be adduced to show conclusively that this question is a mooted one. But what is a comedy ? What is a farce ? The Encyclopedia Dictionary, one of the stardard works of its kind, says that a comedy is " a dramatic representation of a light and amusing nature, in which are satirized pleasantly the weak-nesses or manners of society and the ludicrous incidents of life." If this is a true definition of the limits of pure comedy, then She Stoops to Conquer is not a comedy in all its parts. It is a " dra-matic representation of a light and amusing nature," but it is not a satire on the "weaknesses or manners of society;" and the "ludicrous incidents of life " which form the ground-work of the play are either the work of the poet's imagination or a grossly exaggerated " incident of life." The best narrative of this " incident " is given by Forster ; " at the close of his last holidays, Goldsmith, then a lad of nearly seventeen, left home for Edgeworthtown, mounted on a borrowed hack, which a friend was to restore to Lissoy, and with stores of unaccustomed wealth, a guinea, in his pocket. The delicious taste of independence beguiled him to a loitering, lingering, pleas-ant enjoyment of the journey ; and instead of finding himself under Mr. Hughes' roof at nightfall, night came upon him, some two or three miles out of the direct road in the middle of the street of Ardagh. But nothing could disconcert the owner of the guinea, who with a lofty, confident air, inquired of a person passing, the way to the town's best house of entertainment. The man ad-dressed was the wag of Ardagh, a humorous fencing-master, Mr. Cornelius Kelly; and the school-boy's swagger was an irresistible provocation to a jest. Submissively he turned back with horse and rider till they came within a pace or two of the great Squire Featherstone's, to which he respectfully pointed as the ' best house' of Ardagh. Oliver rang at the gate, gave his beast in charge with authoritative rigor, and was shown as a supposed-ex-pected guest, into the comfortable parlor of the squire. Those were days when Irish inn-keepers and Irish squires more nearly THE GETTYSBURG MERCURY. 215 approximated than now, and Mr. Featherstone, unlike the- ex-cellent but explosive Hardcastle, is said to have seen the mistake and humored it. Oliver had a supper which gave him so much satisfaction that he ordered a bottle of wine to follow; and the attentive landlord was not only forced to drink with him, but with a like condescension the wife and pretty daughter were invited to the supper-room. Going to bed he stopped to give special in-structions for a hot cake to breakfast, and it was not till he had despatched this latter meal and was looking at his guinea with a pathetic aspect of farewell that the truth was told him by the good-natured squire. The late Sir Thomas Featherstone, grand-son of the supposed inn-keeper, had faith in the adventure, and told Mr. Graham that as his grandfather and Charles Goldsmith (Oliver's father) had been college acquaintances, it might be the better accounted for." Was this episode a real one in Goldsmith's life? If so, why did he wait so long before he used it ? The question is un-answerable. It is very probable, however, and may have oc-curred ; and if did occur it comes within the limits of pure comedy, although it is grossly exaggerated in She Stoops to Con-quer, and that exaggeration comes near, if not altogether within the domain of faice. A farce, according to the previously-quoted dictionary, was " originally a petty show exhibited in the street; now a recog-nized performance at the theatres. The difference between farce and comedy is that the latter keeps to nature and probability, and therefore is confined to certain laws allowed by critics ; whereas farce sets aside all laws upon occasion. Its end is to make merry, and it sticks at nothing that may further it.'' Hence the dialogue is usually low, the persons of inferior rank, the fable or action trivial or ridiculous, and nature and truth everywhere heightened and exaggerated to make more palpable ridicule." If this be a correct definition, then a number of the parts of She Stoops to Conquer are really farcical. Scene II of Act I is farcical to the de-gree of vulgarity ; too low for reception by polite ears. It was, we are told, incorporated into the new play by the author to get revenge on the public for condemning the scene of the bailiffs in the Good-natured Man. Other scenes of the play are farcical; but so far as unnaturalness and palpable ridicule are concerned, noth-ing in the entire play exceeds Scene II, Act V. 2l6 THE GETTYSBURG MERCURY. Taken altogether, She Stoops to Conquer is neither wholly a comedy nor wholly a farce; for if we draw a line between the provinces of comedy and farce we will see that this play could not be placed on either side of the line entirely,—in one place it must be classed as a farce and in another as a comedy. But it is unimportant so far as the merits of the play are concerned—they are so numerous and evident that everything else appears of small moment. The ambition of the author was to please the public and for financial profit, not binding himself in so doing by the rules laid down by critics. Rules of grammar and criticism are good enough for the talented writer but, the genius is above them. Goldsmith has been accused of stealing ideas from Farquhar, the great Irish dramatist, but whether he did or not is a secret which died with him. It is true that the junior Marlowe's charac-ter resembles that of Capt. Durette in Farquhar's, The Inconstant, but the resemblance is too weak to convict our author of stealing, for there were undoubtedly bashful men in real life when Gold-smith lived and wrote whom he could study and use as proto-types. Perhaps he himself is the original of the character, for we know that he was "free among creatures of another stamp," but we have no accurate knowledge of his conduct "among women of reputation and virtue" during hisyouuger days. Again it is said that Farquhar's "Beaux Stratagem" is the prototype of "She Stoops to Conquer." This may be true, but it seems strange that a man of superior literary attainments should copy from an inferior or use as a model the work of another man when the ground work of his own production was suggested by an episode in his life. Perhaps Goldsmith was present at a performance of Beaux Stratagem or he may have read it, and the impressions made upon his mind in either case might have influ-enced him while he was writing his second play; but if such an influence was present why was it felt only in the second play,— excluding utterly the first? The author is dead; his lips are sealed; so it is impossible to gain an answer from that source ; but the fact seems evident that Goldsmith invented his own plot, employed his own methods and constructed his own form. Whatever resemblance exists between the two plays is merely accidental. From a literary point of view, She Stoops to Conquer is a great improvement on The Good-Natured Man. The dialogue is THE GETTYSBURG MERCURY. 217 more easy and natural, the style is more refined, and the thought more lofty; but, then, defects are nevertheless apparent, able to be seen by the critic at a glance. —JOSEPH H. KEUER. "THE RISE OF THE DUSKY OLD MAN ELOQUENT." "The conditions of success are universal and unchangeable." —Douglas. MANY visitors to the Nation's Capital have fixed their gaze upon a tall, broad-shouldered man, whose strong, intelli-gent, and kindly face, framed in snowy beard and hair, seemed to possess an irresistible attraction. Inquiry brought the answer, " It is Frederick Douglas." This foremost of Africo-Americans was born a slave,—he supposed in 1817,—on the eastern shore of Maryland. He was separated from his mother in babyhood. When he was seven years old she made a last visit, walking twenty-four miles in a single night that she might see him. At the age of nine years he was sent to Baltimore where a kind mistress taught him to read; but her husband forbade her to give further instruction, declaring it would unfit him to be a slave,—the best reason for learning him to read. He learned all possible from his playmates; and picked up the art of writing at a ship-yard and from the copy-books of his young master. Soon there fell into his hands a copy of "The Columbian Orator," in which there were speeches of Fox and Pitt. These he read and studied repeatedly, each time with increased delight; and to them attributed the development of the oratorical ability which afterwards enabled him to command the applause of listen-ing throngs. When he was sixteen, he was sent back to the plantation and, for the first time, made a farm hand. Here he saw the lash and felt its stinging stroke. His first attempt to escape failed, but in 1838, in the disguise of a sailor, he boarded a train for New York, and in twenty-four hours was in a free state ; but he was not a free man,—only a fugitive,—nor did he ever feel safe until eight years later he "made a present of himself to himself, the expense being $750." I I s 218 THE GETTYSBURG MERCURY. When this negro bought himself he was famous, not only in America, but also in England, where he was kindly received. In 1839 this "graduate of a peculiar institution with his di-ploma written upon his back " made a speech before an Abolition meeting, which speech W. L,. Garrison declared to be worthy of Patrick Henry. From that day to the day of his death—a few years ago—Frederick Douglas was the recognized leader of his race. " He was not only the leader, organizer and adviser of his race, but he was an eminent man among men " and held positions of prominence under the government. He was one of the greatest orators and one of the greatest men of the century. His work is done; his deeds are recorded ! The world knows his worth as a statesman and reformer, and recognizes his power as an orator ; but a more important lesson may be learned by the student from his surmounting obstacles and overcoming difficulties. L,et him impress upon our minds the truth of the opening sentence and the following lines :— " It is a great thing to be an Englishman ; it is a great thing to be an Irishman ; it is a great thing to be a German ; but it is an incomparably greater thing to be a man." —'01. EDITORIALS. THERE are three men in college whose departure would be a blessing. One is the man whose marvelous abilities are never appreciated. Somehow or other, though his talents beyond doubt indicate highest genius, his narrow-minded fellow students cannot see them. Therefore he grumbles and talks con-stantly of " how things are run around here." The second man is he whose destructive tendencies show themselves whenever a body of students assemble at night. Certainly his nature is very low whose impulse on such occasions is to destroy college or any other property. The third man is he whose conversation ostra-cises him from nearly every student in college, for few of our stu-dents are not gentlemen. Without these three men, who we are glad to say are few and far between, Gettysburg would be better off. THE GETTYSBURG MERCURY. 219 A few weeks ago in an editorial of the Gettysburgian were re-marks complimentary to the MERCURY. Since the Gettysburgian always has been most loyal to Gettysburg in spite of dishearten-ing opposition and ridicule, we make no apologies for giving our sister paper the praise she has so long deserved from us. When the Gettysburgian was first published college sentiment strongly opposed it. It was thought that the paper was gotten out for the financial interests of its publishers, irrespective of the effects its publication might have upon the regular college journal. However, its founders believed that the Gettysburgian, as a weekly, not publishing " literary" articles, would in no way in-terfere with the success of the monthly, but in fact would stimu-late the latter and benefit college by giving it a weekly publica-tion ; as for the financial success of the paper complete reliance was placed upon its merits. That the founders in their expecta-tions were right, two years of hard-earned and triumphant suc-cess have proven. Although the Gettysbitrgian, whose existence compelled the MERCURY to assume a form exclusively literary, was for a long time regarded by the monthly as an unfriendly rival, to-day the two papers are published without thought of competi-tion other than the most pleasant. The Gettysburgian publishes the news of college, while the MERCURY publishes examples of the literary work done in college. Each has its own sphere, and we are glad to say is keeping in it. As for " personalia," prob-ably the most interesting news to alumni, the Gettysburgian ranks with the first college papers in Pennsylvania. Most college publications contain in each of their issues ar-ticles on exchanges. On account of rivalries and differences be-tween institutions, no college paper cares to say much about the defects in exchanges and so the exchange article, though invari-ably interesting, is too often pardonable flattery. The MERCURY seldom contains an article on exchanges because if her true criti-cism is given, she will be misunderstood and she does not wish to give any but her true criticism. We do not say that very favor-able criticism should not be given when deserved, but criticism favorable when not deserved is altogether wrong; and of this wrong, publications of colleges in the highest standing are fre-quently guilty. 220 THE GETTYSBURG MERCURY. THE HEROES OF MANILLA BAY. I. They come, they come— And the rolling; drum is drowned by the nation's cheer. Huzzah, they come ! Our sailors come! Back from the Orient wave, they come— The bravest of the brave, they come ! Rejoice, rejoice, Columbia— Raise high thy voice, Columbia: "Our brave come home !" Thunder the cry From zone to zone Nor let it die Until its echoes carried hig-h Reach the patriots gone before ! Oh, the story of their glory Is and evermore shall be A tribute to the great and free Land of God and Liberty. II. And home they came, Strong, true, the same brave hearts that knew not fear. In peace, they hear again the roar That they had heard in distant war On that great day The First of May, When Dewey steamed into Manilla Bay. To enter meant death— And the world held its breath As, "Steam ahead," The hero said, And they steamed straight ahead ! Then the guns shook the deep, And the breezes that sweep Round the world Bore to us the news of the fight— And we knew when they hurled Solid death at the foe, Since God loves the right, How the battle would go. Yes, our thundering guns shook the deep, And the heart of Spain sank with her fleet— A famous day, That First of May, When Dewey steamed into Manilla Bay ! THE GETTYSBURG MERCURY. 221 We praise them not for what they did So much as what they dared to do, For every man on every crew Faced what he thought was death. III. Over the plains, across the sea That knocks at the Golden Gate, We offer the hand of Liberty To a benighted state. We would give all men freedom, We would give life for right; We cannot withhold army or gold While man has not the light! * * * * Our God, who made us Do Thou aid us To do right! Remove our blindness And in kindness Give us light ! The great Republic, loving right, Implores Thy guidance through the night— In Thee we trust, For Thou art just, In Thee, our only King, we trust: Roll back the clouds, great God, and give us light! —"ZUR.' The wild November comes at last Beneath a veil of rain ; The night winds blow its folds aside, Her face is full of pain. The latest of her race, she takes The autumn's vacant throne: She has but one short moon to live, And she must live alone. —Stoddard. In rattling showers dark November's rain, From every stormy cloud, descends amain. —Ruskin. 222 THE GETTYSBURG MERCURY. HARMONY OF CHARACTER. CHARACTER exhibits man at his best. As a circle can be a perfect one, only when every part of its line is equidis-tant from a common centre, so man can be perfect only when his conduct is controlled by the action of some great central principle. As the beauty and the splendor of a painting depends upon the proper blending of its colors, so the beauty and the splendor of human character depends upon the proper combina-tion of every good and essential quality. As a diamond reaches its highest worth and shines at every point only when cut and polished with the greatest care and attention, so man reaches his highest development, and shines before the world and before his Maker, only when he has pruned himself of every excessive prop-erty and has polished and refined every good and essential quality to the standard of God himself. The effect of great success is produced by a harmonious combination of every good and essen-tial quality. As the lack of a single shade of color may hinder the productiveness of the artist's picture, so the lack of a single qualification may hinder the productiveness of all the rest: or as, the excess of one atom of oxygen in its composition changes water, that aqueous element without which there can be no life, into hy-drogen di-oxide, which, if taken into the system is poisonous, so the excess of one qualification may undo all that the proper action of the rest have accomplished. "Men carrying the stamp of one defect, their virtues, else be they as pure as grace, as infinite as man may undergo, shall, in the general censure take corruption from that particular fault.'' How was it with that most interest-ing young man of the Scriptures, who in all the eagerness of self-confidence stood complacently before his master and asked: "Good master what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" And with what elation of soul did the young deceiver listen to the words of the great heart-searcher. "If thou wilt enter into life keep the commandments." And with what audacity and feelings of ex-ultation did the young man reply: "All these have I kept from my youth up. What lack I yet?" By a single stroke: "Yet lackest thou one thing," all his hopes are crushed. However spotless he may have been, however energetic or industrious or intelligent, he yet lacked that one essential quality, the absence of which for aught we know, was fatal to the life of that young man. Who will deny that Lord Byron's life was a failure ? Lord THE GETTYSBURG MERCURY. 223 Byron's? a life which but for low and degrading passions would have gone down to posterity as a model of excellence and of beauty; a life which but for that wayward and irritable temper should thunder in the ears of every young man as a model. "Character is the spiritual body of a person and represents the individualization of vital experience, the conversion of uncon-scious things into self-conscious beings." By character we mean the possession of such qualities of heart and mind and soul as shall give a useful, valuable and beneficial direction to human effort, stimulate it to untiring diligence in its pursuits and fortify it against great discouragements. Its aim is high in every depart-ment of life, social, moral and intellectual. It seeks the greatest possible good to the greatest possible numbers. Its benevolence spends itself upon the wants of others and in its ample folds it embraces the wants and the necessities of man whenever and wherever found in all pursuits and conditions of human life. It travels over land and sea. Like an angel of mercy descending from above and winging its flight throughout the world, it goes wherever the footsteps of man have gone and dispenses blessings, wherever human misery may be relieved or human want assisted. Such is the proper standard of human character. We take it that success in life depends upon the degree of effort put forth and its continued application. "I went by the field of the slothful and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding and lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and thistles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall was broken down; then I saw and considered, I looked upon it and received instruction." In all the pursuits of life, emulation is the most powerful spring of the efforts and improvements of man. A virtuous, praiseworthy and commendable desire to excel, constitutes one of the safest prin-ciples by which a young man can be guided. The pages of history glow with instances of heroic daring and devotion that seem in-credible, and can only be accounted for by this principle. The plains of Marathon and Thermopolse furnish striking examples of the prowess and undaunted energy of man when this principle is fully developed. What was it that enabled Columbus to conquer the most unsurmountable obstacles and peril the dangers of an unknown sea ? What was it that made Regulus proof against the tears of his friends, thelove of his wife, the affection of his children, the fear of death ? —"FRITZ." 224 THE GETTYSBURG MERCURY. Fie upon thee, November ! thou dost ape The airs of thy young- sisters;—thou hast stolen The witching- smile of May to grace thy lip, And April's rare, capricious loveliness Thou'rt trying to put on ! —-Julia C. R. Dorr. Dreary is the time when the flowers of earth are withered.- Bryant. C P. SOLT MERCHANT TAILOR Masonic Bldg., GETTYSBURG Our collection of Woolens for the coming-Fall and Winter season cannot be surpassed for variety, attractive designs and general completeness. The latest styles of fashionable novelties in the most approved shades. Staples of exceptional merit, value and wearing-durability. Also altering, repairing, dyeing and scouring at moderate prices. .FOR UP-TO-DATE. Clothing, Hats, Shoes, And Men's Furnishing Goods, go to. I. HALLEM'S MAMMOTH CLOTHING HOUSE, Chambersburg St., GETTYSBURG, PA. ESTABLISHED 1867 BY ALLEN WALTON. ALLEN K. WALTON, President and Treasurer. ROBT. J. WALTON, Superintendent. flummelstomn Broom Stone Gompany Quarrymen and Manufacturers of Building Stone, Sawed Flagging and Tile Waltonville, Dauphin Co., Pa. Contractors for all kinds of Cut Stone Work. Parties visitinjr the Quarries will leave cars at Brownstone Station on the P. & R. R. R. Telegraph and Express Address. BROWNSTONE, PA. PATRONIZE OUR ADVERTISERS. The Century Double-Feed Fountain Pen. Fully Warranted 16 Kt. Gold Pen, Iridium Pointed. GEO. EVELER, Agent for Gettysburg College PRICE LIST. No. 1. No. 1. No. 3. No. 3. Chased, long- or short $2 00 Gold Mounted 3 00 Chased 3 00 Gold Mounted 4 00 Spiral, Black or Mottled $2 50 Twist, " " 2 SO Hexag-on, Black or Mottled 2 50 Pearl Holder, Gold Mounted 5 00 THE CENTURY PEN CO., WHITEWATER, WIS. Askyour Stationer or our Agent to shovJ them toyou. Agood local agent wanted in every school. ^mmmwmwmmmmmwMmmmmmmwmmgg Printing and Binding "We Print. This Book THE MT. HOLLY STATIONERY AND PRINTING CO. does all classes of Printing- and Binding-, and can furnish you any Book, Bill Head, Letter Head, Envelope, Card, Blank, or anything pertain-ing to their business in just as good style and at less cost than you can obtain same elsewhere. They are located among the mountains but their work is metropolitan. You can be convinced of this if you give them the opportunity. Mt. Holly Stationery and Printing Co. *SPRINGS, PA. ^iUiUlUilUUiUiUiUiUilUUJUiUiUiUiUlUiUiUiUMR H. S. BENNER, .DEALER IN. Groceries, Notions, Queensware, Glassware, Etc., Tobacco and Cigars. J7 CHAMBERSBURG ST. WE RECOMMEND THESE BUSINESS MEN. Pitzer House, (Temperance) JNO. E. PITZER, Prop. Rates $1.00 to $1.25 per day. Battlefield a specialty. Dinner and ride to all points of interest,including the three days' figrht, $1.25. No. 127 Main Street. MUMPER & BENDER Furniture Cabinet Making, Picture Frames Baltimore St., GETTYSBURG, PA. You will find a full Hue of Pure Drugs and Fine Sta- People's Drug Store Prescriptions a Specialty. .GO TO. f?otel Gettysburg Barber Sfyop. Centre Square. B. M. SEFTON J. A. TAWNEY 9. Is ready to furnish Clubs and Bread, Rolls, Etc. At short notice and reasonable rates. Washington & Middle Sts., Gettysburg. W.F.CODORI, sS^ti Dealer in Beef, Pork, Lamb, Veal, Sausage. Special rates to Clubs. York St., GETTYSBURG. Davib Croxd, Dealer in ^tne (groceries anb notions «_x_4Jork Street. .GO TO. CHAS. E. BARBEHENN, Barber In the Eagle Hotel, Cor. Main and Washington Sts. YOHN BROS. Agents for the Keystone State, Waldo, Washburn, Groupner & Meyer. Highest Grade Mandolins, Guitars, Banjos, Mandollas and Mandocellos. Headquarters for Phonographs, Graphophonesand supplies. Trimmings of every description. All sheet music one-half off. Large discounts on Books and studies. 326 Market St., Harrisburg, Pa. FAVOR THOSE WHO FAVOR US. Baseball ^applies, .SpalOfng's Xeague J6all, /TIMte, /Tlbasfts, Etc. Managers should send for samples and special rates. Every requisite for Hennis, ©olf, Crfcftet, Uracfe anO ffielo, ©Bmnaeium Equipments ano ©utfite Complete Catalogue Spring- and Summer Sports Free. The Name the Guar-antee.' 1 a. ©. SpalDing & 3Broe. New York .". Philadelphia V Chicago ROWE. YOUR GROCER Carries Full Line of Groceries, Canned Goods, Etc. Best Coal Oil and Brooms at most Reasonable Prices. OPPOSITE COLLEGE CAMPUS. S. J. CODORI, %* Druggist*** Dealer in Drugs, Medicines, Toilet Articles, J- Stationery, Blank Books, Amateur Pho-tographic Supplies, Etc., Etc. BALTIMORE ST. R. H. CULP PAPER HANGER, Second Square, York Street. COLLEGE EMBLEMS. EMIL ZOTHE, ENGRAVER. DESIGNER AND MANUFACTURING JEWELER. 19 S. NINTH ST. PHILADELPHIA. FA. SPECIALTIES: Masonic Marks. Society Badges, College Buttons, Pins, Scarf Pins, Stick Pins and Athletic Prizes. All Goods ordered through C. H. Tilp. Gotrell Leonard) 472-474 Broadway, Albany, N. Y. nakers of CAPS, GOWNS and. HOODS To the leading American Colleges. Illus-trated Manual, etc., upon application. Meneely Bell Co. TROY, N. Y. MANUFACTURERS OP SUPERIOR BELLS The 2000 pound bell now ringing in the tower of Pennsylvania Col-lege was manufactured at this foundry. PATRONIZE OUR ADVERTISERS. You can't expect to create the im-pression that you are well dressed unless your clothes are MADE FOR YOU. Equivocate as you may, the fact remains that ready-made garments lack that air of exclusiveness which custom work possesses. J. D. LIPPY, Merchant Tailor 39 Chambersburg- St., Gettysburg-, Pa. G. E. SPANGLER, Dealer in Pianos, Organs, Music, Musical Instruments, Strings, Etc. YORK STREET, 1ST SQUARE. GETTYSBURG. L. D. Miller, GROCER Confectioner and Fruiterer. Ice Cream and Oysters in Season. 19 Main St. GETTYSBURG City Hotel, Main St. Gettysburg. *J* Free 'Bus to and from all Trains Thirty seconds' walk from either depot Dinner with drive over field with four or more, $1.35 Rates $1.50 to $2.00 per day. John E. Hughes, Prop. fm. FAMILY ONE YEAR/ rA6AINST ILLNESS. PHYSICIANS"* PLUMBERS' BILLS.DUETO IMPURE AIR. ^FR0HCL066EDDj»INS. n receipt ot $|oo KLBANYN: A&V Yort. Sos/on. PAJMe/p/>/d. CMcdgo. Sdflf/snasco, /.one/on. Ps/7S.SerM Co/os/?e. CALL ON F. Mark Bream, The Carlisle Street Grocer Who always has on hand a full line of Fine Groceries. .Photographer. No. 3 Main St., GETTYSBURG, PENNA. Our new effects in Portraiture are equal to photos made anywhere, and at any price

Beginning Aug. 6, the Ukrainian military launched a surprise, cross-border offensive against Russia in the eastern Kursk region, seemingly flipping the script on the war's current trajectory. Kyiv claims its units have pushed more than 20 miles into Russian territory, taking over 74 settlements and towns encompassing some 400 square miles, as well as over 100 Russian prisoners of war.For its part, Moscow has acknowledged the incursion but as of Wednesday said its military has stabilized the border and is actively fighting to wrest control over those contested areas. Meanwhile, the fog of war has settled in and there is no official confirmation on the number of casualties or actual territorial gains by Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin has denounced the incursion as a "large-scale provocation." For its part the Ukraine Foreign Ministry is saying this isn't about holding territory but stopping long-range missile strikes by Russia into Ukraine from the Kursk region by creating a "buffer zone" there. So many questions remain about the Ukrainian strategy, the Russian response and what long term impact this may have — or not — on the overall war, including the potential for future negotiations, the effect on morale on both sides, and whether this emboldens Ukraine's supporters, including the U.S., to help re-energize what was looking like a foundering war effort on the Ukrainian side.So we put the following question to a well-rounded group of foreign policy experts: "What is the likely impact of current Ukrainian military incursions into the Russian Kursk region on the broader Ukraine War?"Jasen J. Castillo, Monica Duffy Toft, Ivan Eland, Mark Episkopos, Lyle Goldstein, John Mearsheimer, Sumantra Maitra, Rajan Menon, Peter Rutland, Stephen WaltJasen J. Castillo, Co-Director, Albritton Center for Grand Strategy, George H.W. Bush School of Government, Texas A&M UniversityOnce again, Ukraine's armed forces have demonstrated their tremendous will to fight, something Russia discounted when they invaded in 2022. Nevertheless, the military objective of this offensive remains unclear. In the short term, this is a public relations boost for Ukraine and a morale blow to Russia. The Kursk gamble might also reduce pressure on Ukraine's defenses as Russia moves forces to stop the incursion. My worry is that in the longer term, Ukraine, which is facing dangerous shortfalls in manpower and equipment, will deplete elite units that would have been needed elsewhere. In a war of attrition, manpower and equipment are essential. Ukraine's attack reminds me of Germany's audacious Western offensive in 1944 that surprised the Allies, made gains, and ended with a defeat at the Battle of the Bulge, which then wasted manpower and equipment it needed months later on the Eastern Front.Monica Duffy Toft, Professor of International Politics and Director of the Center for Strategic Studies at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.The likely impact of Ukraine's military incursion into Russia is going to affect two axes of interest; one material, and one psychological.On the material axis, Ukraine may be able to temporarily degrade Russia's ability to launch missile attacks against Ukrainian targets, the most sensitive of which involve the deliberate and systematic harm of Ukraine's noncombatants. But in material terms, not much can be expected in terms of lasting impact. Ukraine will be forced to retreat from Russia, and its surviving troops and equipment will be redistributed, after rest and refit, to other critical areas of Ukraine's front with Russia.It is on the psychological axis we can expect the most impact. Already, Russian President Vladimir Putin's legitimacy as a "great leader" was damaged in the opening weeks of the war. This latest incursion is worse, because no Russian leader can afford to preside over the loss of Russian territory, even temporarily, and survive with reputation intact.That said, Putin has unprecedented control over what Russians learn about the war. The psychological impact will be most felt by Ukraine and its allies. It will alleviate attention fatigue in the global sphere. It also reminds Western donors that Ukraine can fight and win, so the ongoing sacrifice of sending weapons and ammunition will not be wasted.Ivan Eland, Director of the Independent Institute's Center on Peace & Liberty.Although Ukraine has insisted that its intent is not to hold captured land in Russia, one might then ask what purpose the incursion serves. It may have been designed to shock Russian leader Vladimir Putin about Russia's vulnerability, but prior raids or attacks on Russia and Crimea have already so demonstrated.Conducting offensive operations is usually much more costly in personnel and equipment than being on defense, so is it worth it for Ukraine to divert forces from already thin defense lines to go on a risky offensive with only nebulous benefits? Russia's offensive is already making headway, and because Russia outnumbers and outguns Ukraine, it may not need to denude its attack forces in Ukraine to defend Russian territory. Ukraine indeed may desire to occupy Russian territory to eventually trade Ukrainian-occupied Russian territory for Russian-occupied Ukrainian land in any truce negotiations, but Ukraine risks being surrounded by superior forces.Mark Episkopos, Eurasia Research Fellow at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft and Adjunct Professor of History at Marymount UniversityThe Kursk incursion seems to have been premised on the assumption that Ukraine can exploit Russia's thinly manned border defenses to seize large swathes of land — including the Kursk nuclear power plant — in the first 48-72 hours, presenting Moscow with a fait accompli that can be used as a bargaining chip to quickly force a ceasefire and potentially even set the stage for peace talks on Ukraine's terms. But Russia appears to have thwarted the AFU's attempts to significantly expand its initial beachhead, and Ukraine lacks the long-term capacity to hold even the modest territory that it is currently contesting.Efforts to keep open the Kursk pocket are unlikely to yield any strategic benefits for Ukraine and will demand a massive sustained investment of troops and equipment that may weaken Ukrainian defenses, inadvertently creating opportunities for Russian forces along the lines of contact in Ukraine's Donbas region.Lyle Goldstein, Director of Asia Development, Defense Priorities, and visiting Professor at the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown UniversityKyiv's brazen offensive into Russia's Kursk region illustrates that Ukraine still has significant combat capability, as well as some measure of fighting pluck. No doubt the operation has served its primary end to embarrass the Kremlin and so dramatically alter the conventional narrative on the war. Still, legitimate questions can be asked regarding the wisdom of the new offensive. Casualties for the attacking side are inevitably high, especially in circumstances when Russia retains a substantial firepower advantage. This may, in turn, create grave weaknesses on other part of the battle line that Russian forces could exploit. Most informed American strategists had been counseling Ukraine in 2024 to stay on the defensive to preserve its forces and thus adopt a "long war" strategy. Nor is it clear that such a symbolic gambit will make a peace easier to negotiate. Finally, this is yet another step in the inadvisable direction of general escalation.John Mearsheimer, R. Wendell Harrison Distinguished Service Professor at the University of Chicago, and non-resident fellow at the Quincy InstituteUkraine's invasion (of Kursk) was a major strategic blunder, which will accelerate its defeat. The key determinant of success in a war of attrition is the casualty-exchange ratio, not capturing territory, which Western commentators obsess over. The casualty-exchange ratio in the Kursk offensive decisively favors Russia for two reasons. First, it has caused relatively few Russian casualties because Ukraine's army effectively overran undefended territory. Second, once alerted to the attack, Moscow quickly brought massive airpower to bear against the advancing Ukrainian troops, who were in the open and easy to strike. Unsurprisingly, the attacking forces lost many soldiers and a huge proportion of their equipment. To make matters worse, Kyiv removed top-notch combat units from the front lines in eastern Ukraine — where they are desperately needed — and made them part of the Kursk strike force. This move is tilting the already lopsided casualty-exchange ratio on that critically important front further in Russia's favor. It is no wonder — given what a foolish idea the Kursk incursion is — that the Russians were caught by surprise.Sumantra Maitra, Director of research and outreach, the American Ideas Institute, author of "Sources of Russian Aggression"If Ukraine taking the war to Russia was to bring Russia to negotiate from a position of weakness, it will fail, simply because Ukrainians don't have the manpower to sustain this push and subsequent occupation. It is a good PR victory for Ukrainian backers in the West, and it shows how catastrophically backward, incompetent, and Soviet, Russian strategic thinking still is, but the Russian advantage in numbers will remain.What it also might do is harden the Russian position, embolden the hardliners in the Russian government, and dissuade Putin from pushing for any negotiations for peace, especially after a new administration is elected in the U.S. Which, maybe, was the actual aim of the Ukrainian government, or whoever is advising them. In scuttling that particular process, Ukraine has been successful.Rajan Menon, non-resident senior fellow at Defense Priorities and the Anne and Bernard Spitzer Chair Emeritus in International Relations at the Powell School, City College of New York/City University of New York.Ukraine's Kursk gambit has been widely praised — appropriately. But its enduring success remains uncertain. Whether Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi seeks to retain Russian territory to trade in future negotiations; to divert Russian forces from the Donetsk battlefields, where they have been advancing; or to make Russians feel some of the pain Ukrainians have since 2022, his ability to achieve one or more of these goals remains uncertain.Once Russia mounts a persistent counterattack, will Ukraine muster the logistical capabilities, troop numbers, firepower, and air defenses required to sustain its soldiers in Kursk? Will Russia be forced to redeploy forces from Donetsk (so far it has used reserves and troops from the Kharkiv and Kupiansk fronts)? Or will Russia foil Ukraine's Kursk offensive, transforming the current euphoria into a blame-game in which Ukraine's leaders are attacked for dispatching to Kursk troops that were badly needed elsewhere? It's too early to tell.Peter Rutland, professor of government and the Colin and Nancy Campbell Chair for Global Issues and Democratic Thought at Wesleyan UniversityThe Ukrainian incursion is the most significant challenge to face Putin since the Wagner mutiny of June 2023. It highlights one of the central claims of Evgeny Prigozhin — the corruption and incompetence of the Russian army's commanders, who did not foresee the attack, and who have been slow to expel the Ukrainian invaders. It refutes some of the central themes in Kremlin propaganda — that Russia is winning the war, that Putin is protecting Russians from a hostile world. It has also called the bluff on Putin's threats to use nuclear weapons in the event of escalation of the fighting onto Russian territory. Irrespective of the military costs and benefits of the raid, there is no doubt that it has been a political coup for Kyiv.Stephen Walt, Robert and Renee Belfer Professor of International Affairs, Yale UniversityThe Ukrainian incursion into Russia is a sideshow intended to bolster Ukrainian morale and give the West confidence to keep backing Kyiv, but it will not affect the outcome of the war. Ukrainian forces have reportedly seized about 1000 square kilometers of poorly defended Russian territory. Russia's total land mass is more than 17 million square kilometers, which means that Ukraine now "controls" 0.00588% of Russia. By comparison, Russian forces currently occupy roughly 20 percent of Ukraine and the failed Ukrainian offensive last summer shows how difficult it will be for Ukraine to retake these areas. The incursion may be a minor embarrassment for Putin (as well as additional evidence that Russia is far too weak to invade the rest of Europe), but Ukraine's fate will be determined by what happens in Ukraine, and not by this operation.

According to the United Nations Population Fund, in October 2011 the world population reached 7 billion people, 3456.8 millions of whom are women.In the U.S.A, the total population is 313.1 million in 2011. Of those, 158.5 million are women, which means a little bit more than a half. In this country the people eligible to vote in 2008 reached more than 218 million, 55% of whom are women.The numbers are similar in Switzerland. With a total population of 7.7 million people, the country has 3.9 million of women – again, just a little bit more than the half –, and 54% of the Swiss eligible to vote are women (2010).However, the current representation of women in politics around the world does not reflect the population data. At parliamentary level worldwide, the percentage of women who occupies seats as deputies or senators is 19.2% and 17.8% respectively. These means that even though the historical representation of women in politics has been rising, the number of males representatives still is overwhelmingly higher.For reference only, the minimum percentage that is consider necessary for a fair and considerable representation of ideas that can influence the decision making is about 30%.In January 1918 the 19th Amendment of the USA Constitution was included in the political agenda for the discussion of the House of Representatives and the Senate. The president of USA, Woodrow Wilson, recognizing the woman's support to their country during the war, urged the politicians to vote in favor of the amendment. The Representatives passed the amendment on May 1919, and the Senate did the same on June. Thereafter, the approval was in hands of each state. More than twenty states ratified it within six months. Thirty six were needed to include the amendment into the Constitution, and Tennessee turned out to be the one which had the final decision. After a very close vote, just one of the legislators changed his opinion and the woman's right to vote was approved. Literally, the 19th amendment says: "The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation." With those two simple lines, the activist women of the USA, who had been fighting for their right to vote for more than seven decades, finally achieved their goal and the history of American women in politics change forever.On the other hand, Switzerland is the last European country that allowed its women to vote at national level. Many say that it was due to the decisions take longer to be taken in a direct democracy. But there, it took too long.The Swiss society can be consider as patriarchal, conservative, traditional and with marked streaks sexist, which is exemplifiedin the traditional perception of the woman's role as restricted to 'kinder, kirche und kuche' ('children, church and kitchen'), still valid specially in German-speaking regions.However, the active feminist movements exist since long time ago, and they fight not only for the woman's right to vote, but also for legal equality and the empowerment of women in all aspects.By 1962, with the intention to sign the European Convention of Human Rights, the government of Switzerland asked for an exception about the legal equality of genders – specifically for the women's right to vote -. Against this, the associations pro the female suffrage protested, and the commotion forced the authorities to review that posture. So, a referendum was decided by the government in 1968, and the public consultation took place in February 1971. Finally, the results were different. More than six hundred thousand (about 66%) Swiss men said YES to the women's right to vote, so since then all Swiss women are allowed to vote at national level.Furthermore, on October 31 of the same year, there was a parliamentary election in Switzerland, and eleven women were elected to be part of it.The United States of American and Switzerland differs in many aspects, such as size, population, traditions and history. However, both have also some things in common. They both took too long to allow their women to vote, granting with that a better political equality.Their political regime is pretty similar, both are democratic countries. In the process of getting the female suffrage the USA parliament, as well as the Swiss, played a key role since the decision of including the issue into the constitutional order should, in the first instance, be approved by the legislature. But after the parliament passed it, the next step was different within the two countries. USA led the final decision to the local governments, while in Switzerland was the people who had to finish the process. This means that in the European country the men citizens had the final word instead of the parliamentarians, who should represent the interest of all citizens, men and women. There is then, a social matter. Switzerland is a multicultural country with a big percentage of foreigners among its residents, four official languages, and a rich history of immigration. Nevertheless, the Swiss society is mostly conservative and traditional, in particular its regions of German´s descendants and residents, not so the French or Italians. The facts speak by themselves: in the referendum of 1959, only three cantons voted for allow the Swiss women to vote, all three were 'French'; while in the 'German' canton call Appenzell Innerrhoden, the amount of No votes was about 95%. Another point that can be considered as a difference within the two countries concerning the female struggle, are their leaders. Both, the American and the Swiss movement, had notorious female leaders. They were all active politicians and were deeply committed to the cause, which contributes to the organization of the movements and also to the well development of the activities.However, the American female leaders, although they were largely convinced of the injustice of gender inequality, none of them had high-level education. The abolitionist Elizabeth Cady Stanton was a writer, but she never took college studies. Lucretia Mott was a school teacher; and Susan B. Anthony just dedicated her entire life to the fight for women's rights. Except for Stanton (she was a lawyer's daughter), they didn't came from high educated families. Meanwhile, the most famous leader of the Swiss movement for women's right to vote, Josi Meier had a different background. Her real name was Josephine Johanna Meier, but was also known as the 'Grand Old Lady'. She died in 2006 at the age of eighty. Meier, who also came from a poor family, graduated as a lawyer in 1952, but had been defending women's right for a long time. When the right to vote for women was finally awarded in 1971, she became one of the members of the Lucerne cantonal parliament, and some month later she was among the eleven women elected as parliamentary representatives. Moreover, Meier took place in the Senate some years later and in 1991 became the first woman ever to be the Senate's speaker.It is worth comparing also the opposition that the movements had to face in both countries. The resistance to the women's right to vote, in USA as in Switzerland, had the objective of stop the progressive movements, defended the traditional order of the society and, as Nicole Herz (1992) describes, "'Antis' had to re-define the scope of woman's sphere and put government back into the male's sphere". Furthermore, the opposition in USA and in Switzerland used to use the same arguments to fight against the change. The religious beliefs were common among the opposition movements. The 'God word' and the biblical commandments that assure women were made to be men's support, good wives and exemplary mothers, dedicated to their homes and children, were some of the weapons of the anti-suffragist. Coming from conservative education, they believed that 'women belong to the kitchen' and there they must remain. Political issues were thought to be rude and complicated so only men should handle it, women would lose their femininity if they involved in politics. Other of the arguments was that the basis of the family, and therefore of society, was the women's homemakers, so if women get their right to vote, then they would had less time to do it and the families would lose their foundations, so the society would derail.Finally, there is one last fact that both, USA and Switzerland, had in common. It was the influence of an external factor into their government decision of do something about the right to vote for women. In the USA it was the World War I. In Switzerland, the Cold War.During the First World War (1914 – 1918) the American women began to be part of the work force of the country while the men went to fight in the battlefield. Doing this, women helped to sustain the USA economy developing their labor in traditional male occupations. After that, they used it as a weapon and strong argument for their struggle for suffrage right. If they were strong enough to work as men, their opinion should also be important enough in politics as men's. The men and the government must recognized it, and they had not any strong argument against the women's claim anymore. On the other hand, the Swiss government was afraid about the national security during the Cold War. Given the geopolitical situation and the small size of Switzerland, the Communist could saw it as a strategic war point. For that reason, the government thought in expand and strengthen its military force, including women into it. Again, the Swiss women, as the Americans, argued that the demand of their labor force should be compensated by granting the right that they had been fighting for. Moreover, in Switzerland there was also another factor that there was not in USA. The integration with the European region, materialized in the signing of the European Convention of Human Rights, needed the government to catch up its settings, so the legal equality should be guaranteed. The willing of being part of the region in such a difficult time as the Cold War, pushed the Swiss government to move forward in the woman's right to vote issue.The United States of America, as well as Switzerland, witnessed the long struggle for the female right to vote but, what are the current results of it? How much equality have today those countries in political terms? Have their women real participation in politics nowadays?According to the Interparliamentary Union ranking, in 2010 Switzerland was positioned as the 26th country with more women in parliamentary, while USA was in the 70th position with only 89 women among 532 legislators. Although some researchers suggest that the American women are more likely to participate in elections by making use of their right to vote than men; the USA politics still have a lot to improve in order to eliminate the gender gap in political area. On its part, Switzerland has less inequality in politics, but still is not absolutely equal. The Swiss Executive Branch is comprised of seven members, all with equal decision power, and one of them is named, by rotation, Federal President. The first woman elected as President was Ruth Dreifuss, who took place of the position in 1999.In 2010 for the first time, three women were occupying high political positions in the Swiss government simultaneously. Moreover, in September 22 of the same year, after one more woman was elected as minister, the Executive was composed by four women and three men, marking the first time ever that the Swiss government has a female majority. To sum up, unlike USA, which has never had a woman as President; Switzerland seems to be more progressive when it comes to high positions in politics nowadays. *Estudiante de la Licenciatura en Estudios Internacionales.FACS - Universidad ORT Uruguay

2006/2007 ; I sistemi di difesa nazionale delle Potenze militarmente più evolute, grazie alla dotazione tecnologica che li connota, sono caratterizzati da una stretta relazione tra potere militare terrestre e capacità di controllo dei sistemi in orbita. Settori come quelli delle telecomunicazioni, dell'osservazione terrestre, della navigazione, della sorveglianza e dell'"early warning" rivelano quanto sia marcata la valenza strategica della componente spaziale per gli assetti militari odierni. Alla luce dei queste considerazioni, ma anche ipotizzando un futuro possibile sfruttamento a fini economici del cosmo, nonché constatando la rilevanza di attività commerciali con base nello spazio per lo svolgimento di attività cruciali per la vita quotidiana, come le comunicazioni o la sicurezza ambientale, è evidente l'interesse riservato dagli Stati alle problematiche inerenti la sicurezza nello spazio ed i rapporti di forza che interessano il controllo dello stesso. La materia è di estrema sensibilità, soprattutto alla luce del fatto che l'utilizzo del cosmo a fini militari e civili è, ad oggi, caratterizzato dall'assenza di un accordo generale sul piano giuridico: mancano quindi gli strumenti normativi per dirimere eventuali controversie tra i Paesi coinvolti nelle attività spaziali. La disciplina vigente a livello internazionale non permette, ad oggi, di definire un quadro preciso dei diritti e dei doveri in capo ai soggetti statuali ed alle entità che operano nello spazio e manca un impianto sanzionatorio condiviso. Non si è nemmeno pervenuti ad una definizione puntuale di cosa si intenda per "attività spaziale". Del resto, proprio gli Stati maggiormente coinvolti nella corsa allo spazio, con particolare riferimento agli Stati Uniti, non hanno mai incoraggiato l'introduzione di una disciplina più restrittiva in questo settore. La corsa per il predominio dello spazio è stata giustificata da una certa letteratura facendo ricorso ad un'analogia con il regime giuridico che disciplina le acque extraterritoriali, che non ricadono sotto la sovranità di alcuno Stato e possono essere utilizzate a fini militari. L'indicazione data da questi autori, peraltro ampiamente recepita in seno all'Amministrazione statunitense, detta orientamenti strategici che perseguono una logica di difesa preventiva, anche mediante l'impiego di assetti da "guerra totale". L'analogia tra la navigazione nelle acque extraterritoriali e l'uso militare dello Spazio si presenta nondimeno controversa e suscita contestazioni, soprattutto in ordine al fatto che scelte di politica spaziale mirate a stabilire il predominio di una Nazione sulle altre possano esporre i Paesi in posizione dominante al rischio di ritorsioni da parte di altre entità, statuali e non, ostili o potenzialmente tali, in grado di sviluppare ed utilizzare armi antisatellite con l'intento di spezzare il loro monopolio. Sorgono inoltre interrogativi circa la compatibilità dell'uso militare dello spazio con il diritto spaziale vigente, secondo cui lo spazio extra-terrestre rappresenta invece un patrimonio di pubblico dominio, utilizzabile per «scopi pacifici», a fini di bene comune. Aspetto cruciale di questa dinamica è la contrapposizione tra Paesi fautori di un'ottica unipolarista, quali gli Stati Uniti, per cui lo spazio costituisce il fondamento della "full spectrum dominance" (basata su deterrenza, controllo e capacità di proiezione unilaterale nel battlefield a tutti i livelli) e Paesi votati invece ad una forte egemonia regionale, come Cina e Russia, che puntano al multipolarismo. Episodi come quello che nel gennaio 2007 ha visto protagonista proprio la Cina, che ha dimostrato di poter lanciare e guidare un veicolo anti-satellitare (ASAT) contro un proprio satellite meteorologico situato alla stessa altezza dei satelliti spia americani, abbattendolo, evidenziano come la lotta per l'egemonia possa trovare nella dimensione spaziale un fattore di vulnerabilità incredibilmente sensibile in assenza di forme di controllo condivise. I fattori di minaccia di questo tipo potrebbero moltiplicarsi se la proliferazione di tecnologia antisatellite interessasse anche la cerchia degli Stati "canaglia" o addirittura gruppi eversivi, magari finanziati e supportati sul piano tecnico proprio da Stati ostili all'Occidente. Un altro fronte di rischio potrebbe essere rappresentato dall'enorme quantità di detriti spaziali, letali per i delicati sistemi orbitanti, che si verrebbero a creare in conseguenza di eventuali attacchi finalizzati alla distruzione di dispositivi nemici. Sebbene lo spazio sia, come evidenziato in premessa, già militarizzato nella misura in cui viene utilizzato a scopi di supporto dell'apparato bellico, nessun Paese vi ha al momento ancora introdotto armamenti. Varcare questa soglia significherebbe, infatti, provocare un probabile scontro per il predominio dello spazio, situazione che il sistema giuridico attuale non sarebbe pronto a gestire. Per la Comunità Internazionale, inoltre, lo sviluppo di antagonismi di questo tipo rappresenterebbe un forte fattore di destabilizzazione, ragion per cui da più parti viene auspicata l'introduzione di una regolamentazione più ampia che limiti la corsa agli armamenti nel cosmo. Alla luce di queste considerazioni, il presente lavoro intende delineare un quadro delle prospettive inerenti l'utilizzo dello spazio a fini strategici e di difesa da parte degli Stati dotati di tecnologia sufficiente per poter intraprendere il lancio e la gestione operativa di apparati a livello extra-atmosferico. In apertura di trattazione si è provveduto a tracciare, attingendo a nozioni della geopolitica classica, una sinossi di alcuni contributi risultati significativi nell'orientare le strategie spaziali degli ultimi anni, fino ad arrivare al concetto di "astropolitica", intraprendendone una lettura critica alla luce delle recenti posizioni assunte in tema di strategia spaziale da parte dei diversi attori coinvolti. Contestualmente è stata affrontata la disanima degli aspetti giuridici salienti del regime internazionale in vigore nel settore di interesse. Nel secondo capitolo, sono stati introdotti alcuni cenni relativi ad aspetti funzionali, quali ad esempio alcune nozioni di meccanica orbitale, utili a capire le problematiche connesse al lancio ed all'operatività dei sistemi spaziali ed a valutarne l'incidenza sulle politiche dei diversi attori. Per lo stesso motivo, si è ritenuto opportuno inserire una semplice descrizione delle principali caratteristiche tecnico-funzionali degli assetti impiegati per le attività spaziali militari e civili e dei relativi sistemi di supporto terrestre. Nel terzo capitolo, è stato stilato un quadro dei possibili sviluppi nel settore aerospaziale, considerandone in prospettiva le evoluzioni sia con riguardo al gruppo dei Paesi già affermati in questo campo, sia ai Paesi emergenti. Questa parte dell'elaborato è stata redatta tramite un'intensa attività di indagine tesa a raccogliere ed archiviare informazioni tratte da riviste specializzate di settore e da manualistica istituzionale qualificata, al fine di definire un punto di situazione quanto più possibile aggiornato sulle scelte operative e sulle strategie recentemente intraprese dagli operatori del comparto. Gli argomenti che presentano i riscontri più significativi riguardano: - le recenti evoluzioni degli assetti aerospaziali statunitensi, caratterizzati, negli ultimi anni, da un progressivo shift di competenze dalla NASA al Pentagono, per quanto attiene le attività in orbite terrestri, e dal delicato passaggio del dopo-Shuttle, che potrebbe esporre l'Amministrazione statunitense a forme di cooperazione prolungata con Paesi concorrenti nel settore dei lanci, come la Russia; - la crescente autonomia spaziale rivendicata dall'Europa allo scopo di acquisire maggiore indipendenza strategica dagli Stati Uniti. Caso emblematico in questo contesto è lo sviluppo, da parte europea, del sistema di navigazione satellitare Galileo, dotato di funzionalità sostitutive del GPS Navstar statunitense. Il progetto, finanziato da Agenzia Spaziale Europea ed Unione Europea, fortemente voluto soprattutto da parte francese, inizialmente è partito in sordina, come sistema a vocazione civile, per poi assumere una connotazione militare solo una volta superato l'impatto dell'opposizione statunitense, che non ha mancato di sollevare questioni sui rischi e sulla presunta inopportunità della sovrapposizione dei due sistemi. Il programma Galileo non rappresenta solo il mezzo mediante il quale l'Europa cerca di emanciparsi dalla dipendenza strategica degli USA, ma costituiste, nel contempo, un'opportunità per stabilire rapporti di cooperazione internazionale con Paesi avanzati sotto il profilo tecnico-militare spaziale, come la Cina, che partecipa al progetto, ma che a sua volta mira in prospettiva a dotarsi di un proprio sistema di navigazione satellitare, come del resto la Russia. E' evidente come la collaborazione con detti Paesi da parte europea rappresenti un fattore di criticità per gli Stati Uniti, che, comunque, a loro volta intrattengono, pragmaticamente, programmi comuni con i russi nell'ambito di specifici progetti, soprattutto in relazione al mantenimento della Stazione Spaziale Internazionale. Si consideri che il vettore-capsula russo Sojuz è al momento l'unico veicolo per voli umani disponibile oltre al cinese Shenzhou, mentre gli USA stanno sviluppando le future capsule Orion, sostitutive dello Shuttle, i cui primi voli con equipaggio sono però in programma solo a partire dal 2015; - lo stato dei programmi spaziali italiani e la componente spaziale degli assetti di difesa nazionale. L'Italia, dal canto suo, potrebbe beneficiare degli sviluppi che emergono in ambito europeo, soprattutto grazie a sinergie possibili tra la propria industria nazionale e partner europei in settori strategici, come quello del telerilevamento e dell'osservazione terrestre. Positivi passi in questo senso sono già stati fatti grazie al consorzio del sistema nazionale Cosmo-Skymed con la costellazione satellitare francese Plèiades. Importanti prospettive in questo settore si potrebbero aprire anche grazie al progetto "GMES - Global Monitoring for Environment and Security", un'iniziativa sviluppata in ambito spaziale europeo che mira a incrementare le capacità dell'informazione geospaziale a supporto della politica ambientale e della sicurezza. Il comparto spaziale italiano potrebbe inoltre beneficiare dei progressi nello sviluppo di lanciatori di piccole dimensioni, in particolare con riferimento al sistema "Vega", che potrebbe inserirsi con successo nella fascia dei lanci satellitari commerciali da 1.500 Kg in orbita bassa; - i programmi spaziali presenti e futuri di Cina e Russia: 1) la prima risulta proiettata verso un programma spaziale ambizioso, che prevede anche la realizzazione di una stazione spaziale per il 2015 ed un fitto programma di attività nei settori a valenza strategica, quali quelli dell'osservazione terrestre, delle telecomunicazioni, della navigazione satellitare, della meteorologia, dei veicoli spaziali riutilizzabili, nonché dell'esplorazione lunare, presumibilmente prodromica ad un possibile sfruttamento economico delle ricche risorse presenti sul satellite terrestre; 2) la seconda, erede dell'infrastruttura spaziale, di gran parte della tecnologia e delle risorse umane che avevano determinato i successi dell'Unione Sovietica, è impegnata nel rivendicare un ruolo di primo piano in settori cruciali per l'attività spaziale come quello dei lanciatori e dei vettori per le missioni con equipaggio. A questo proposito, va ricordato che i vettori russi Proton ed in particolare la già citata Sojuz, mantengono una solida posizione nel mercato dei lanci spaziali, anche in ragione della loro affidabilità e dei loro costi relativamente contenuti rispetto ad altri sistemi, aspetti che rendono attraente la cooperazione con i russi anche per gli Stati Uniti e l'Europa; - recenti sviluppi nell'industria spaziale di Paesi emergenti come India, Brasile, Giappone, ma anche Iran, Corea del Sud, Corea del Nord e Pakistan. Da ultimo, alla luce di queste finali considerazioni, non si è trascurato di trattare l'importante ruolo assunto in tale contesto dalle diverse industrie aerospaziali nazionali, delineando un quadro dei principali accordi di cooperazione internazionale ed evidenziando sinergie operative e possibili aree di competizione. Particolare attenzione è stata dedicata anche ai possibili sviluppi per le rispettive strategie spaziali a fronte delle opportunità che si aprirebbero nel caso diventassero attuabili forme di sfruttamento economico delle risorse presenti nello spazio. Nel contesto che emerge dall'analisi tracciata, appare evidente come l'implementazione dei programmi spaziali nazionali non possa prescindere dallo sviluppo di forme di cooperazione internazionale, se non risultando penalizzata dall'isolamento. Accade così che nel settore spaziale, per necessità, anche gli interessi di potenze tradizionalmente contrapposte si coalizzino attorno a specifici programmi. La complessa dinamica che ne deriva interessa i rapporti tra Europa e USA, tra USA e Russia, tra Cina e Russia, tra Europa e Cina ed altri ancora: tutti questi Paesi sono impegnati a unire le rispettive forze evitando però di inimicarsi le altre potenze, in una delicata partita diplomatica ed economica, che costituisce forse il lato più interessante e curioso da osservare sul fronte delle scelte strategiche che animano i rispettivi programmi spaziali. ; XX Ciclo

5w t^-ui^ & JUNE!, 1897. ISIIIiD BY THE STUDENTS OF I ENNSYEVANIA (GETTYSBURG) COEEEGE. TlNEL, G£!TYSgURS, tk. /^ ADVKRTISKMKNTS. fill JL fllitltifi liiis, Importers and Jobbers of «IDRUGS,»» Nos. 16 and 18 W. German Street, BALTIMORE, Offer to the trade their large and well-selected stock of I Make a specialty to have on hand everything required vby Pharmacists. A complete stock can at any time be selected or wants supplied. ALQNZQ L. THOMSEN,^ RACE, WIUDEII, SHAM? AND LEADENHALL STS., P. O. Box 557, Baltimore, Md. I beg to call to th3 attention ot the Trade that I have re-cently added to my Plant a complete set o£ Drug Milling Ma-chinery o£ the most Improved pattern. 8. B, KITZITJLLBR, HATS, CAPS, ^ ^ BOOTS*SHOES. G^Satisfactlon Guaranteed.=£S5"J No. 6 S. Baltimore Street, GETTYSBURG. PA. Accumulated Wealth, Laying up of riches isn't the only thing in life, fof fre-quently a sour disposition is the result. You want to take comfort in life as you go along, one of the best ways to take comfort is to buy well-fit-ting clothing. My Spring Styles are now here and the selection is large and varied. Suit's made to your order from jj>12 up. Pressing and Repairing done at short notice. J. D. LlPPV, JW^M 43 Chambersburg St., GETTYSBURG, PA. 08 SCSfi&T, —DEALER IN-Hats, ■ Shirk, Shoes, Ties, Umbrellas, Gloves, Satchels, Hose, (Pocket (Books, Trunks, Telescopes, (Rubbers, Etc., Etc. AMOS ECKERT. By Day, \»Veel, Mashs, oto. Managers should send for samples and special rates. Every requisite for TENNIS, GOLF, CRICKET, TRACK AND FIEID GYMNASIUM EQUIPMENTS AND OUTFITS COMPLETE CATALOGUE SPRING AND SUMMER SPORTS FREE. "The Name the Guarantee." [A. Q. Spalding & Bros., NEW YORK. PHILADELPHIA, CHICAGO. 1108 CHESTNUT STREET, PHILADELPHIA Xl/right's Qngrav/ng ^J^fouse Pj^AS become the recognized leader in unique styles of *£ COLLEGE and FRATERNITY EN- \GRAVINGS and STATIONERY, College and ■Class-Day Invitations, engraved and printed from steel plates; Programmes, Menus, Wedding and Reception ■Invitations, Announcements, etc., etc. Examine prices i and styles before ordering elsewhere. pO Visiting Cards frcm New Engraved Plate for $1.00. ERNEST A. WRIGHT, tf Chestnut >S'tream. ] SEASON. NEWS DEPOT & SUBSCRIPTION AGENGY. IVIalri street, - - Gettysburg, F^a. SOLE MANUFACTURER OF DR. TYLER-S COUGH DROPS. SIMON J, C0D0RI, .DKALKR IN. BEKF, PORK, LAMB, VEAL, SAUSAGE, York Street, Gettysburg. e-Special Rates to Clubs.t) M&M&MS s BmNBmm* R. A. WONDERS' Cabinet Making, Corner Cigar {Parlors. PICTURE FRAMES, Baltimore street, Gettysburg, Pa. FURNITURE, .A FULL LINE OF. CIGARS, TOBACCOS, PIPES, &C, Scott's Cor. Opp. Eagle Hotel, Getts'sburg, Pa ■■■■■■■IH ■■NBBNHMHamH l ADVKRTISJiMKNTS. gOLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS I SUAGEONS, ^■BALTIWIOFJE, WID.-sJ-The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Balti-more, Maryland, is a well-equipped school. Four ses-sions are required for graduation. For full informa-tion send for the annual catalogue, or write to THOMAS OPIE, M. D., Dean, Cor. Calvert and Saratoga Sts. Established 1876.5 eiPMROSB MYBfiSjfc- "WATCHMAKER AND JEWELER,. Gettysburg Souvenir Spcons. College Souvenir Spoons. No. 10 Baltimore Street, GETTYSBURG, PKNN'A. John n. Minnigh_^ onfeetionernj ^|ee(§)peam, OYSTERS Stewed and Fried. No. 17 Baltimore St. GETTYSBURG, PA., - - Main street. FP.EE BUS TO AND FROM ALL TWAINS. RATES $2So PER DAY. 3© SeecirtcJs Walk fmm EfoMv Dep^t, I DINNER MH DRIVE OVER FIEID WITH 4 OR MORE $135. J> ti nUuHEdj PROP'». Calvin F. Solt, 2nd Floor Spangler Building, dfhe f©a§hionable dfailoi3. Satisfaction Guaranteed. Prices to Suit ths Time'., "Webster's Send a Postal for Specimen Pages, etc. International Successor of theDictionary! 11 Unabridged." THE BEST FOR TEACHERS AND SCHOOLS BECAUSE IN THIS DICTIONARY It is easy to find the word wanted. It is easy to ascertain the pronunciation. It is easy to -learn what a word means. It is easy to trace the growth of a word. TJ. B. C-C number. The treacv.-c contril;: 2dlEnril of the TJ. S. Supremo Court, of all tho State Supreme Courts, of the vernment Printing Oilico, and of nearly all the Schoolbooks. Warmly com-by Stato Superintendents of Schools and other Educators almost ■without Pennsylvania School Journal s&ya .—The Internationa] Webster is a ; house of universal knowledge to "which all tho world, in r.ll Us ages, has made ijion, and any ono cf u3 may nave it at hi3 elbow. Of i.'3 fcr'.f hundred cpecial-jh cf value and importance, the most attractive to uai.ilis etymology, an un-source of interest and enjoyment, Often of surprise and -wonder.—OCTOBER, 1890. & C. I1ERRU9I CO., fublisners. Springfield, Mass. The College Metcuty. [VOL. V. GETTYSBURG, PA., JUNE, 1897. No. 4. :f.\ THE COLLEGE MEfiCUftY', [published each month during the college year by the Students of Pennsylvania (Gettysburg) College. IR. L. SMITH, '! |C. E. FLECK 'el. At Seminary. SUNDAY, MAY 30th. 10.30 A M.—Baccalaureate Discourse in College Church, to the Senior Classes of Seminary and College, by M. Valentine1, D. D., LL. D. MONDAY. 8.00 P. M.—Baugher Lecture on Christian Worship, in Semi-nary Chapel, by Rev. Dr. E. T, Horn, of Reading, Pa. I MONDAY, TUESDAY and WEDNESDAY forenoons, Examinations. WEDNESDAY. j 2.00 P. M.—Holman Lecture on Art. X, of Augsburg Confes-sion, in Seminary Chapel, by Rev. F. P. Manhart, of Baltimore, Md. ' 7,30 p. M,—Alumni Address, in Christ Church, by Rev. Victor Miller, Leitersburg, Md. THURSDAY. 1 9.00 A. M.—Meeting of Board of Directors. 17.30 P. M.—(traduating Exercises in Christ Church, Addresses by Several Members of the Class and Conferring Diplomas. LITERARY. WAS LESSING RIGHT ? BY REV. EDWIN HEYL DELK. Mr. John Fiske writing his essay on Les-. sing's "Nathan the Wise," in 1868, said: "The fame of Lessing is steadily growing. Year by year he is valued more highly and valued by a greater number of people. And he is destined, like his master and forerunner Spinoza, to receive a yet larger share of men's reverence and gratitude when the philosophic spirit which he lived to illustrate shall have become in some measure the general posses-sion of the civilized part of mankind " I confess to a very warm admiration for the man, and for much of his critical work in art and literature. Lowell's characterization is so ipt, that I would not mar it by an attempt at •esh expression. He says : "In the history if literature it would be hard to find a man so italwart, so kindly, so sincere, so capable of ;ieat ideas, whether in their influence on the intellect or the life, so unswervingly true to e truth, so free from the common weakness his class. Since Luther, Germany has given lirth to no such intellectual athlete, no son so ■erman to the core. Greater poets she has ad, but no greater writer; no nature more I finely tempered." Much of Lessing's work is still significant. His early attacks on the pedantry of poor Gottsched's French classicism, his denial of Corneille and Ractne as proper models for the German drama, his seizure of the secret of ] Greek sculptural expression, was all true and I enduring work. His leadership in the true classical revival was healthful. His contribu-tion to Germany's awakening national life, in his dramas of Mina and Emilia, was ennobling and abiding. For all this critical and con-structive work-, he had an established basis in thought. His service in this sphere of intel-lectual life was constructive, and ended in something specific and satisfactory. Even his critical disputation with the irate theologian Goeze, was helpful to genuine scholarship, de-spite its negative results, because, it was, at heart, a fight for freedom of Biblical investiga-tion. But, if as a man, and a critic of art and lit-erature he still holds so large a place in mod-ern thought; as a thinker on ultimate prob-lems, I do not believe, Mr. Fiske to the con-trary, that Lessing's philosophical spirit is sat-isfactory to serious men of either the religious, or scientific type. Lessing's memorable trib-ute to *the inherent superiority of the search for truth, to the truth itself, is a brilliant ex-pression of his philosophic spirit. "Not the truth of which any one is, or supposes himself to be, possessed, but the upright endeavor he has made to arrive at truth, makes the worth of a man. For not by the possession, but by the investigation, of truth are his powers ex-panded, wherein alone his ever-growing per-fection consists. .Possession makes us easy, indolent, proud. If God held all truth shut in his right hand, and in his left hand nothing but the ever-lasting instinct for truth, though with the condition of forever and ever erring, and should say to me 'choose!' I should bow humbly to his left hand, and say, 'Father, give ! pure truth is for Thee alone !' " In the first half of this confession of his philosophic attitude, Lessing expressed a noble 65 THE COLLEGE MERCURY. fact—the worth and joy of intellectual con-quest. But, to declare that endless bafflement, in the search for truth, is the thinking man's true paradise, is contrary to the aim of both genuine science and religion. Life and eter-nity are facts too momentous for us mortals to be forever playing blind-man's-buff in. Truth for Lessing was not a fixed point, it was only an endless advance toward such a point. To have arrived there, he declares, would have been a disappointment. Was Lessing right? This attitude in his philosophy of life arose from a limitation of his nature. Lessing was preeminently a critic. His dramas, though full of action, lack inspiration. He had poetic and constructive ability, but for any probing into that realm beyond the palpable phenom-ena of life, or any emotional craving for a spiritual transformation through worship of the divine—to both the scientific and religious quest for ultimate truth, he was largely Pagan. It is one thing to believe with a regretful agnosticism, that the ultimate force behind all phenomena is unknowable, and to declare with Lessing, that we would rather have the search, than to meet the eternal mystery face to face. And yet, many of Lessing's admirers claim him not only as a theist, but as a Christian, and this, despite his declaration to Jacobi, in 1780, that he was a disciple of Spinoza—the master pantheist. Just how such different views of Lessing's Christianity arose becomes clear if we keep in mind what he considered Christian, and what the best minds have cen-tered on as the essence of the Christian faith. To understand Lessing's satisfaction with the endless search for truth we must discover his idea of religion and Christianity. For him, there was no absolute religion. All religions contained truth, as much truth as the age, in which they were helpful, could apprehend. As the different races progressed in intellectual and moral culture, their theologies and moral-ity became more spiritualized and considerate. The noblest expression of the religious life, he found in Judaism, as expanded by Jesus. Les-sing claimed to believe in the religion of Jesus, but not in the Christ of Christianity. It was the religion of "goodness," which Jesus taught, that always commanded his reverence. Berthean says: "If this so called religion of Christ is the true Christianity, then' Lessing was certainly a true Christian, a Protestant in the full sense of the word ; and he has carried further the work of Luther. But if on the other side, those are right, who. on the in-stance of Schleiermacher, consider the personal relation to the person of the Saviour, and not the doctrinal system, as the essence of Chris-tianity, then Lessing was, in spite of the deep veneration which he always nourished for Jesus of Nazareth,rnot a Christian man." Still, in his "The Education of the Human Race," his last religious testament, Wackernagel, Stirm and others think they have discovered a decided progress towards Christianity. The truth seems to be, that, even at the end of his life, Lessing's theological standpoint was still in the process of formation; that is, unfinished, unsettled. I can not help but feel that this Wandering Jew choice is neither sane, nor pro-found. Making all allowance for St. Paul's; vivid conviction of Christianity's truth, the attitude of Lessing recalls the Apostle's de-scription of certain Greeks who "were ever learning, but never able to come to a knowl-edge of the truth." Christ insisted upon calling himself "The Truth." The central truth of Christianity is neither its ethics, nor its body of divinity, hut the personal Christ—the supreme revelation ol God's person and love. For the ethics of Jesus, and His spiritual kingdom, Lessing had unbounded admiration. But admiration is lid adoration. That the highest truth is incar-nated in a perfect personality, Lessing seems] to have missed. Here, at the heart of Christ we are promised, and do receive, rest; after the-long quest for truth. Augustine, who ffl quite as profound, and as well acquainted witt life as Lessing, was glad to end his search ifl the rest of God through Christ Jesus. M man who prefers an endless quest for infiuil THE COLLEGE MERCURY. 66 [mystery, to a vitalizing' Communion with the [soul of Jesus is, I fear, doomed to struggle on [forever into the mocking gloom of an endless night. « ♦ » CHARLES DANA GIBSON AND HIS DRAWINGS. ' his I \\::: .led, this] pro-1 ml'sl the I del l'\Y IV,'.- Thel tyisl , but] DIIO!| :s ■hi Is noil (near leeii'l fcrri: |r tbel vn I ffiffl ii i: Anl llini: Mr. Gibson is without doubt the greatest I illustrator of the day. There seem to stand out, among the multitude of illustrative art-fists who are now making our literature doubly I interesting by their delightful pictures, two [.■whom the world acknowledges to be the fore- Imost, Charles Dana Gibson, of the United [States, and Phil May, of England. Of these, [Mr. Gibson, by general consent, holds the first iplace in the eyes of the English as well as the : American people. For us Americans at least, there would be no great difficulty in saying why Mr. Gibson has thus received this preference over Phil May. While the drawings of Mr. May, dealing as they do, with the children of the poorer class of England, are delightfully unique | types of the London street urchin, yet they seem to lack that refined tone notice-able in all of Mr. Gibson's work. It is a marked feature in the work of many illustrators that the excellence of their execu-tion varies from time to time. Not so with [our artist. True, we ma}7 say of one of his [drawings, as in contrast with another, "This is better ;'' but when we analyze our reason why ye think so, it comes out every time that it was j the subject matter, and not the execution of it, that lead us to say, "This is better." This leads to the remark that Mr. Gibson's 'ideas" for his pictures, blending with his charming manner of execution, constitute the jreat attractiveness of his work. This is es-pecially noticeable in his work for "LIFE." ■Sis centre double page drawings in this pub-lication are always the expression of some up-to- date, interesting idea or fashionable folly; portrayed for us in a realistic and impressive vay that words could never do. He seems to Jo more head work than any of his contempo-raries, and it is this that interests us so greatly in his work. In the last few years he has confined him-self, besides his work for "LIFE," to the illus-trating of stories, chiefly those of Mrs. Burton Harrison and Richard Harding Davis, to those of the latter to a greater extent in recent years. The charming adaptability of Mr. Gibson's drawings to Mr. Davis' stories is but another expression of the close friendship and similar-ity of thought existing between the two men. It has been said of Richard Harding Davis and his novels that they are "fresh, free, graceful and virile." They are four adjectives well chosen, and not one too many, and it is remarkable how perfectly transferable they are between the author and his personal friend, the artist. Both these men, in their several crafts, are, as every one knows, in exceptional degree interpreters of the cultivated life of our own immediate day and country, not with oversight of its foibles and vices, but also in all its young and joyous health and beauty, its improved understanding between the youth of both sexes, its manly and womanly natural-ness, the kindness of its sun-and-breeze gayety and candor, and the unparaded earnestness of purpose and principle which so frequently un-derlies this laughing surface. This is said with Mr. Gibson's work the more pointedly in mind, and but enumerates the characteristics which tend to give it its pre-eminent and uni-versal popularity. Doubtless a great proportion of Mr. Gibson's admirers are more familiar with his illustra-tions than with the personality of the artist. He is no less interesting than his drawings. Charles Dana Gibson is a tall, smooth-faced, athletic looking man, not yet thirty years of age. The impression he makes as he leans back in his chair and talks of art, books, travel and kindred matters is that of a man upon whom success has cast no pernicious influence, a man whose inherent modesty has not been destroyed by the applause of a noisy world; one whose own personality furnishes the naivete of his fascinating drawings. He is frank without being brusque, dignified but not ■'illi'-ii'.imwm 67 THE COLLEGE MERCURY. cold, self-poised but not egotistical. So says Van Zile, in Current Literature. Mr. Gibson is a student of literature, es-pecially liking Thackeray who understood art-ists. Yet of course, as an illustrator in heart-iest sympathy with the thought and feelings of his own times, he feels obliged to keep in touch with the best work of the day, and ex-presses great admiration for the work now be-ing done in fiction by several young American authors, prominent among whom, of course, he considers Richard Harding Davis. Van Zile says of him: A feature of Mr. Gibson's fame which must be a source of the happiest pleasure to him, is the unanimity with which writers, artists, critics, editors, and the great reading laity of all ranks and orders, concede his power and charm. There seems to be but one verdict as to his place as an artist. His technical skill, his concientious study of con-temporary life, his sympathetic insight, his charming ability to tell without violence to truth, what he wants to tell, while he leaves all else untold, and his absolute wealth in that indefinable but essential quality which gives the distinction of individuality to the work of an artist, have combined to set him, before he is yet thirty years of age, in the very front rank of contemporary illustrators. THE TREASURE OF LAKE DEMBEA. John Streslow, physician of Middlesex, was so fortunate as to be named sole heir to his grandfather's estate. John Streslow, senior, gave to his grandson, besides his money, a taste for travel, which that young man had hitherto been unable to gratify. Therefore, it was natural for him to be very happy over the prospect of years in foreign lands. The estate to which he had succeeded lay along the Hudson not far from New York, and, of course, before long Streslow, from his constant association with the men of the city, was elected a member of one of its leading clubs. His intention was to remain at home for a year, and then leave for an indefinite period. A strange find one day altered his purpose. While looking through his grandfather's papers he happened upon two rolls tied to-gether with a leather thong. The one was of parchment, and on it was a diagram of an in-terior portioii of Egypt, about the sixth cata-ract of the Nile, and some strange characters of a language unknown to Streslow. The other roll was of paper, and was a translation of the former, stating that by following the route laid down in the diagram, one would) find a kind of stone with the power of partially overcoming gravity ! To the young man, whose mind had always been of a scientific turn, this idea was especially captivating, and he at once determined to sail within the I month, and announced his intention at the| club next evening. "To Egypt?" asked a young fellow. ''Yes,I to Egypt," answered Streslow. "And I ain| going with a purpose; too." "Perhaps you will bring back a treasure,'11 suggested another sneeringly. "Perhaps," was Streslow's only reply. And so, about two weeks after, the men the club were somewhat surprised to find th their friend had persevered in his intention,! and that he had really sailed for Egypt. He took the shortest possible way and al-| lowed nothing to draw him away from grand object of his search. Three weeks afterl leaving home he found himself at Alexandria,! where he hired an intelligent guide, and niadel ready for his journey up the Nile. Theyl reached the village Senuar on the banks of tliel Blue Nile, and set out at once for Lake Demi bea among the Talba Waha Mountains. Theyl travelled alone, for fear of possible danga| should their errand be known. By following the chart carefully they their way but twice in all the twenty-fi«l miles. A week's travelling through mani difficult places and with varied adventures brought them to the grotto specified. It wa| a long, irregular opening in the side of a clifl just a little above the surface of a small pM I THE COLLEGE MERCURY. 68 • I iiatl all the! ifterl iri ladel 'till icivi lie; :igfl| lo| tanl Lire] id which ran down to the shore of the lake. AH remained outside while Streslow made some investigations. The entrance grew higher but [narrower as he advanced, and a short pas-sage way brought him to a large rock-hewn room. He called Ali to bring material for [lights, and soon the ceiling and walls were shining with many colored splendor. A nurn- Iber of rocks were strewn about. From the Barge room several passage ways led into [deeper recesses. Following the one indicated [Streslow soon came to a larger room than the prst, but the floor of which appeared to be tiled. [The rock seemed to be a kind of granite, with (very distinct white and black markings. With Ihis first step upon the level floor Streslow felt fa strange sensation of lightness. He nearly (fell forward on his face, and to save himself he [put his hand against a rock, which rolled [away from him like a hollow rubber ball. He leaped in the air and barely escaped knocking lis brains out against the roof of the cave. iHis weight was as nothing. He had found Ithe treasure ! And now taking two pieces or llayers of the rock, which was of much the jsame formation as slate, he made his way to the light again and back to Sennar. The chief and his people received him [kindly, crying in their language, "Hail, stranger," and conducted him to a hut near pat of the chief, where he was waited on by some of the chief's slaves. There were some sick in the village, and |hat evening just at sunset the priest of the ribe invoked the Sun God for them, standing upon a block of this wonderful stone. Both Bi and Streslow noticed it, and Ali scented danger, if they should be discovered, for he mew that the people considered this stone the rift of the Sun God himself, and they consid-ered that any one who did not worship him tiad no right to its possession. While lying in their hut that night, before ?oing to sleep, Ali was acquainted with the act that they should have to leave the village pder cover of the darkness. And when every-ting was still, and all were asleep, as they thought, the two stole forth toward the river. But one of the servants of the chief saw the stone, and a guard was set, so that the two men had hardly reached the river until all the village was aroused and in pursuit. Arrows and spears fell all around them as they made their way down stream, but fortunately they escaped safely, and before many days reached Alexandria. Streslow arrived at home in good time and that same night dropped in at his club, to the surprise and delight of his friends, who were at once eager to hear the account of his travels. Friday night of the same week was set for his story and for the exhibition of his "treas-ure," of which he had very briefly told them. When the time came the rooms were crowded, and at the proper time Streslow re-lated the incidents of his journey as we al-ready know them and exhibited the wonder-ful stone in regard to which there was so much expectancy. But, wonderful to state, whether on account of the influence of the at-mosphere of unbelief that pervaded the club, or from-some other cause, the stone had lost its power, and had it not been that Streslow was a man of untarnished reputation he would have been dubbed a second Muuchausen then and there. He gave them a speech instead of an experiment. "I am not to blame for the failure to-night. A month ago that stone did what I claimed for it. Perhaps the change in climate accounts for the loss of its power. But I am ready to take the tour to Egypt again, with any man or men to prove that there lies a wonderful power in the treasure of Lake Dembea." His words drew the applause of the mem-bers, but no one was willing, nor has anyone since been willing, to risk life and fortune merely for the sake of annoying nature. A girl, a wheel, A shock, a squeal, A header, a thump, A girl in a lump, A bloomer all torn, A maiden forlorn. ■■■■■■■^■■■■■■■■■■■iHHHBB 1 69 THE COLLEGE MERCURY. 'TEAGIC FEAGMENT (?)" "Men may come and men may go But I go on forever." "Boast on, oh dancing Tiber In this cheerless rainy weather ! But when this season passes, And the drought of summer comes, Or chilling blast of winter Your shallow stream benumbs; No more will voice be left you To sing your vaunted song ; No more be heard your boasting As you gaily prattle on." ******** Thus mused the college senior, In a vein so new and strange, And so very unaccustomed To his usual narrow range, That he stopped and slightly started From his state of sad depres-ion, That a hardened chap like he was To such thoughts should give expression, And should think it worth his while To abuse this little way-sb earn, Which had seemed almost too trifling To be subject of his day dream. Yet while he sought to chide it, As though a naughty elf, He knew, in cvcri/ sailertCe, He was thinking of—HIMSELF. COLLEGE LOCALS. C. E. FLECK and J. H. MEYER, Editors. Good Bye ! Exit Ninety Seven. Examinations—not "exams." Two straight games from State—we're all right. The Sophomores manifest the usual activity in collecting Botany specimens—they may be seen on the search for specimens almost any fine afternoon. One of them was heard to say he could analyze a flower in five minutes— quick work. "Earnie" has great difficulty in getting to-gether the members of the Athletic Associa-tion. This reminds us of some other things around here. Niels L. J. Gron, '93, who recently visited here, contemplates a course at Oxford. He is a firm friend of the MERCURY, and will write us something on University life there. The Freshman Glee Club have been recently dispensing their melodious strains over the campus. ' 'Music hath charms.'' We have now another track to cross at the Reading Depot as we go to meals. Surely there should be flagmen there now. Senior dignity is still more in evidence as Commencement approaches. We may look for a general cleaning of rooms this week. The duties and pleasures of the coming va-cation form an absorbing theme for thought just now. A Senior speaking of a certain game re-marked : "I would like to say confidentially that the chances for success are very probable." The members of the Omega Delta society have come out with new pins. They make a nice appearance. A Seminarian is now giving lessons in kick-ing. Lying on his back, he kept a swing at bay with his pedal extremities for fully five minutes. His dignity is the only thing that suffered from the experience. The real college life of old Pennsylvania be-comes more apparent as Spring advances. No matter how pressing work may be, the boys find time to linger on the campus for a few minutes before going to their rooms of an evening. This is one of the phases of college life which many of the Alumni remember with pleasure. It is a fine custom. In Physics one day, when the class was about to write a paper on the torsion of the wires holding two eggs, a bright fellow was heard to remark : "Which is the spoiled egg?" Dr. N. answered with a chuckle: "That will appear when your paper comes in." It was several degrees cooler for some minutes thereafter. Dr. S.—"Mr. K., what secretes the saliva?" K., '00—"The gastric juice." A nine from Seminary played the Sopho-more class team Saturday, May 22nd. The game was exceedingly interesting, but was without any special features, except error; Inasmuch as the runs on both sides were too many to be counted, no one tried to give an official score. It is but natural for us to feel somewhat east down in spirit when we learn that we shal have to work Ascension Day, this year. Itii only a church festival, but this is a church i& stitution, and no pressure of work ought to be allowed to displace service on that day. W should have at least half the day to ourselves. THE COLLEGE MERCURY. 70 at ve an itli The Seniors finished their work with an ex-amination Tuesday Morning, May 25th, and The course of '97 in college is ended. The Mass is jolly and jovial, and there is not a man in college who does not hate to see them leave lis. May they have much success in life, is the wish of the MERCURY. D., '00, (seeing posters announcing a straw- Berry festival)—"Is this Senior L. T. L. the Senior class of College or of Seminary ? '' From all accounts the new dormatories are kn assured fact. The buildings will be in the Kyle of English cottages, each a memorial to the donor. We understand that two are promised. These neat structures will improve the appearance of the campus very materially. ■)ne need not question the fact that Pennsyl-vania College is growing. I Prof. H.—"Mr. S., who were Hale and Arnold. S., '97—"Spies in the civil war, Professor." Platonic philosophy has confused "Perlie" on lates. . The '98 Spectrum has appeared at last, and Hie book is well worth waiting for. A marked lharacteristic of the book is its originality. I |he Spectrum reflects great credit upon the 1 Bass of '98. Earlier in the month an excursion party of '. jeologists- from the leading universities of | America, paid a visit to the battlefield in honor j H Sir Archibald Geike, the most eminent ge- i llogist of England. They were here only a I Jiort while and spent all their time viewing ! lie field. The Senior tour to the Euray Caverns did I jot materialize. Many expressions of regret ' have been heard. During the past week Professor Himes agree-ibly surprised the Sophomores, who were ut-rly unprepared for the recitation, by voluu-ering to give them a lecture on the "Edu-tional Value of Poetry." The lecturer was ven the strictest attention, and the favorable marks about it show that the class appreci-ed the talk very much. They would not be verse to spending many an hour in like man-lhe Businessmen's League, of Philadelphia, lent last Saturday and Sunday in town. They lid a short visit to the College, but spent lost of their time on the battlefield. Some in of influence in railroad circles accompa-lied the party. A few weeks ago a crowd of Freshmen vis-ited the "haunted house" near New Oxford, and spent the night there. There was much throbbing of hearts whenever squeaking of doors or windows would occur, and a general silence at louder noises. All the boys were not so timid, however, and some managed to sleep a while. Perhaps the number of visitors compelled the ghosts to withdraw, for there was no appearance of spirit forms. We ad-mire the nerve of the Freshmen. Some of the men of the College have taken to horticulture. The line upon which they ex-pend the most energy is raising onions. We very easily obtain a knowledge of this fact by means of the odors which exhale from the lungs of those engaged in the business, and by the tops of onions which are strewn through the halls a number of mornings in a week. Onions and fresh water crackers do taste good at night. The fact that we shall have examinations on Decoration Day is raising a great deal of feeling among the boys. Every hour of a National holiday is each man's own, to use as he desires. Of course we cannot have it other-wise than it has been decided. Perhaps next year we will have a holiday or two. Commencement week with its gayeties is casting its shadow before it, and is throwing its spell over the students. This is the com-ing season of the whole school year, and one is amply repaid for remaining. The week will be rendered livelier by class reunions, and other events of like character. Let all who can, remain. The concert by the Glee Club, on Tuesday night, will be better than it has been in former years. One can spend a pleasant evening listening to our own musical organizations and be well repaid. /\LUlV|Nl- R. L. SMITH and J. H. BEERITS, Editors. '40. D. J. A. Seiss' congregation, of Phila-delphia, will receive large bequests from the estate of the late Miss C. Shaeffer, a very wealthy heiress. By her will an eighth part of her estate goes to Dr. Seiss' congregation, to the Seminary, to Muhlenburg College and to missions. '41. Rev. Geo. Parson, D. D., of Sunbury, Pa., preached the dedicatory sermon on the 7i THE COLLEGE MERCURY. evening of April 25th, when the Grace Evan-gelical Lutheran church of Sunbury was dedi-cated. '46. W. M. Baum, D. D., of Phila., is president of the Board of the Northern Home for Friendless Children. At a recent meeting the finances of the institution were found to be on a firm basis. '47. Dr. L. E. Albert, of Philadelphia, rep-resented the Pastors' Fund at the Susque-hanna Synod, held at Watstown, Pa., May 4. '48. Over 30,000 copies of Dr. Conrad's edi-tion of Luther's Small Catechism have been issued by the Lutheran Publication House for the author. '49. An account of the death of Rev. Elias S. Henry was given in the last number of the MKRCURY. A few additional facts have been sent to us. He was a director of the Theolog-ical Seminary during the 70's; president of the East Penn'a Synod, 1875-76; never missed a Conference or a Synod; celebrated the silver jubilee of his pastorate, 1877, and celebrated the 40th anniversary of the same in 1892. '50. Dr. Valentine, of the Seminary, will preach the baccalaureate sermon to both the graduating class of the Seminary and College at the same time, Sunday, May 30th, in the College church. '53. Dr. W. F. Ulery was in town about the middle of the month on business. '53. Rev. A. H. Waters spends from Octo-ber to June in Florida, and holds services every Sunday in the beautiful church at Mel-rose. Melrose is one of the finest winter re-sorts in the South. '55. Rev. J. A. Kunkelman, D. D., pastor of St. Andrew's, at Atlantic City, extends, through the columns of the Observer, a most cordial invitation to all seaside visitors to wor-ship in his church, corner of Pacific and Mich-igan avenues. The Dr. will give you all a hearty welcome. '55. Rev. E. Huber, D. D., Prof, of English Bible, paid a beautiful tribute in the Lutheran Observer to the memory of Rev. E. S. Henry, '49, notice of whose death appeared in the last MERCURY. '56. Wm. M. Weidman, M. D., of Reading, Pa., was elected President of the State Medi-cal Society at it's meeting in Pittsburg, May 18th. Dr. Weidman is one of the most prom-inent physicians in the State, and is a man worthy of the high honor conferred upon him. '56. We were sorry to learn of the painful accident of Rev. H. W. Kuhns, Omaha, Neb., who broke an ankle bone recently. '56. Rev. B. E. Kramlich is pastor of the Topton, Berks County Union church. At a recent celebration of the quarto-centennial of the church a new organ was dedicated. '57. Dr. L A. Gotwald, a member of the Theological Faculty, Springfield, Ohio, re-cently gave an entertainment to the Senior theologians. '57. Dr. H. L. Baugher, President of the General Synod, delivered an excellent address to the Central Association of Luther Leagues, held at St. John's church, Pittsburg. '59. Rev. J. G. Gcettman suffered a para-lytic stroke while attending the Central Asso-ciation of Lutheran Leagues at St. John's church, Pittsburg. He is in a very precarious condition. '60. Rev. B. F. Apple, of Stroudsburg, Pa., established a Sunday school about 18 months ago, which resulted in the dedication of a church on May 9th. '60. Dr. H. M. Richards, of Allentowu, Pa., attended the recent conference, held at St. John's church, Nazareth, Pa. '61. A magnificent memorial window was unveiled in St. James' church. Rev. J. B. Remensnyder, D. D., pastor, during las! month. Dr. Remensnyder is very successful in his work. He delivered an address upon "Melancthon as Theologian," at the recent session of the Lutheran Conference of New York and New Jersey, held at Ramsey, N.J. '61. Rev. J. B. Remensnyder, D. D., of X. Y. City, had an article in the Lutheran Worli of May 13th, entitled, "That Transubstanti-ated Slander." The Doctor upholds his posi-tion in regard to the Lord's Supper and breab down false accusations that he teaches transub-stantiation. '63. Rev. M. Colver's church, at Galion Ohio, recently raised a large sum for thi famine sufferers of India. Rev. Colver vril preach the baccalaureate sermon to the gradu-ating class of the Galion high school on Suit da}' evening, June 13th. '64. Dr. F. L. Seip, of Allentown, Pa., sev.| eral weeks ago, preached a sermon and pet I THE COLLEGE MERCURY. 72 !SS formed the act of consecrating a splendid $1500 pipe organ to the St. Steven's church, Wilmington, Del. '65. Rev. Dr. J. C. Koller, pastor of the (First Lutheran church of Hanover, Pa., vis- [ited Gettysburg a few days ago. Dr. Koll-fer's congregation, of which he has been pastor [for over twenty years, numbers about a thou- [sand members and is active and flourishing. '65. Dr. H. W. McKnight has been away [several days during the past month working [among the friends of the College in the inter- Jest of the new dormatory. He has met with considerable success. '65. The Lutheran church at Greenvillage, Pa., has celebrated it's 50th anniversary this month. Dr. T. C. Billheimer, of the Theo-logical Seminary, preached the anniversary sermon on Sunday, May 16th. '66. The Sixth Annual Conference of the [Woman's H. and F. Missionary Society, was Iheld May 13, in Ziou's Lutheran church, iWayuesboro, Pa., of which Rev. H. S. Cook [is pastor. '67. At the recent Susquehanna Synod held lat Watstown, Pa., May 4th, Dr. Chas. Albert, ■of Philadelphia, represented the Publication House. '67. Rev. W. E. Parson, of Washington, D. IC, will spend his vacation in Maine this sum-uer. '67. Rev. C. J. Cooper, of Allentown, Pa., Iwas one of those who attended the conference {recently held at St. John's chirch, Nazareth, ?a. 67. Rev. D. K. Kepner, pastor of Emanuel Lutheran church, of Pottstown, Pa., died on lay 9th, from heart trouble and nervous pros-tration, after a severe illness. He was one of phe best known ministers of the Pennsylvania f>ynod. 68. The Indianapolis Journal praises very highly a sermon on Gen. Grant, preached re- |ently by Rev. D. L- McKenzie, pastor of the first Lutheran church of that city. '68. W. C. Stoever, Esq., has contributed |0 the May number of the Lutheran League Teview a very interesting article, entitled, ['The Passavant Memorial Hospital." It con-tains much information upon Lutheran institu- :ions of that nature and upon Mother Houses, 'stablished for training deaconesses, and shows their value to the church and their great gen-eral usefulness '69. Rev. J. A. Clute, D. D., President of Midland College, preached morning and even-ing on May 16, at the Woman's Memorial Mission, Council Bluffs, Iowa. '69. The Grand Army of the Republic of the Department of Colorado and Wyoming has unanimously elected Rev. J. W. Fiukbinder, pastor of the Lutheran church at Colorado Springs, as chaplain for the next year. '70. Thos. J. Stahle, editor of the Gettys-burg Compilei, who has been confined to the house this winter is recovering slowly. '72. The new Lutheran church at Vander-grift, Pa., Rev. J. W. Poffinberger, pastor, which, when completed, will be one of the handsomest churches in the Pittsburg Synod, will be dedicated on June 22nd. Rev. Pof-finberger deserves great praise for his success-ful work. '72. Rev. W. E. Fischer, of Shamokin, Pa., filled the the pulpit of the First Lutheran church at Watstown, Pa., on Sunday morning, May 9th. '72. Rev. J. A. Koser, of Sioux City, la., was assisted during Passion Week by Rev. H. L- Yarger, '63, of Whitewater, Kansas. '72. Dr. S. Stall's new book "What a Young Boy Ought to Know," is spoken of in commendatory terms by many eminent men. '73. To allow more time to prepare for meeting of Gen. Synod, Sec. W. S. Freas is making a number of exchanges, among whom were Rev. W. S. Hinman, of Columbia, and Rev. J. M. Riemensnyder, '70, of Milton. '73. Rev. Jeremiah Zimmerman, pastor of the Lutheran church at Syracuse, N. Y., is lecturer 0:1 numismatics in the Syracuse Uni-versity, a large and flourishing institution of that place. '73. Rev. J. F. Hartman, D. D., of Al-toona, Pa., represented one of the Boards of the church at the Susquehanna Synod, held at Watstown, Pa., May 4th. '74. St. Mark's church, Hanover, Pa., has given freely towards the relief of the Cold Springs church, and the pastor, Rev. C. M. Stock, has shown a very benevolent spirit also. '74. An interesting sketch of the Lutheran church, at Myersville, Md., has been published by the pastor, Rev. W. L. Remsburg, in The Guide of that place. '74. Charles A. Suesserott, Esq., of Cham-bersburg, was in town recently. 73 THE COLLEGE MERCURY. '75. Rev. E. D. Weigle, D. D., of Mechan-icsburg, spoke at the dedication of the First Lutheran church of Altoona, Pa., on Sunday, May 23rd. 77. G. W. Gross, Principal of York County Academy, has five boys ready for college next fall. The Academy has been a good feeder to our college. '77. Rev. J. J. Young, D. D., spoke upon "Melancthon's Life and Character" at the spring meeting of the Southern Conference of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod, which con-vened at Ramsey, N. J., on May 17th. Dr. Young's congregation in New York City held services, on May 9th. in memory of Dr. A. C. Wedekind, '46, their former pastor, The Social Union (the young men's society organ-ized during the late Dr.'s ministry) remem-bered him especially by a beautiful and appro-priate floral offering. '78. Rev. O. C. Roth, President of Mary-laud Synod, filled the pulpit of the Trinity church, Taneytown, Md., on Sunday evening, May 9th. '78. Congressman Geo. J. Benuer visits the town as often as his legislative duties at Wash-ington permit. '78. Rev. C. L- McConnell, of Mifflinburg, Pa., will preach the baccalaureate sermon to the Seniors of Susquehanna University, at Selin's Grove, Pa. '78. Dr. W. C. Boteler, of Kansas, Mo., is now in Washington, D. C, and is a promising candidate for Auditor of the War Department. The Dr. is quite prominent, being editor of the North American Medical Review, and Secretary of the Kansas City Periodical Press Club. He is a son-iu-low of the late Secretary of War, George W. McCreary, of Iowa, who framed the compromise act that settled the threatened sectional clash in 1876. '79. Dr. A. C. Wentz, Hanover, Pa., was one of the prominent speakers who addressed the Convention of the State Medical Society that met in Pittsburg, May 18, 19 and 20. He has the distinction of being the fourth Vice President of the State Society. Dr. Wentz keeps thoroughly up to the times in every way, and thus comes to gain these well merited dis-tinctions. We wish him still greater success. '80. Prof. Daniel Fleisher, Ph. D., has just completed another very successful year as Superintendent of Public Schools at Wellsboro, Pa. Prof. Fleisher's reputation as a thorough and enthusiastic student of the Latin Classics is wide spread. '80. Rev. M. F. Troxell, D. D., pastor of Grace Lutheran church, of Springfield, 0., presided over a mass meeting held in the State Capitol of that city, for the purpose of raising funds and supplies to relieve the famine-stricken inhabitants of India, and his- conduct of the meeting and appointment of committees is highly commended by the Springfield Monitor and the Rcgistei. Rev. T. DeWitt Talmage made the principal address. Liberal donations were received. '82. Rev. A. R. Steck, pastor of St. James Lutheran church, of this place, will preach the baccalaureate sermon to the graduating class of Irving College at Mechanicsburg, on June 6th. '83. Rev. H. L- Yarger, of Whitewater, Kansas, made an address on the Board of Church Extension before the North-western Conference of the Kansas Synod, which con-vened May 4th, at Chapman. Kansas. '83. Rev. H. G. Buehler, Uakeville, Con., will edit the "Junior Notes" in the Augsbmd 7'eache? for June. No doubt they will give en-[ tire satisfaction as Mr. Buehler has the ability.! '83. Rev. C. W. Baker, York County Con-ference Missionary, is more than busy these! days getting churches ready for dedication,f laying of corner-stones and breaking ground. He is the man for the work and the place. '85. Rev. Reuben S. Stair, after some fivel or six years of faithful labor in the Kreutz! Creek charge. Hellain, York county, Pa., hasj offered his resignation, to take effect, June 1. '85. Rev. E. E. Hoshour, of Bellefonte, isal delegate to the General Synod from the Ceu-r tral Pennsylvania Synod of which body hen secretary. His work at Bellefonte, Pa., is pro-1 gressing successfully. ''85. Rev. Chas. T. Aikens, Vice Presidentl of the Central Pa. Luther League, will repre-F sent that body at the convention of the State! League, which will be held in Altoona, Junastor of the Protestant Episcopal church, of ■\)peka, Kan., on April 21st. '92. Rev. H.'E. Berkey, the successful pas-or at Red Lion, may well feel proud of the position he holds as editor of the York County v-.utheian. The paper is excellent and merits 11 ^earty support. 93- Report has it that City Solicitor Ara- »uou, of York, is the coming nominee of the ■e.B|Pemocratic party for Mayor of that, thriving iic Wf- I '93. At the recent meeting of the Juniata onference of the Central Pa. Synod, the fol-wing members of Gettysburg's banner class participated; Rev. A. J. Rndisill, Rev. J. M. puss and Rev. G. M. K. Diffenderfer. '93- The graduating exercises of the Belle-nte High School will prevent Prof. A. Reist Rutt from attending the reunion of his class during Commencement week. He will grad-uate a class of seventeen on the evening of June 3rd. He will enjoy his vacation with his class-mate, Rev. G. M. K. Diffenderfer, at Newport. '93. Niels L. J. Gron paid his Alma Mater a visit a short time ago. It will be remem-bered that Mr. Gron completed a trip around the world, last July, meanwhile making a specialty of studying international questions. In the recent presidential election he was ap-pointed by the Republican National Committee to work amongst the Scandinavians in the North-west, and he fulfilled his mission with such success that it is rumored he will be our National representative at the Danish court. He is now attending the reunion of his class at Harvard, and will also be present at the re-union of his class here during Commencement week. He will have an article in the July number of the Arena on "The French Consti-tution Compared with the English Constitu-tion." He may take a special course of study at Oxford University, England, next year. '93. Rev. Wm. H. Ehrhart has been in town several times lately, working up the re-union of the class of '93, to be held here dur-ing Commencement week. '93. Rev. E. E. Neudewitz took an active part in the work of the Southern Conference of New York and New Jersey, held at Ram-sey, N. J. Rev. Neudewitz has a very flour-ishing mission in Jersey City. '93. The members of the Luther League of the church of the Atonement, Rev. F. H. Knubel, pastor, recently purchased a hand-some pulpit Bible and presented it to the con-gregation. '93. The Luther League, of St. Mark's church, Washington, D. C, Rev. John C. Bowers, pastor, is steadily growing in numbers and usefulness. A recent entertainment given under it's auspices netted the League $50, $45 of this was handed over to the church treas-urer for the use of the congregation. '93. W. L. Ammon, Esq., has been elected City Solicitor of York, Pa. Ex-'94. Rev. Warren Nichol will graduate from Mt. Airy Seminary at the coming Com-mencement. He has received a call to Bed-minster, Pa. '94. F. H. Bloomhardt has been elected to 75 THE COLLEGE MERCURY. the presidency of the John Guiteras Medical Society, of the University of Penn'a. '94. At a recent annual convention of the Susquehanna Synod, held at Watstown, Pa., Matthew Kemp and R. W. Mottern were or-dained as ministers of the gospel. Ex.-'95. Newton J. Walter has completed his second year at the United Presbyterian Seminary at Allegheny and will engage hi supply work in York and Lancaster counties this summer. '95. Roscoe C. Wright will finish his theo-logical studies this year, and will be ready in June to enter upon the work of the ministry, for which he has every qualification. '95. On May 1st, Rev. Moritz G. L. Rietz entered upon his work as pastor of the Luth-eran church at Chatham, N. Y. This is Rev. Rietz's first charge and we wish him great success in his labors. '96. W. H. Menges is now the Junior mem-ber of the firm of Menges & Stauffer, dealers in grain, coal aud produce, Spring Grove. Rev. E. D. Weigle, D. D., '75, and Rev. H. H. Weber, '82, General Secretary of Church Extension, delivered addresses at the dedication of the First Lutheran church, of Altoona, on Sunday, May 23rd. Trinity Lutheran church of Taneytown, Md., of which Rev. D. Frank Garland, '88, is pastor, was dedicated on Sunday, May 9th. A sermon was preached at the re-opening serv-ices on the previous Thursday evening by Rev. G. W. McSherry, '80, the former pastor. Those participating in the services of re-open-ing and dedication were Dr. M. Valentine, '50; Rev. W. H. Dunbar, D. D., '71; Rev. O. C. Roth, '78; Rev. Luther Kuhlman, '79, and Rev. B. F. Allemau, D. D. The cost of re-modeling and re-furnishing the church is be-tween $16,000 and $17,000. grounds, the game with them on the 8th was close. The result of the game was doubtful until the last man was put out in the ninth in-ning. Burns pitched a fine game. The Indi-ans were able to get but 3 hits off of him. Dale played an excellent game at second, accepting 8 chances without an error. ATHLETICS. H. C. ROEHNER. Editor. Base-ball, of course, has been the all absorb-ing form of athletics this month; and the rec-ord of the club has been an excellent one. That we have had a team to be proud of every-one admits, aud we are glad to see the interest that the boys have taken in it. INDIANS—First game. As is always the case with the Indians on our GETTYSBURG. AB R H PO A E White. 3b 5 Dale, 2I1 5 Tate, Leisenring.il) Ilurns,(cap.)p Gladfelter, ss. 4 o Roehner. cf. 4 o Spealraan, rr. 4 o Wolf, If 2 o Herman, If. 1 o 2 1 3 1 2 9 o 1 15 INDIANS. AB R H PO A 1 Buckhart, c. 40071 Shelafo, p, ss. 4 I 1 1 i Jamison, ss. p 4 1 1 16 Miller. W , 3b 3 o 002 Miller, A., cf. 41000 Hudson, rf 40 I 11 0 16 1 000 0 ' 5 Pierce, lb 3 Archiquet'e.lf 4 Eastman, 2b. 3 Totals 3S 5 S 27 16 5 Totals 33 3 3 27 17 3 Earned runs—Gettysburg, z. Home Run—Burns 2 base hit I —Hudson. Stolen bases—Gettysburg, 2; Indians. 3. Bases on I balls-By Burns, 2; Shelafo, 3. Struck out—By Burns, 11; Shel-1 afo 3; Jamison. 4. Passed balls—Tate, 3. Time of game-no. I Umpires—McPherson, and smith-ail Indian. STATE COLLEGE—First game. The game at State was very close and excit-ing. Both pitchers were in fine form. Burns got himself out of several very tight places. Once with the bases full and only one out, lie struck out the next two batters. Three hits were bunched on Nesbit in the fifth inniner. GETTYSBURG. AB R n 0 A K White, 3b 4 0 0 10 " 0 31 1 0 2 Dale, 2b 5 Tate, c 5 Leisenring, lb 4 Burns, p 4 Gladfelter, ss. 4 1 Roehner, cf. 4 Herman, If. 3 0 Spealman, rf. 1 Brown, rf. 2 0 1 0 0 13 1 1 11 I) 1 1 1 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 STATE COLLEGE All It Albert, lb 4 0 Miller, If. 3 0 Beehtel, 2b 4 0 Hayes, rf. 4 0 Spiesman, c. 3 Curtin, 3b 4 Nesbit. p 4 0 Steward, ss 3 0 Findley. of. 3 0 H 0 A 1 8 1 1 0 0 2 :: 2 0 1 1 0 14 0 0 0 II 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 Totals 3G 3 6 27 7 4 Totals 33 0 1 2; Bases on balls—State, 1; Gettysburg, 3. Passed balls—Spie man, 2. Stolen bases—State, 2; Gettysburg. 3. Struck out " Nesbit, lfi; by Burns, 16. Time of game—1.45. Umpire—Leele. 1 2 Gettysburg 1 0 1 ■ I 4 5 0 1 7 8 9 0 II State. 00000000 0-i BUCKNELL. The game played with Bucknell, at Lewis-burg, on the 17th, would have been won easily had we had a fair show. The action of tbi management at Bucknell must be condeiimeii for allowing such an incompetent umpire fa any college game. Even the players admitted that we did not receive fair treatment. Tht game was marked by the hard hitting of tht Gettysburg boys, knocking Bucknell's crack pitcher, Shorten, all over the field : The score follows : GETTYSBURG. R White, 3b 0 Dale, 2b 0 Tate, c 1 Leisenring, lb 1 Burns, lb. p 1 Gladfelter, ss 1 Roehner, cf. 1 Herman, If. 1 Brown, rf. 0 0 I) 3 0 3 12 3 0 1 E 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals 0 13 24 BUCKNELL. R Gearv, lb 1 Conover, ef. 1 Griffith, 2b 2 Grimm, If. 1 Mttlkie, ss 2 Catterall, c 1 Jenkinson, rf. 0 Garner, 3b 0 Shortell, p 1 Totals . 9 THE COLLEGE MERCURY. 76 SCORE BY INNINGS 1284 56789 ,.,.,". 11 2 I) 0 0 5 U 2 0 X—a ■msbirg::::'.:::::::::. 0 0 0 s 0 » o.o-p-8 two base hits—Mulkie, 2; Uladfelter. Three base hits—Tate, ■tarns Catterall Double plav—Urown to Leisenring. Stolen ■bes—Gettysburg, 2. Hit b> [litcher-Geary, Shonell. Bases on Kfs hortell, :'■: l.eiseiiviiiir. 2. Struck out—Leisenriiig, i: IBiinis I: Shonell, 6. Time of game-2.10. Um lire -Wilkinson. The boys had a fine time on their trip of 5 Bys to State and Bucknell. Arrived here on Tuesday at 2 and played State here at 3 P. M. STATE COLLEGE—Second game. Again State was compelled to bow down to Gettysburg. This game was somewhat more ■citing than the game at State College. The ipposing team were able to get but one hit off p Burns. The errors charged against Dale Ire very excusable, since he was not in a fit Ridition to go into the game because the muni) of his right hand was badly bruised Bile playing against State . at State College. laving no competent substitute for his posi-lion, he pluckily consented to go into the (ame. Tate's batting was a feature, having , hits out of 5 times to bat. The score is as [follows : GETTYSIU'RU. AB It H 0 A E Hte, 3b 5 1 1 4 -' 1 Be, 2b S 1 2 2 n (i Ete, e 5 1 4 10 3 0 Benring, lb 3 oioi o Jrns, p 3 0 0 0 s o [ladfelter, ss. a 0 0 0 1 1 Btoer, el'. 3 0 0 10 0 erninn, If. 3 10 0 0 1 Iwyer, rf 4 1110 0 Totals. . 30 5 9 27 10 S STATE. Albert, lb. Miller, If. Becntol, 2b. AB It II l> A i: 3 0 0 iS 1 0 3 O 0 4 0 0 10 0 2 2 1 Hays, rf icpt 4 2 10 0 0 Brandt, of Spiesman, c. Curtin, 3b. Nesbit, p Stuart, ss. 3 0 0 4 0 0 4 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 3 0 ii 9 2 2 1 0 1 1 1 0 12 1 •Findlcv 10 0 0 0 0 Totals 31 2 1*28 11 5 mencement week give great promise of being close and exciting. The preparation for the other athletic feat-ures of Commencement week are rather "la-tent" as yet, but no doubt will materialize. The July number (Commencement number) will contain a general summing of athletic matters and the averages of the individual players on our team. Findlev batted for Xesbit in ninth inning. Gladl'eiter out, hit by batted ball. jtrned rims— Gettysburg 1. Two base hit—Dale. Stolen ies—Tate, Hayes. Double play-Nesbit to Albert. Bases on fa-Gettysburg, 5; State, 5. Struck out—Nesbit, 8: Burns, 9. ssed balls Spiesman, I. Wild pitch-Burns, 1. Time of me—1.45. Umpire—Kuendig. SCOKE BY INNINGS. 12 34 5 0789 tysburg 1 01 000210—5 .te 0 10 0 0 10 0 0—2 verything was running smoothly until we pnt to Carlisle on Saturday, the twenty-sec-d, and played the Indians. The whole me was a big joke—on us—to the score of i, the tabulated score of which will be ven in next issue. The game between the Sophomores and the |eminarians on the same date must have been 'Ore interesting—the1 score being 25-23 in wor of '99. The matches of the tennis tournament are w being played off to the interest and usement of the on-lookers, and the "glory" ■he participants. The finals during Com- TOW|vJ y\fslD SEIVll|SlAF{Y NOTES. K. W. WOODS, Editor. TOWN. Rev. H. S. Jenanyan, principal of St. Paul's Institute of Tarsus, Asia Minor, his wife and cousin, who witnessed the Turkish massacres in Marash, spent last week in Gettysburg in the interest of the relief work foi widows and orphans in Armenia. Their plea for the op-pressed came with peculiarpower. Large col-lections were make in the various churches to relieve the sufferers. Through the efforts of Amos Eckert a sprinkler was secured for the middle of the Square. The Square will be sprinkled morn-ing and evening, which will add much to the comfort of those residing in that vicinity. Messrs. M. and T. E. Farrell received the contract for the avenue over Little Round-Top to connect Hancock avenue with the Confed-erate avenue. The work was begun several weeks ago and will be completed by the latter part of the summer. Some very necessary improvements have been made lately around the P. & R. termi-nus. Among them is the railing placed at the passenger station, back of which the cabmen will be required to stand hereafter. We are very glad to see this, and it will take away a great deal of unnecessary nuisance, both for excursionists and students. Mr. George E. Spangler has moved his stock of musical instruments into his new building on York St. Mr. Charles Deardorff moved his sewing machine business into the same room also. Prof. Klinger moved last week from the Eagle Hotel to his new home on Baltimore St. Rev. D. W. Woods, Jr., pastor of the Pres-byterian church, of this place, preached an eloquent sermon last Sunday afternoon to a •• ) Skelly Post Room, No. 9, 77 large audience in G. A. R. Hon. William N. Ashman, LL- D., will be a guest of the College during Commencement week. He will deliver an address before the Young Men's Christian Association in Christ Lutheran church, on Sunday evening, May 30th. Judge Ashman is an instructive and entertaining speaker and is often called upon to address religious organizations. The Senior class, of Wilson College, Cham-bersburg, visited the Battlefield last Monday. They were accompanied by Dr. S. A. Martin, President of the college. Miss Elizabeth Leopold, of Wilson College, will sing at the services in Christ Lutheran church, next Sunday. John B. McPherson will deliver the Memo-rial address at Fairfield on Decoration Day. About one hundred Baptists from Boston visited the battlefield last Tuesday. They were on their way to a convention to be held in Pittsburg. The Union League from Philadelphia spent Saturday and Sunday in this place. They took in the battlefield and from all accounts had a very pleasant trip. The Coal Exchange from New York visited the historic field last Tuesday. They had their headquarters at the Hotel Gettysburg. SEMINARY. Ten Seniors are now located. Rev. Matt. S. Kemp has received a call to Smicksburg and Trade City, Indiana county. Rev. W. C. Ibach attended the Washington monument dedication, in Philadelphia, May 15th. Messrs. Newcomer and Lecrone, of the mid-dle class, attended the dedication of the Luth-eran church at Spry, York Co., on the 23d. Mr. S. F. Miller preached at Round Top last Sunday evening. Mr. W. Hartman filled Rev. Leiseuring's pulpit, Chambersburg, May 23rd. Rev. J. H. Harms will be installed pastor of Trinity Lutheran church, Chambersburg, on Sunday, June 6th. Rev. Herbert Alleman, former pastor, now of Christ church, this place, will preach one of the sermons. THE COLLEGE MERCURY. Rev. A. Bredenbeck has returned from hj.| recent visit to Philadelphia. Rev. L. B. Hafer has received a call the Fort Washington charge near Philadel-I phia. M. W. M. Cross, eclectic, begins his workf at Stone church on baccalaureate Sunday. Rev. Killian preached at Smithsburg, I last Sunday. Mr. B. R. Lantz, of the Middle class, supply the Lutheran church at LawrenceJ Kan., during the summer. Mr. C. H. Brosius will take charge of Di.l Weber's church, Sunbury, Pa., during tbe| summer. A summary of the Seminary catalogue i«| the current year shows a total enrollment i sixty-two, divided as follows : Seniors, IJ, Middlers, 24; Juniors, 17; Eclectics, 2; Graduates, 6. FRATERNITY NOTES. PHI KAPPA PSI. The Chapter sympathizes with Dr, J. Cl Goettman, '59, who was recently afflicted will a stroke of paralysis. '56. H. W. Kuhns, D. D., one of the Ckl ter members of Pennsylvania Epsilou, recentil met with a painful accident sustaining a fra| ture of the ankle. '82. C. S. Duncan was visited by C. i Meloy, of Penn. Zeta, for a few days las week. '92. Clayton J. Ziegler, York, Pa., paidtlj Chapter a very welcome visit on the 15th ins| R. R. Miller, '93, and R. E. Miller, '94,3 engaged in business in Pine Grove, Pa. '95. W. B. Keefer is playing 2nd basei the Reading ex-College Men's team. '95. H. M. Witman contemplates takii another year at the Yale Divinity School. '96. Carty expects to visit the Chapter do| ing Commencement week. '97. White was called home recently, oivifl to the death of his uncle PHI GAMMA DELTA. A fine half-tone electro of Bro. H. L. Hoj man, ex-'95, Yale '97, appears in the Art THK COLLEGE MERCURY. 78 number of the Qunrterly. Bro. Hoffman has the honor of being the First Gymnast of Yale. The Chapter at Yale is building a house [which, when completed, will be one of the [finest of the kind among the colleges of our country. Bro. J. S. Albert, Gamma Philo, a member I of the State College base-ball team, was a wel-come visitor to our Chapter last week. Bros. L. E. DeYoe, '86, and E. H. Wirt, ['95, paid short visits to Gettysburg this mouth. Bro. E. E. Blint, '90, [.College base-ball game. witnessed the State The Lutheran church, Taueytown, Md., ^was dedicated last week. Bro. D. F. Garland, 18, pastor. Bro. C. W. Fairbanks, Theta Dentrou, of Indiana, made his first speech in the Senate last week. PHI DELTA THETA. Rev. Chas. Reinewald passed through Get-tysburg. May 14, on his way to New York. Rev. L. S. Black has returned to Johnstown. le will visit Gettysburg again during Com-mencement week. Harry Ehrhart spent the night of May 14 in town. Dave J. Forney has just recovered from a slight illness. Markel was very pleasantly surprised on the |5th, by a visit from his father and sister. Carver spent Sunday, the sixteenth, at his home in Hanover. ALPHA TAU OMEGA. E. L. Koller, '98, assisted the choir in the dedicatory services at Taueytown, Md., Sun-day, May 8th. L. DeWitt Gerhardt, '89, visited the Chap-er May 8th. | Ralph Cannon, ex-'g5, spent Sunday, May 16th, with the Chapter. Percy Hoover, '95, now a student at the U. Jf P., was the guest of the Chapter for a few days. P. W. Koller, of the graduating class of Seminary, preached in the First Lutheran church, Hanover, Pa., Sunday, May 16. LITEFJARY SOCIETIES. R. D. CLARIS, Editor. It is very unfortunate that, as soon as the pleasant days and evenings begin to arrive, the attendance at the meetings of our literary societies should decrease so markedly. There is no excuse for such a state of affairs; our halls are both very pleasant to be in on these spring evenings, and we are sure the members need the literary drill just as much now as at any time. There seems to be a general tend-ancy among the boys to give literary matters a second place, and especially in the latter half of the spring term. It is to be hoped that a fresh enthusiasm will take hold of us next Sep-tember and that then our presidents will not be required to hunt around over the campus and through the buildings to find a quorum. PHILO. The society has made an addition to its library in the shape of a book screen—a very necessary and handsome improvement. The new officers who have been elected to serve next year, are the following : President, C. H. Tilp ; Vice President, S. M. Herman ; Recording Secretary, I. Z. Im-ler ; Corresponding Secretary, J. H. Beerits ; Critic, Miss Myers ; Janitor, C. H. Bottiger. PHRENA. At a recent business meeting the following were installed as officers of Phreua Society : President, Meisenhelder; Vice President, Lauf-fer: Recording Secretary, Clare; Chaplain, Enders ; Monitor, McCaruey ; Librarian, Diehl ; Assistant Librarian, Musselman ; Critics, Miss Frey, Bikle, Jr., Reisch, Diehl; Janitor, Keller. Mrs. Sweet—Do you find it economical to do your own cooking ? Mrs. Burnem—Oh, yes; my husband doesn't eat half as much as he did when we had a cook.—Ex. Quoth a medical student named Proctor, As he staved off a creditor's letter, "Tho' I'm not known yet as Dr., I am known far too well as a Dr.'' —Ex. I ADVERTISEMENTS. v ha PIMSYiLVATO '' (\\ _ . \ A' I. Classical Course for the Degree of A. B. II. Scientific Course for the Degree of B. S. III. Post-Graduate Course for the Degree of Ph. D. IV. Special Course in all Departments. V. Elective Studies in Junior and Senior Years. VI. New Testament Greek and Hebrew in English Bible Department! Observatory, Laboratories and new Gymnasium. Four large buildings. All building! heated with steam from central plant. Libraries, 25,000 volumes. Fine Museum. Expense! low. Department of Hygiene and Physical Culture in charge of an experienced physician! Accessible by frequent railroad trains. Location, on BATTLEFIELD of Gettysburg; mol pleasant and healthy. . PREPARATORY DEPARTMENT, in separate buildings, for bojf and young men preparing for business or college, under special care of the principal and thre assistants, residing with students in the building. For full particulars, apply for catalogue ti HARVEY w. MCKNIGHT, D. D., LL. D., PRES'T., Pennsylvania, Cotteg-e^ G>e,ilysb.mg> p3 GENTS' FURNISHER, I H (MY(K(P^ No. 11 Baltimore St., $Pm JUIO A./1L JL JOJELOg CETTY^BimC PA B^Overcoats and Winter Suits at a Big Sacrifice. ~JOHNL. SHEtiDST N£W CIGAR STORK Next door lo W. M. Depot, Gettysburg, Pa. w, w* HBSXTXTXG, ott\\_tR \n BREAD, BOLLS, PRETZELS & CBACKEBS YORK STREET, GETTYSBURG. B®° Reasonable Rates to Clubs. ADVERTISEMENTS. No. 42 North 9th Street, PHILADELPHIA. Acknowledged Headquarters for ANYTHING I EVERYTHING in tlie way of BOOKS FOR CHURCHES, FAMILIES, i V >Z LEGES and SCHOOLS, and LIT-ER: I TURE FOR SUNDA Y SCHOOLS. PLEASE REMEMBER That by sending your orders to us you help traild up and develop one or Hie Church's Institutions, with pecuniary advantage to yourself. Address orders to HENRY S. BONER, Superintendent, No. 42 North 9th Street, Philadelphia. BARBER -^=SHOP. Proprietor, BALTIMORE STREET. f^M^WM it^h^d^^^m mSammr- Made of 5% Nickel Steel Tubing. ■ ,^$sh >■■■ Strongest Efl&SR %:--■-:-■■ ■BICYCLES* THE PLACE FOR STUDENTS TO GO. ONLY FIRST-CLASS TONSORIAL WORK. DAVID TROXEL .DEALER IN. FINE CROQERIES 4riD MOTIONS. York Street.^ ♦•HOTEL 8ETTYSBUR6* -^©AfiSBB SHOP.K-Centre Square.

After two difficult weeks of bad press during which President Obama was accused of rashness (for his quick trip to Copenhagen in an unsuccessful bid on behalf of Chicago before the International Olympic Committee) and of dithering (for taking too long to decide on a new strategy for Afghanistan), on Friday October 9th Americans woke up to the news that their President had won the Nobel Peace Prize. With a mixture of surprise and exhilaration, he addressed the media and tried to be graceful in accepting it while at the same time pre-empting the inevitable criticism that would follow. He made it clear that he "did not view this as a recognition of his own accomplishments but rather as an affirmation of American leadership on behalf of the aspirations held by people in all nation. as a means to give momentum to a set of causes…as a call to action…for all nations to confront the common challenges of the 21st century". The reactions in the United States were mixed, but in general, they were the reverse image of those in Europe, where Obama is still widely admired and idealized. Surprise, outrage and skepticism were the three main responses by the American public. On the Right there was outrage because the prize came so early into his presidency, and at a time when his lack of achievements is starting to haunt the administration and has become the object of comedy sketches, from Jon Stewart's Daily Show to Saturday Night Live. Moderates were pleasantly surprised, even if somewhat puzzled, and immediately fretted that the prize would have more negative than positive consequences in the domestic realm. Indeed, recognition by the rest of the world makes even his supporters a little uncomfortable, and it is used as ammunition against the President by those who accuse him of being too apologetic to foreign powers. Skeptics on the Left felt that it was a strange choice because the country under his leadership is still involved in two wars, and about to escalate one of them. To this there is the added perception by many in his own party that he is doing little on the human rights front, especially with respect to Iran, where several protesters are about to be executed while diplomatic talks on the nuclear issue continue. It would be ludicrous to think that the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded only to those who succeed. In that case, it would only be awarded once every a hundred years. Instead, the prize is meant as a reward and an encouragement to leaders who fight for peace. When German Chancellor Willy Brandt was awarded the prize in 1971, he had just launched his "Ostpolitik" and he had made headlines when he visited Warsaw to sign the Warsaw Treaty and spontaneously knelt at the steps of the memorial to the Warsaw ghetto uprising against the Nazis. His acts did not per se bring an end to Cold War confrontation but it can be argued that Brandt started a process that culminated with détente and more concretely, with the Helsinki Final Act of 1975, which established a framework of cooperation between NATO and the Warsaw Pact countries and gradually became a manifesto for the dissident movement against Communism in the Eastern bloc. Later, and as part of the same process, the Nobel Peace Prize would be awarded to Lech Walesa in 1983 for his leadership in the union movement against the Polish Communist regime, and finally to Mikhail Gorbachev in 1990. Their combined efforts finally led to the fall of Communism, and proved that peace, in the words of Nobel Peace prize awardee Oscar Arias, "has no finishing line, no deadline, no fixed definition of achievement…it is a never ending process, the work of many decisions by many people in many countries…" In only nine months of his presidency, Obama has changed the international climate of confrontation and preemptive aggression established by Bush, who alienated even our national allies. He has restored the principles of the New World Order envisioned by Bush's father: one based on international law and diplomacy, consensus-building and on progressive nuclear disarmament. It is this renewal of promises by the US to abide by international treaties, to use dialog instead of confrontation and to cooperate with the rest of the world through the United Nations that the Oslo Nobel Committee was rewarding. But as Eugene Robinson of the Washington Post has observed, if Obama were to find a cure for cancer, his critics would "blame him for putting some hard-working, red-blooded American oncologists out of work". In sum, his critics cannot have it both ways: they derided Obama for his unsuccessful trip to Copenhagen and made fun of his excessive self-confidence and his belief that by his actions alone he can improve American standing in the world. On the other hand, when Oslo honored him with the Nobel Prize, a sign that he is trusted and admired because of his approach to doing exactly that, they use this as proof that he cannot be trusted because foreigners like him too much!Almost a century ago, another US President found himself in a similar situation: admired by the rest of the world but shunned at home, Woodrow Wilson, who had led the way to peace at the end of World War I through the Versailles Treaty and the creation of the League of Nations (based on his famous Fourteen Points), received the 1919 Nobel Peace Prize at the end of his Presidency but after public opinion had already turned against him. Afflicted by a stroke and embittered by his battles with Congress, he never had a chance to see his work come to fruition: the Republican Senate voted against the United States' membership in the League. The consequences of this mistake are well-known: the United States turned inward, became isolationist and protectionist, only to find itself mired in the Great Depression by 1930. A weakened League was unable to stop the rising fascist states, and another world war followed. Later in the conflict the United States had to come out of its isolationism to defend Europe and establish peace. Wilson had died in 1924, but in many ways his vision of multilateralism and war prevention survived in the signing of the Charter of the United Nations in 1945, this time under the leadership of the United States. Peace is even more elusive today, in a global world of unstable states and violent non-state actors, of deep resentments and irreconcilable views and values. It would be ludicrous to think that the US can bring about peace by itself or for that matter, to solve any of the problems that confront it without the cooperation of others. From global warming to transnational crime to terrorism, the only relatively acceptable solutions can be found through diplomacy and multilateral action. It is in this light that the Nobel Peace Prize Committee's intention has to be interpreted. For the first time in eight years, the United States is led by a President who understands that the complexity of post-modern conflict and the depth of the challenges faced can only be managed (not solved) by states acting in concert.The intricacy of global politics today is further enhanced by the immense and unprecedented political awareness of the masses everywhere. This new reality of massive political awakening is especially destabilizing in the early stages of national consciousness, during which emotions and feelings related to identity, ethnicity and geography are greatly intensified and thus become destabilizing. It is this climate of resentment, fragmentation and political awakening that the West has to confront not only in the battlefield (Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iraq) but also at home, where immigration has altered the national face of states and where the North-South conflict has to be confronted every day. This changing geopolitical context, together with economic realities, is affecting the US place in the world and is resulting in the relative weakening of the West in general and of America in particular. Increasingly, the West is going to need the cooperation of a China that is "rising peacefully" and a still-belligerent Russia to settle most problems in the Middle East and Central Asia. As the United States and the West come to terms with their loss of power, as Europe still struggles to speak in one voice, as their military resources are tied down for the long term in areas where the political awakening is particularly virulent, it is ludicrous to expect peace with capital letters. In the best case scenario, these will be challenges that will require serious negotiations and tough diplomacy in order to be managed, and those should include the rising powers and even some unsavory interlocutors like Iran (which can be a partner in Iraq and Afghanistan) and the Taliban (some elements of which can be brought into local agreements and peeled away from Al Qaeda). Obama should use the encouragement of the Nobel Peace Prize to move these negotiations forward, without ultimatums, without immediate deadlines, with the guiding purpose of accommodation and de-escalation, of managing conflict more than forever solving it.On the home front, Obama publicly refused to celebrate the passing of the Baucus health-care reform bill yesterday, although this is a major stride towards the final legislative product. By a vote of 14 to 9, with only one Republican voting in favor, the Senate Finance Committee cleared the way for a full vote on the Senate floor once it is merged with the version from another committee that was approved a month ago. Senator Olympia Snowe, the only Republican to vote for it, said she was responding to "the call of History, and that consequences of inaction dictate the urgency of Congress" to act. Once it passes the Senate, it will be merged with the House bill and become law. This puts Obama in a very good position to succeed in health care reform before the end of the year, but he underplayed the achievement, saying it was just one more step and there still remained a long way to go. He did, however, thank Senator Snowe for her "political courage and seriousness of purpose."Finally, on November 3rd, all eyes will be on the state of Virginia. Virginians will be voting for governor in a close race in which Bob McDonnell, the Republican candidate has been consistently ahead in the polls. Because Northern Virginia is so close to Washington, not only geographically but also culturally and politically, it is deemed the most important race for governor in the country. After eight years of excellent leadership under two Democratic governors, Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, (there is no re-election for governor in the state of Virginia), the electorate seems ready for a change, even as political pundits are portraying the race as a poll on the President himself. That is why, at the end of this month Obama will be campaigning for Creigh Deeds, the Democratic candidate for Governor of Virginia. It is another political gamble by the hyperkinetic president and one he should reconsider for at least two reasons. First, Virginians are a tough lot and usually prefer to balance the party ticket of state and federal government. Indeed, according to Larry Sabato of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, for the last eight consecutive elections, Virginians have voted for governor the nominee of the party opposite to the one that held the White House. That means they will vote for Republican candidate Mc Donnell and Obama's candidate will lose. Second, until this last election when Obama won the state, Virginians had voted Republican in nearly every presidential election since 1952. It was thanks to the youth vote that he won, and those voters are the least likely to come out and vote in the election for governor. The older crowds that vote religiously in every election are more likely to vote Republican this time. For Obama to campaign for Deeds is then a repeat of the Copenhagen Olympic bid effect.Passing the health care bill and achieving a Democratic win in at least some of the governor races would represent incredible boosts for the President that he will need as his support numbers dwindle, especially if he makes the unpopular decision of sending more troops to Afghanistan. By the time all those questions are settled, the Copenhagen Olympics and the Oslo Peace Prize will be distant memories. But then, he will have to go back and address Copenhagen II, namely, climate change. Senior Lecturer, Department of Political Science and Geography Director, ODU Model United Nations Program Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia

March, 1©©/^. IBIJSHED BY THE STUDENTS OF PENNSYEVANIA (GETTYSBURG) COLLEGE T,K*M.sKNT,NKi.oMce,iQEJTWBBURQ COLLEGE LIBRARY GETTYSBURG, PA. j^M- ■*f X. making all the noise of which his little Kings were capable. Again the quest was taken up and, as it was this time a thorough one, the culprit was at length unearthed. spn his former tour of inspection, Pete, in look-ng under the table had seen nothing but the 'ater pail and had therefore passed on to what le thought were fields more fruitful. In his second search he examined with a closer scrutiny, and raising the table cover saw safely sitting in the pail the little rascal he was seek-ing. So ludicrous was the picture that the thought of punishing the culprit was lost in the general laughter in which he was com-pelled to join. Nothing was more annoying to X. than to be the subject of comment or of the stare of the curious. One time with several of the other boys he attended the County Fair. Country people were out in crowds gazing with open mouthed wonder at everything they saw. From the moment he entered the grounds, X. became the leading attraction. To his intense disgust the country yokels with their girls began to follow him about, putting to him all sorts of personal questions and loudly commenting on the "little fellar's" ap-pearance. Finally, entirely losing his patience he turned to his tormentors and directed them to stand in line. This, all were coaxed or bantered by their companions into doing; finally, they were arranged and waiting, as one fellow expressed it, to see "what ther littul cuss waz a goin ter do." X. walked slowly down the line giving it the while a critical in-spection; then, stationing himself near the en-trance yelled out so all could hear, "That is the longest row of infernal fools I ever saw.'' Ere the parties thus complimented had recov-ered from their surprise, X. had escaped from the grounds and was on his way back to "Prep.," feeling that he had received a partial recompense for the severe annoyance to which he had been subjected. With both teachers and companions X. was a great favorite. He was very bright and ex-ceedingly quick at repartee. Every one re-gretted, when, at the end of Freshman year, he concluded to say good-bye to College life. It was during my first term at "Prep." that one November night all the benches, desks and.chairs mysteriously disappeared from the College class rooms. I recall how, in coming down stairs the next morning, we found a number of the benches in the front hall. Fearful lest they might get stolen we carefully carried them down to the cellar and stored them in all the darkest corners. Soon the College janitor came around on a collecting tour and carted away all that he could find; some, how-ever, remained in their hiding places for over a year. I found on inquiry that most of the furniture thus surreptitiously removed had been found in the town piled up in front of the Court House with the chair and desk of our College President on top; a few benches were found in the pond that formerly existed be-tween "Prep." and College, others in the yards of different professors and the remainder in the fields several miles away. It was a number of days before the scattered ones were recovered and in the meantime the boys were requested to furnish their own sitting. When first notified to bring in chairs, five minutes were allowed in which to procure them and get back for recitation. There was, of course, a general stampede and shortly the halls were filled with boys lugging each his largest rock-ing chair. Those first on the ground immedi-ately commenced a vigorous motion while those who came last found the floor space of the class room entirely pre-empted. This ac-tion on the part of the boys secured to them a second intermission in which they were di-rected to make an exchange for proper chairs and be back in three minutes. The rush and consequent entanglement of boys and rockers was so great that the racket and general ap- THE COLLEGE MERCURY. pearance of the halls gave one the impression of a riot. Though this was a College trick it was fully appreciated by the boys of "Prep." and no doubt awakened the spirit of emulation which resulted in many of the after pranks, played, not only in Preparatory but later on in College. The Holiday vacation shortly followed the above irruption, when my chum, worn out no doubt by the hard work of the term, much to my regret shook off forever the trammels of a student life. The boys all joyously turned their faces homeward, where, to their proud parents they told how close had been their ap-plication to the duties of the term. F. A. L. A SCHEME. Jack Derland's heart was bounding with tu-multous joy as he mounted the steps of a Ninth Avenue residence and rang the bell. He had good reason for his happiness. Two evenings before, the daughter of old Paul Kramer, a very eccentric retired business man, had accepted him as her lover. She was a charming girl, and Jack's description of her to his chum, "not so pretty, but"—a shake of the head—tells us more than any words, that she was a true, noble woman. She ordered the servant back and opened the door herself, with a hearty "Hello Jack," which was an-swered with a burst of boyish feeling. When they reached the parlor the shadow on his sweetheart's face made Jack pause. He had been too much occupied with his own hap-piness to think of anybody, or anything, but himself and Mary as being concerned in this betrothal, and had reckoned without any con-sideration of Paul Kramer. Therefore he was utterly unprepared for her blank statement. After they were seated she blurted out : "Papa objects." ' 'What ? '' Jack is thunderstruck. A long silence. "On what grounds? " Jack asked. "Well, he knows that you have only a few hundred a year. You are only a Junior at the University. Jack, the truth is, its money ; mean, contemptible old money." And Mary hid her face on his shoulder with something very like a sob. Jack sat still and thought for quite a while. He knew papa Kramer's feeling of contempt for college men. The old gentleman spoke of them as "having some book knowledge and much conceit.'' He knew that Paul Kramer believed only in the genius of hard work and economy, and regarded genius, as it is usually spoken of, as a very flimsy foundation upon which to found the hopes of a life. Now, the father, like all eccentric old gen-tlemen, had his hobby, and he rode it to death. He wanted to know a great deal about the im-mortality of the soul. He reasoned much on this subject and reached conclusions, right and wrong. Now, Mary knew all about this hobby, and her quick woman's wit suggested a way out of the trouble. "Jack?" '' Mary ? '' disconsolately. "I have a plan. You must enter the ora-torical contest, which you had intended to slight, and your subject must be 'The Immor-tality of the Soul.' Nerve yourself to win for my sake and yours. Perhaps if you come off victor out of a class of two hundred, this fact, together with your subject, will change the mind of my dear old stubborn father." By the time she had finished Jack was a most forlorn looking piece of humanity. He gazed blankly at the fire, thoroughly stunned by the prospect. "Jack?" And Mary had to pinch him in order to arouse him. "Well?" "You must do it." "Yes." And as he looked at her, the thought of all that it meant to him filled him with ambition and inspiration, and he resolved "to win or die," in his phrase. He went to work faithfully. Every third evening he reported at the Kramer mansion, and Mary criticised his work. Her good ! t: ii li ii \\ '1' n te st tl w w tii cl m la te cc ce fr( &i hi ar s\\ wE1^, ^ 2© Balto. St., GETTYSBURG. SPECIAL ATTENTION PAID TO MMJMtfE WMIl BATTLEFIELD VIEWS iromrsffl. MAIL ORDERS RECEIVE PROMPT ATTENTION. AI )YKRTISEMENTS. FURNITURE. Cabinet Making, PICTURE FRAMES Baltimore street, Gettysburg, Pa. Manufacturers and Importers of G. E. SPANGLM, Successor to J. W. Eicholtz & Co., DEALEU IN No. 127 Chambersburg St., GETTYSBURG, PA. JOMN E. PITZER, MEMBER POST 9, G. A R. GETTYSBURG, PA., - - - Main street. *t)bm "■: UMM 'v-"v': MMIS FP,EE BUS TO AND FROM ALL TWAINS, RATES $>Fo PER W. 30 Seconds Walk from Either De| DINNER WITH DRIVE OVER FIE1D WITH 4 0fl MORE $1.35, Ji Ei HUGHES,) PROPR. ADVERTISEMENTS. BASE i/isitors to 1(3 A -jl-J Settysburg College, Settysburg, Penn'a, . . SUPPLIES, . . Spaldiricr boaquo Ball, j^Lits, Masl^s, Qte. Managers should send for samples and special rates. Every requisite for TENNIS, GOLF, CRICKET, TRAGK AND FIEID. GYMNASIUM EQUIPMENTS AND OUTFITS, COMPLETE CATALOGUE SPRING AND SUMMER SPORTS FREE. "Ths Name the Guarantee." A. Q. Spalding; & Bros., NEW YORK, PHILADELPHIA, CHICAGO. 1108 CHESTNUT STREET, PHILADELPHIA ty/right's Qngraving Jrfouse ''AS become tile recognized leader in unique styles of COLLEGE and FRATERNITY EN-GRAVINGS and STATIONERY, College and Class-Day Invitations, engraved and printed from steel plates; Programmes, Menus, Wedding and Reception Invitations, Announcements, etc., etc. Examine prices and styles before ordering elsewbere. 50 Visiting Cards from New Engraved Plate for $1.00. ERNEST A. WRIGHT, 1108 Chestnut Street, PHILADELPHIA Hon.W. J. Bryan's Book All who are interested in furthering the sale of Son. W. J. Bryan's new book should correspond immediately with the publishers. The work will contain . . . AN ACCOUNT OF HIS CAMPAIGN TOBR. HIS BI0GRAP1T, WRITTEN BY HIS TOB HIS MOST IMPORTANT SPEECHES THE RESU1TS OF TIE CAMPAIGN OF 1896. A REVIEW OF THE! POLITICAL SITUATION. ••OACCNTS WANT5D«»- Mi. i.iviiii has an-nounced his intenrion of devoting one-half of all royalties to furthering the cause of bimetallism. There are already indications of an euormouesale. Address W. B. CONKEY COMPANY, Publishers 341-351 Dearborn St.CHICAGO -WILL FIND THE-Cumberland Valley R. R 8 running in a South-Westerly direction from tfarrisburgl Pa., through Carlisle. Chambersburg, Hagerstown anlf Martinsburg to Winchester, Va., a direct and availabltl route from the North, East and West to Gettysburg, Pa.l via. Harrisburg and Carlisle. Through tickets via. tliiil route on sale at all P. R. It. offices, and baggage checked! through to destination. Also, a popular route to tli-l South via. Carlisle. Ask lor your tickets via. CumOerlaini Valley Railroad and Carlisle, nl J. F. BOYU, Superintendent. H. A. RIDDLE, Gen. Passenger Agent. FPU. H. NjlNNlCH, Man ufacturer, Wholesale and Retail Dealer in ©onfedionernjjOYSTERSl AND ice. frEADV FORTPRlrtC SUITS TO ORDER—PRICES $12.00 TO $35.00 ; TROUSERS, $2.50 TO $9.00. All Kinds of Repairing Done. All the new effects in Check and Over Plaids you will find at TAILOR, CLOTHIER AND GENTS' FURNISHER, J, H. MYfflS, ^SlSKS PA. fiSTOvercoats and Winter Suits at a Big Sacrifice. ■» JOHN L. SRErtDsT NEW GlGAR STORE Next door lo W. M.

MAY, 1900. ocThe Qettysbur Mercury CONTENTS Voices Around College 69 The Ivove of Nature as Por-trayed by Milton's Poetry 70 College Songs 79 Seen Through a Glass 80 A Reverie 83 Autobiography of a Silver Dollar 85 A College Friendship 90 Editor's Desk 93 Is Power in Debate Declining. 95 College L,ife Involves More than the Acquisition of Knowledge 100 Exchanges.'. 101 FAVOR THOSE WHO FAVOR US. For Fine- Printing go to Tk Jo E. Wilt Wgtiii M©«e CARLISLE ST. GETTYSBURG, PA. C. B. Kitzmiller Dealer in Hats, Caps, Boots and . Douglas Shoes GETTYSBURG, PA. 11 ELLIOTT Dealer In Hats, Caps, Shoes and. Gents' Furnishing Goods Corner Center Square and Carlisle Street GETTYSBURG, PA. EDGAR 5. MARTIN, ^CIGARS AND SMOKERS' ARTICLES. %}*** tj*^ \>^* Chambersburg St., Gettysburg. Like to learn Spanish ? An easy Ian- f guage to learn. " / HossfeXd's Spanish Method. Self-teaching. $1.00 / / Suanish-English,Engli8h-SpanishDiction'y, El.00 ' / /y Hossfeld's Italian Method, Self-teaching. 41.00 / jT Italian-English, English-Italian Dictionary. 81.00 / ' S Hossfeld's German Method. Self-teaching. $1.00 S/ S s German-English,Enplish-GermanDictionary.s%2.Q0 / / Hossfeld's French Method. Self-teaching. $1.00 f/ ' / French-English, English-French Dictionary. $2.00 /, X Brooks'1st Latin Book. £0 ct«. / * Latin-English, English-Latin Dictionary. $3.00 / / Brooks' 1st Greek Lessons. fiO cts. / Greek-English, English-Greek Dictionary, $3.00 // Literal Translation! of the ClassicB—Latin, /y Qxeek, German, French. Eighty-five volume*, X sold separately, 60 eta. each. Sendfor list. *S ELTTDS & NOBLE, Publishers •/ I4-S-1S-14 Cooper Inrtituto N.Y.City / SchooVbooJcs ofall pub-lishers at one store. orsome other language? i .THE. GETTYSBURG MERCURY. VOI,. IX. GETTYSBURG, PA., MAY, 1900. No. 3 VOICES AROUND COLLEGE. HEARD BY AN OLD GKAD. Bursts of merry laughter through the open doors As we pass reflective down the corridors— Sunny-faced Allegro, genius of the scene, Satisfy our wonder; say, what can this mean ? With spirits light and jolly We scatter melancholy, Helping our genial task with mirth and fun ; Fair wisdom seems the sweeter And toilsome hours are fleeter, And every trouble's ended ere it's half begun. Shouts for victor athletes on the level field, Cheers for strong endeavor on our ears have pealed ; Stout and agile fellows on this classic ground, Why profane these precincts with such boisterous sound ? With spirits strong and jolly We rout old melancholy, And help our genial task with sport and game ; Fair wisdom seems the sweeter, Her triumphs are completer, When bounding health and vigor thrill the frame, i Strains of music quiver on the evening air, All the sweet inventions aiding song are there ; Saint Cecilia tell us, hast thou chosen this Academic garden for thy bower of bliss ? With hearts attuned and jolly We banish melancholy, And mix our genial task with glee and song ; Fair wisdom seems the sweeter, Her cup with joy repleter, When her gentle sister Music fares along. 7° THE GETTYSBURG MERCURY. Hail, indulgent Mother, crowned with glorious years, This our boyish tumult thy loved name endears ! In the busy future oft shall Fancy deem That she hears it echo softly in her dream. With hearts aglow and jolly We scoff at melancholy ; Our genial task proceeds with mirth and cheer ; As Alma Mater listens, Her eye with feeling glistens, And her blessing falls upon her children dear. THE LOVE OF NATURE AS PORTRAYED BY MILTON'S POETRY. ROBERT D. CLARE, '00—GRAEF PRIZE ESSAY. " T TE who would not be frustrated in his hope to write well ■*• hereafter in laudable things ought himself to be a true poem." Thus wrote the youthful Milton as he stood upon the threshold of that wonderful career of literary activity, which not only made his age one of peculiar interest in the development of English literature, but also gave to our language at least one of its noblest masterpieces of poetic art. A poet is one who is himself a true poem. This definition might well stand for all ages as the highest and most beautiful conception of the real follower of the poetic art. It would not, however, possess for all the same meaning, inasmuch as it also involves a second definition of the poet's art, and its rightful province, about which there is a decided difference of opinion. In order that it may serve our present purpose, we must consider it in the light of what we know of the character and convictions of its author. To Milton the writing of poetry was a prophetic office, to be exercised by none save the most godly and consecrated. The true poet must, above all, be in perfect harmony with his poetry —"not presuming to sing high praises of heroic men or famous cities, unless he have in himself the experience and practice of all that is-praiseworthy." According to Milton, the three great con-stituents of the poetical nature were knowledge, virtue and reli-gion. Anyone not recognizing these constituents was not worthy the dignity of the office. It is to his conscientious adherence to this standard, probably more than to any other cause, that most of the adverse criticism which has been passed upon his poetry is i^Ml 7 THE GETTYSBURG MERCURY. 71 due. Some of his critics have been pleased to find fault with his treatment of natural phenomena on the grounds that it lacks fidelity, and does not conform to the generally accepted poetical standards. Were poetry what many of our later writers seem to think it is, merely an interpretation of natural phenomena, these criticisms would be in part just; but hi the realm of poetry there must be liberty both in the selecting of themes, and in the treat-ment of the same. Milton's non-conformance to general rules should not expose him to criticism. Poetry deals primarily with man and nature. The higher life, however, encompassing both man and nature, adds another object—God. Milton recognized this last object as constituting the most important of these three poetical entities. It was to none other than the Omnipotent himself that he looked for his greatest theme, as well as his inspiration. It was to his wondrous dealings with man, the second entity, that he looked for the sub-ject- matter for his great masterpiece. It was to nature that he looked for illustration, ornamentation and a suitable setting. In thus subordinating nature, Milton did not under-estimate its importance in the poetic art; but he rather exalted to an ex-ceptionally high degree the importance of the other two entities. Anftther explanation of this seeming neglect of nature may be found in the fact that Milton was not a man who could be content with worshiping or glorifying his Creator by a laudation of his works in verse, but, in true Puritan faith and simplicity, desired rather to draw near and commune with Him face to face. Iyet us now consider the second thought involved in the defini-tion, " A poet is one who is himself a true poem." According to Milton's conception, poetry is largely subjective. The agency of nature is by no means eliminated, but rather is limited to the implanting in the mind of the first forms for the imagination. Thus furnished with material drawn from nature's great store-house, the mind can create for itself not only landscapes of sur-passing beauty, but also worlds and starry systems. It is this subjective element which gives to Milton's poetry its most char-acteristic qualities. In the later years of our poet's life, when his sight failed him, and he was left with nothing but a fertile mind and a strong imaginative faculty, this element is particularly ap-parent in his writings. However, at no period of his literary activity was he disregardful of nature's teachings, or lacking in a 72 THE GETTYSBURG MERCURY. due appreciation of all her varied phenomena, as has sometimes been asserted. It must be borne in mind that Milton was a man of books, not a man of the field. Although open to impressions from the world of nature, he was not a naturalist, closely observ-ing for the sake of classification all natural phenomena. " He was not concerned to register the phenomena and facts of nature, but to convey the impressions they made upon a sensitive soul. The external forms of things are to be presented to us as trans-formed through the heart and mind of the poet."—Pattiso?i. We are now able to examine with some degree of intelligence and appreciation the works of this great poet, with a view to de-termining in a more or less perfect manner the character and ex-tent of his love for nature. For our present purpose a few quotations from his best productions must suffice, although the subject merits the most careful, deliberate and painstaking study. Were we to confine ourselves to a study of Milton's earlier poems, the most likely conclusion for us to reach with reference to the criticisms to which we have already referred, would be that they are entirely groundless. Throughout this splendid collec-tion of sonnets and weightier poems there is displayed a most exquisite taste for the beauties and charms of nature. To the devout mind of our poet, nature was the glorious handiwork of the almighty Creator, and contained many of his wonderful secrets. Regarding her in this light, he could not fail to be im-pressed by her subtle influences. However, as we have before implied, he was never guilty of worshiping nature to the neglect of the great First Cause—the divine Creator—Who was back of her. By Milton, nature was regarded as the poet's ever-ready and helpful handmaid. "Willingly," to quote from Emerson, "does she follow his steps with the rose and the violet, and bend her lines of grandeur and grace to the decoration of her darling child. Only let his thoughts be of equal scope, and the frame will suit the picture. A virtuous man is in unison with her works, and makes the central figure of the visible sphere. Homer, Pindar, Socrates, Phocian, associate themselves fitly in our memory with the whole geography and climate of Greece. The visible heavens and earth sympathize with Jesus. And in common life, whoso-ever has seen a person of powerful character and happy genius, will have remarked how easily he took all things along with him THE GETTYSBURG MERCURY. 73 —the persons, the opinions and the day—and nature became an-cillary to a man." To treat the great body of Milton's poetry in any save a very general way would be entirely beyond the scope and purpose of this essay; hence, we shall confine ourselves for the present to a brief consideration of only a few of the works of each of the two periods of poetic activity which we recognize in Milton's life. To the former period, extending from about 1625 to 1640, belong most of his shorter poems, among which special mention should be made of L/Allegro, II Peuseroso, Arcades, Comus, L,ycidas, and a number of sonnets. To the latter period, extending from about 1660 to the year of his death, 1674, belong Paradise L,ost, Paradise Regained and Samson Agonistes. Of the earlier poems, the companion pieces, 1,'Allegro and II Penseroso, L,ycidas and Comus, are richest in their natural beauty and freshness, although these qualities are by no means wanting in the other poems of the period, as may be seen from these beau-tiful lines from '' On a May Morning :'' " Now the bright morning- star, day's harbinger, Comes dancing- from the east; and leads with her The flowery May, who from her green lap throws The yellow cowslip and the pale primrose." We may search throughout the whole realm of poetry and find nothing to surpass 1/Allegro and II Penseroso in choice and faithful description of the many charms of country life. Although the poems are the expressions of opposite moods, they both fur-nish us with idealized rural scenes. Note the richness of natural description in these lines from I/Allegro : —" Right against the eastern gate, Where the great sun begins his state, Robed in flames and amber light, The clouds in thousand liveries dight; While the ploughman, near at hand, Whistles o'er the furrowed land, And the milkmaid singeth blithe, And the mower whets his scythe, And every shepherd tells his tale Under the hawthorn in the dale." That Milton was not impressed only by the great and magnifi-cent in nature is attested by many passages in his works. In II Penseroso not only the feathered songsters, but even the busy lit-tle bees, are included in his thought. ■ 74 THE GETTYSBURG MERCURY. " Sweet bird, that shunn'st the noise of folly, Most musical, most melancholy ! Thee, chantress, oft the woods among I woo, to hear thy even song'." * * * * * * * —" Hide me from day's garish eye, While the bee with honeyed thigh, That at her flowery work doth sing, And the waters murmuring, "With such consort as they keep, Entice the dewy-feathered sleep." In Lyridas, that superb creation of poetic art, we find the author, in his deep grief over the loss of his friend, giving life to the forms and forces of nature, and holding sad converse with them. "Yet once more, O ye laurels, and once more, Ye myrtles brown, with ivy never sere, I come to pluck your berries harsh and crude, And with forced fingers rude Shatter your leaves before the mellowing year." When he reverts to his boyhood companionship with Lycidas we find that it is inseparably associated with wild, free nature. " For we were nursed upon the self-same hill, Fed the same flock, by fountain, shade and rill; Together both, ere the high lawns appeared, Under the opening eyelids of the morn." As he proceeds in his plaintive song he fancies that not only the sorrowing shepherd—who is in fact himself—but nature, too, is lamenting over the loss of I,ycidas. "Thee, shepherd, thee, the woods and desert caves, With wild thyme and the gadding vine o'ergrown, And all their echoes mourn." In the whole range of pastoral poetry no more beautiful and lofty, yet exquisitely delicate, lines can be found than the follow-ing : " Ye valleys low, where the mild whispers use Of shades, and wanton winds, and gushing brooks, On whose fresh lap the swart star sparely looks, Throw hither all your quaint enamelled eyes, That on the green turf suck the honeyed showers, And purple all the ground with vernal flowers, Bring the rathe primrose that forsaken dies, The tufted crow-toe and the pale jessamine, The white pink and the pansy streaked with jet, THE GETTYSBURG MERCURY. 75 The glowing violet. The musk-rose, and the well-attired woodbine, With cowslips wan, that hang the pensive head, And every flower that sad embroidery wears, Bid amaranthus all his beauty shed, And daffodils fill their cups with tears, To strew the laureate hearse where Lycid lies." The sweet mournfulness with which the poem begins is sus-tained to the end. In this poem Milton reached the very acme of his genius. It is in this production that he reveals his true poetic nature, and it is for this reason that we have dwelt upon it at such great length. Of the remaining poems of this earlier period we shall say but little, having presented Lycidas as the representative work of Milton's genius at this period of his life. Although the Comus, as well as several of the other shorter poems and sonnets, abound in natural richness, time and space forbid a treatment of them in this essay. We now turn to the latter period of Milton's poetic activity— the period which gave to us that wonderful epic, Paradise I_ost. It is with ithis poem that we are chiefly concerned at present. Paradise Regained and Samson Agouistes, grand as they are, do not represent our poet at his best, having been written at the close of a life that had long before been cast into darkness—a darkness springing not only from destroyed vision, but also from increasing sorrow and disappointment. The question arises : What can be said of Milton's love for nature as portrayed in Paradise L,ost; was it diminished in in-tensity or different in character ? Before answering, let us con-sider certain circumstances which are inseparably connected with a proper treatment of this question. Milton was now an old man; years of domestic trials and political strife had left upon him their evil effects ; moreover, he was now blind. Conditions such as these surely are not conducive to poetical activity. Neverthe-less, Milton still had before him his great life's work, and would never rest'satisfied till it was accomplished. Paradise I A REVERIE. CHAS. W. WEISER, '01. I. There's a beauty in the spring-time, When the first warm rays beat down From the bright, blue sky in Heaven, Giving- life to all around ; When but here and there is seen Float a white and fleecy cloud, Like a dove the messag-e bringing:— "God is wisdom, God is love." II. When the trees in all their splendor Now are robed in living green; When the woods now crowned with glory Glimmer in the morning sheen ; As we tread with heart so blithesome Through each leafy, shady bower, In pursuit of fairest nature, Sauntering after rarest flower, We drink in her grandest blessing— Glorious sunshine, purest air. And in stumbling o'er the rock-beds, By the side of rippling stream, Suddenly there bursts upon us Charming, bright, and glorious scene. In the middle of the forest Basks a meadow in the sun, And down thro' its grassy pastures, 84 THE GETTYSBURG MERCURY. Waters fresh do gently run. On we saunter o'er the meadow Gently plucking- tender flowers, Finding there the grass—the blue-eyed- And the pretty yellow-star Looking upward in the sunlight, Pointing- upward to the sky. III. As the sparkling mountain torrent Flows into the muddy river, And the waters, swiftly flowing Soon are blended into one; So the scented breeze of springtime Soon is blended with the summer. Yes, the busy, humming summer With its fields of rip'ning- grain, And its clattering-, rattling reaper, With its band of busy men, With its red'ning, rip'ning- cherries Hanging- tempting on the trees, With its apples in the orchard, And the clover, and the bees. All are busy, all are bustling, Gathering- in a bounteous store, While the earth is full of blessing-s, Ere the harvest-time is o'er. IV. From the ants, the bees, the harvest, We may learn a lesson true :— The work is great, the time is short, In which we have to do. The moments lost, the time ill-spent Shall never come again ; But our deeds shall yield a harvest Which will give us joy or pain. V. Slowly creeping- in its course, Southward moves the summer's sun, Quietly o'er the mountain sneaking, With his sting-, Jack Frost has come. Soon the leaves are turned to crimson, And the fruit to golden brown, Nuts are ripened, quickly gathered, As they fall upon the ground. Fruit is plucked and corn is garnered, THE GETTYSBURG MERCURY. Everything- is gathered in, Leaves are falling, winds are blowing, And the winter now begins. VI. Wind is howling, snow is falling1, Fire's crackling loud within, Corn is popping, apples roasting, Merry chatter, laugh and din. All are snug and warm to-night While the earth is decked with white. 85 od style and at less cost than you can obtain same elsewhere. They are located among the mountains but their work is metropolitan. You can be convinced of this if you give them the opportunity. Mt. Holly Stationery and Printing Co. *SPRINGS, PA. H. S. BENNER, .DEALER IN. Groceries, Notions, Queensware, Glassware, Etc, Tobacco and Ggars. Yl CHAMBERSBURG ST. WE RECOMMEND THESE BUSINESS MEN. Pitzer House, (Temperance) JNO. E. PITZER, Prop. Rates $1.00 to $1.25 per day. Battlefield a specialty. Dinner and ride to all points of interest,including the tb ree days* fipht, $1.25. No. 127 Main Street. MUMPER & BENDER Furniture Cabinet Making, Picture Frames Beds, Springs, Mattresses, Etc. Baltimore St., GETTYSBURG, PA. You will find a full line of Pure Drugs and Fine Sta- People's Drug Store Prescriptions a Specialty. .GO TO. fjotel (Bettysburg, Barker Sfyop. Centre Square. B. M. SEFTON J. A. TAWNEY_^ Is ready to furnish Clubs and Bread, Rolls, Etc. At short notice and reasonable rates. Washington & Middle Sts., Gettysburg. XWYT. Tr*. rLnAnJ-LnHDJKT1, Successor to 8imoil j. Codori Dealer in Beef, Pork, Lamb, Veal, Sausage. Special rates to Clubs. York St., GETTYSBURG. Davib Croxd, Dealer in $'me (groceries anb Hotions «^c4Jork Street. .GO TO. CHAS. E. BARBEHENN, Barber In the Eagle Hotel, Cor. Main and Washing-ton Sts. YOHN BROS. Agents for the Keystone State, Waldo, Washbum, Groupner & Meyer. Highest Grade Mandolins, Guitars, Banjos, Mandollas and Mandocellos. Headquarters for Phonographs, Graphophones and supplies. Trimmings of every description. All sheet music one-half off. Large discounts on Books and studies. 326 Market St., Harrisburg, Pa. in-mmum n FAVOR THOSE WHO FAVOR US. Spalding's OFFICIAL Athletic Goods Officially adopted by the leading Colleges, Schools and Athletic Clubs of the Country. Every requisite ior Baseball, Football, Golf, Tennis, Athlet-ics, Gymnasium. Spalding's Offi-cial League Ball is the Official Ball of the Na-tional League and all the lead-ing college asso-ciations Handsome cata-logue of Athletic Sports free to any address. Spalding's Baseball Guide for 1900,10 cts. A. Q. SPALDING & BROS. New York Chicago ROWE. YOUR GROCER Carries Pull Line of Groceries, Canned Goods, Etc, Best Coal Oil and Brooms at most Reasonable Prices. OPPOSITE COLLEO.E CAMPUS. S. J. CODORL *# Druggists* Dealer in Drugs, Medicines, Toilet Articles, J> Stationery, Blank Books, Amateur Pho-tographic Supplies, Etc., Etc. BALTIMORE ST. R. H. CULP PAPER HANGER, Second Square, York Street. COLLEGE EMBLEMS. EMIL ZOTHE, ENGRAVER, DESIGNER AND MANUFACTURING JEWELER. 19 S. NINTH ST. PHILADELPHIA, PA. SPECIALTIES: Masonic Marks, Society Badges, College Buttons, Pius, Scarf Pins, Stick Pins and Athletic Prizes. All Goods ordered through A. N. Beau. To Repair Broken Arti-cles use Major's Cement Remember MAJOR'S RUBBER CEMENT, MAJOR'S LEATHER CEMENT. Meneely Bell Co. TROY, N. Y. MANUFACTURERS OF SUPERIOR BELLS The 2000 pound bell now ringing in the tower of Pennsylvania Col-lege was manufactured at this foundry. PATRONIZE OUR ADVERTISERS. The Pleased Customer Is not a stranger in our establish-ment— he's right at honie, you'll see him when you call. We have the materials to please fastidious men. J. D. LIPPY, Merchant Tailor 39 Chambersburg- St., Gettysburg-, Pa. G. E. SPANGLER, Dealer in Pianos, Organs, Music, Musical Instruments, Strings, Etc. YORK STREET, 1ST SQUARE. GETTYSBURG. L. D. Miller, GROCER Confectioner and Fruiterer. Ice Cream and Oysters in Season. 19 Main St. GETTYSBURG City Hotel Main St. Gettysburg. Jt Free 'Bus to and from all Trains Thirty seconds' walk from either depot Dinner with drive over field with four or more, $1.35 Rates $1.50 to $2.00 per day John E. Hughes, Prop. Capitol Cit£ Cafe Cor. Fourth and Market Sts. HARR1SBURG, PA. First-Class Rooms Furnished. Special Rates to Private Parties. Open Day and Night. European Plan. Eunch of All Kinds to Order at the Restaurant. ALDINGER'S CAPITOL CITY CAFE. POPULAR PRICES. CALL ON F. Mark Bream, The Carlisle Street Grocer Who always has on hand a full line of Fine Groceries. .Photographer. No. 3 Main St., OETTYSBURa, PENNA. Our new effects in Portraiture are equal to photos made anywhere, and at any price. I PATRONIZE OUR ADVERTISERS Kay$_eo, 140-142 Woodward Avenue DETROIT, MICH. Send for Catalogue and Price List. Manufacturers of High Grade Fraternity Emblems Fraternity Jewelry Fraternity Novelties Fraternity Stationary Fraternity Invitations Fraternity Announcements Fraternity Programs Special Designs on Application. MOTEL GETTYSBURG LIVERY GETTYSBURG, PA. LONG & HOLTZWORTN, Proprietors Apply at Office in the Motel for First-Class Guides and Teams THE BATTEFIELD A SPECIALTY TLhc Bolton Market Square Ibarrfeburg, ©a. Large and Convenient Sample Rooms. Passenger and Baggage Elevator. Electric Cars to and from Depot. Electric Light and Steam Heat. J. M. & M. S. BUTTERWORTH, Proprietors Special Rates for Commer-cial Men "EZ 1ST IMMER CUT ET WAS ZU WISSEN." These are the words of Goethe, the great German poet, and are as true in our day as when uttered. In these times of defective vision it is good to know something about eyes. A great deal has been learned about the value of glasses and their application since Goethe lived. Spectacle wearers have increased by thousands, while at the same time, persons losing their eyesight, have been greatly diminished. If your eyes trouble you in any way let me fell you the cause. Examination free and prices reasonable. We grind all our own lenses and fit the best lenses (no matter what anyone else has charged you) for $2.50 per pair and as cheap as SO cents per pair, or duplicate a broken lens if we have one-half or more of the old one, at a reasonable charge, returning same day received. .E. L. EGOLF. 807 and 809 North Third Street, HARRISBURG, PA. PATRONIZE OUR ADVERTISERS. ^entpol JJotel, ELIAS FISSEL, Prop. (Formerly of Globe Hotel) Baltimore Street, Gettysburg, Pa. Two doors from Court House. MODERN IMPROVEMENTS. Steam Heat, Electric Light and Call Bells all through the House. Closets and Bath Rooms on. Ever}- Floor. Sefton & Flem-ming's Ifivery is connected with this Hotel. Good Teams and Competent Guides for the Battlefield. Charges Moderate, Satisfaction Guaranteed. Rates $1.50 Per Day. GET A SKATE ON And send all your Soiled Einen to the Gettysburg Steam Laundry R. R. LONG, Prop. R. A. WONDERS, Corner Cigar Parlors. A full line of Cigars, Tobacco, Pipes, Etc. Scott's Corner, Opp. Eagle Hotel. GETTYSBURG, PA. y. Try My Choice Line of C High-Grade Chocolates L at 40c per lb. Always fresh at (a CHAS. H. McCLEARY J £ CarllsleSt.,OppositeW.M.R.R. 3 ^ Also Foreign and Domestic Fruits '/' Always on Hand. JOHN M. MINNIQH, Gonfeetionery, lee, -andIee Create Oysters Stewed and Fried. No. 17 BALTIMORE ST. BARBER SHOP@@ CHARLES C. SEFTON, Proprietor. .Baltimore Street. The place for Students to go. Only First-class Tonsorial Work. LIVERY ATTACHED. ESTABLISHED 1876 PENROSE MYERS, Watchmaker and Jeweler Gettysburg Souvenir Spoons, Col-lege Souvenir Spoons. NO. 10 BALTIMORE ST., GETTYSBURG, PENNA. L. t\. ALLEAVAH Manufacturers1 Agent and Jobber of Hardware, Oils, Paints and Queensware. GETTYSBURG, PA. The Only Jobbing House in Adams County.

On Saturday, April 20, the US House of Representatives passed a $95 billion package providing support to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. The majority of this package, some $60.84 billion, is to address the war in Ukraine. This package was first introduced back in October, but has been stalled in recent months. From here, the package moves to the Senate where it is expected to pass unhindered and it will then go to the president's office for signature. In the following compilation of expert quick takes, a diverse group of experts closely following Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the security environment of Europe provide their analysis and reactions. Rt Hon Baroness Catherine Ashton LG GCMG, Distinguished Fellow The decision by Congress to send much needed support to Ukraine will be greeted with immense relief, foremost in Ukraine, followed closely by Europe. This is an important moment. First, it reinforces the US commitment to help Ukraine to defeat the Russian invasion; Second it tells Europe that the US remains its reliable partner. These signals matter, not just for the future of Ukraine but also to Europe where concerns about what Russia might do next remain high. And to Russia, this says the US is to be reckoned with in its determination to see the values of sovereignty, self determination and freedom upheld. Klaus Larres, Fellow, Global Europe ProgramFinally, the US House of Representatives has passed the delayed bill for supplementary aid for Ukraine. The package is worth $60.8 billion and is sorely needed in Ukraine. In the last few months Russia has made significant battleground gains. The Russian forces have gradually shifted the eastern frontline and managed to capture additional slivers of Ukrainian territory. The badly stretched Ukrainian forces were put on the defensive, lacking ammunition and anti-missile systems as well as personnel to push back the Russians.Although the European Union and individual European countries, not least Germany and the UK, have recently provided substantial additional military and financial aid to Ukraine, the absence of supplementary US aid was badly felt at the Ukrainian frontline. Especially the missile defense systems to shoot down Russian drones which have recently attacked the Ukrainian energy grid and many civilian targets with a new ferocity, were sorely needed.The US $60.8 billion supplementary aid bill will now also have to be passed by the US Senate. But Senate leaders have indicated that this will happen within a matter of hours and President Biden is expected to sign the bill into law shortly thereafter. The US Department of Defense has said for months that the weapons systems, the ammunition, and other aid has been assembled and is ready to be shipped out to Ukraine immediately. In all likelihood, the new US aid will arrive in Ukraine early next week. The new US aid will make a significant difference and will help Ukraine to defend itself and push back the invading Russian forces.Michael Flaherty, Public Policy Fellow, Kennan InstituteRestarting lethal support from the US to Ukraine is critical for the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU). However, the long-term impact of additional support will depend on the predictability of it continuing. Over the past 7 months, Ukraine has lost the ground initiative due in large part to resupply delays from its allies. During that time, Russia has maintained a steady supply of munitions from its allies and transitioned from static defense to resuming offensive operations.It remains unclear whether the AFU can regain the initiative quickly. One outcome is certain though. If the $60 billion appropriation from the US Congress is not routinely renewed, this weekend's legislative action will simply be a band-aid for the Ukrainian war effort. Military planners cannot conduct offensive operations and extend lines of support into Russian occupied territory without stable, predictable resupply.Given this, if support to the AFU continues to be a source of contentious politics, Ukrainian sovereignty will remain at risk. Without broad agreement among governing parties in the US and Europe that Ukraine's survival is a critical collective security priority, Russian political warfare will find cracks to exploit. Preparing the next round of legislative support for Ukraine should begin now. Another 7-month delay in logistical support from the US or Europe will likely cost Ukraine the war.While this seems dire, it is important to explain the time factor of war and the impact of delay to the publics in NATO member states. Citizens in the US and Europe should clearly understand that without military support, Russian troops will reoccupy Ukrainian towns and continue committing war crimes against Ukrainian citizens without consequence. It is a well-documented pattern. However, it is equally important to highlight that even with logistical delays, the AFU has continued to weaken Russian aerospace and naval forces and threaten Russian supply lines. A resumption of robust military support from the US and European countries members will help Ukrainian ground forces regain the physical and psychological edge necessary to take back the ground initiative.Since Russian troops will not likely leave Ukrainian territory through negotiation, it is critical to continue giving Ukrainian troops the means to remove Russians by force.Robin Quinville, Director, Global Europe ProgramBurden-sharing is a long-standing theme of US policy with our transatlantic partners. US pressure increased over the past ten years, after NATO codified 2% of GDP as the Alliance's defense spending standard in 2014. We have pressed Allies to contribute more to capabilities and readiness. We have asked countries with the most capable militaries to join or support action beyond NATO's borders. We have also asked transatlantic partners to contribute to reconstruction efforts following military action.That's why it isn't surprising Europeans have paid close attention as Congress debated Ukraine funding. Europe's threat perception changed fundamentally with Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Europe – both individual countries and the European Union -- has stepped up both military aid and vital financial assistance to keep Ukraine's government functioning. Much of it is multi-year funding Ukrainians can count on. But for the past several months, Europeans have questioned whether Ukraine – and Europe – can count on the US commitment to burden-sharing.European concern was highly visible at the Munich Security Conference. Then, the question was when the US would pass the funding package. But as weeks passed, the bigger question became whether the US would continue funding. Would the US continue to share the burden?Europeans will welcome (with considerable relief) Congress's decision to move funding forward. Delay has hampered Ukraine's military planning (as our Global Fellow Jack Watling outlines), just as debate in Europe and the US over provision of specific military equipment hampered earlier Ukrainian efforts in the fight. European assistance to Ukraine was structured to complement US efforts, as Europe ramps up its defense production over the course of the year. In July, NATO's Washington Summit will face – again – the question of what the Alliance is prepared to do for Ukraine. Allies will come prepared to show they are taking burden-sharing seriously (especially NATO's 2% threshold). But Allies will also be wondering how solid the US commitment to burden-sharing is when it comes to European defense, given the difficulty of getting funding for Ukraine's existential fight.Jason C. Moyer, Program Associate, Global Europe ProgramAhead of the NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs meeting in early April, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg proposed codifying long-term support for Ukraine over a 5-year period using a special €100 billion fund. This proposal was met with mixed results–proponents saw this as a way of protecting support for Kyiv from the 'winds of political change' while others, notably the US, saw this as an overreach and a potential escalation by deepening NATO's role in an active warzone. As this year's uncertainty over future military support for Ukraine has demonstrated, it might be time to consider institutionalizing aid for Ukraine at the NATO level. Dubbed the "Mission for Ukraine" proposal, Stoltenberg's plan, should it be approved, would ramp up NATO's direct involvement in supporting Ukraine. Support from Ukraine is organized and delivered by NATO member states–not the defensive military alliance itself. This was by design to avoid entangling the alliance in providing lethal aid to Ukraine. The proposal would also give the alliance control of the US-led Ramstein weapons support group and was the main source of contention with US decisionmakers. However, the US should welcome Europe stepping up to do more via NATO. The US share of this €100 billion fund would be significantly less than the $60 billion passed by Congress. Notionally the fund would be financed based on NATO's shared budget, meaning the US would only need to contribute about €16 billion (about $17 billion). As US support stalled, Europe has filled the gap and has now surpassed US assistance. The EU institutions and its member states have committed more than double the US financial support of Ukraine over a longer timespan (€155 billion through 2027 compared to €67.7 billion from the US). Even with the supplemental, the EU and its member states are still contributing more than the United States to Ukraine.This special fund proposed by NATO is not a done deal nor are the details finalized. The proposal will be ironed out in the months ahead and presented at the Washington Summit in July, where all 32 allies will need to agree to it. However, this proposal demonstrates that reliable and predictable support for Ukraine is essential for their victory and represents an investment in continued US and European security. Suzanne Loftus, Global Fellow, Kennan InstituteA bill with much-needed aid to Ukraine has passed in Congress after months of political battles that left the Ukrainian army at a battlefield disadvantage. Now, Ukraine will better be able to hold down its defense lines amidst Russian offensive operations.While a positive development, the difficulty in passing this bill suggests continued challenges of this nature on the horizon. This necessitates two urgent policy shifts:One, Europeans need to invest heavily in their own defense as Americans seem preoccupied with matters other than European security. This is fundamental both to secure long-term support for Ukraine and for European security amidst Russia's massive investments into its military. The second is to re-strategize how this war is communicated to the American public to garner continued support for Ukraine. Without American aid, Russia will conquer more land and force Ukraine to capitulate. This will lead to a stronger Russia in terms of land, resources and military power. Without efforts to defeat Russia in Ukraine, the West will face a strong adversary on Europe's doorstep that considers itself at war with the West. An emboldened Russia may bring a host of new challenges to the European continent. In addition, it is important to convey that providing Ukraine with needed weapons is a direct investment into the American defense industry and does not negatively affect the average American's economic well-being nor does it directly impact our border security.While the new aid package is a positive development, American aid needs to be secured for the long-haul to create an effective deterrent in Ukraine that ensures an eventual and impactful Russian setback and prevents a repeat invasion. This may be the only way to end the war, as negotiations do not appear to be a serious possibility given the incompatibility of each side's demands. Peter B. Zwack, Global Fellow, Kennan InstituteMore than anything else passing this funding bill provided a major morale boost to the Ukrainians - from soldiers, to population, to government. It also injected some hope and buttresses Ukraine's extraordinary will to fight – critical intangibles that one cannot put a quantity or dollar sign against – within an increasingly worn down Ukrainian defense and society.It also provides immediate practical military capability such as artillery rounds and air defense across the breadth of the battle space from trenchlines to defending cities and infrastructure that of which the currently overmatched Ukrainians are desperately short. It buys time for the added influx of even more advanced weaponry including advanced fighter planes and Long Range missiles in the near-mid future. It also reduces the risk of this aid being subsumed by what looks to be a bitter US 2024 Presidential election.There will be bitter fighting over the year ahead and the Ukrainians have lost over a half year to reconstitute and refurbish as implacable Russia has rapidly been doing as it perseveres in its grinding war of attrition … but better late than never. Most importantly the Ukrainians know we and the free-minded world still tangibly have their back.This was also crucial to show our allies who could also waver in that we are still "all in" with support to Ukraine and other threatened democracies such as Israel and Taiwan.Passing this bill and the actions of our allies bill serves notice to the relentlessly revanchist Putin regime and their growing 21st century "axis" of China, Iran and North Korea that the unified free-minded world will not be divided and will stand up to aggression early which was the great failure of the late 1930s leading to grisly WWII in Europe and then the Pacific.And finally, this moment presents a philosophical point for all of us, especially younger generations more distant from the bloody 20th century … namely "who are we, and what do we stand for?" Can we stay the course? Forestalled for now, I still fear imagining a few years from now a debate about "Who lost Ukraine'' and stinging questions about whether did the West and its global allies do all it realistically could to support a free-minded nation within our civilization fighting for its existential life thereby deterring a mortifying a 21st century Neville Chamberlin moment.

On Saturday, April 20, the US House of Representatives passed a $95 billion package providing support to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. The majority of this package, some $60.84 billion, is to address the war in Ukraine. This package was first introduced back in October, but has been stalled in recent months. From here, the package moves to the Senate where it is expected to pass unhindered and it will then go to the president's office for signature. In the following compilation of expert quick takes, a diverse group of experts closely following Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the security environment of Europe provide their analysis and reactions. Rt Hon Baroness Catherine Ashton LG GCMG, Distinguished Fellow The decision by Congress to send much needed support to Ukraine will be greeted with immense relief, foremost in Ukraine, followed closely by Europe. This is an important moment. First, it reinforces the US commitment to help Ukraine to defeat the Russian invasion; Second it tells Europe that the US remains its reliable partner. These signals matter, not just for the future of Ukraine but also to Europe where concerns about what Russia might do next remain high. And to Russia, this says the US is to be reckoned with in its determination to see the values of sovereignty, self determination and freedom upheld. Klaus Larres, Fellow, Global Europe ProgramFinally, the US House of Representatives has passed the delayed bill for supplementary aid for Ukraine. The package is worth $60.8 billion and is sorely needed in Ukraine. In the last few months Russia has made significant battleground gains. The Russian forces have gradually shifted the eastern frontline and managed to capture additional slivers of Ukrainian territory. The badly stretched Ukrainian forces were put on the defensive, lacking ammunition and anti-missile systems as well as personnel to push back the Russians.Although the European Union and individual European countries, not least Germany and the UK, have recently provided substantial additional military and financial aid to Ukraine, the absence of supplementary US aid was badly felt at the Ukrainian frontline. Especially the missile defense systems to shoot down Russian drones which have recently attacked the Ukrainian energy grid and many civilian targets with a new ferocity, were sorely needed.The US $60.8 billion supplementary aid bill will now also have to be passed by the US Senate. But Senate leaders have indicated that this will happen within a matter of hours and President Biden is expected to sign the bill into law shortly thereafter. The US Department of Defense has said for months that the weapons systems, the ammunition, and other aid has been assembled and is ready to be shipped out to Ukraine immediately. In all likelihood, the new US aid will arrive in Ukraine early next week. The new US aid will make a significant difference and will help Ukraine to defend itself and push back the invading Russian forces.Michael Flaherty, Public Policy Fellow, Kennan InstituteRestarting lethal support from the US to Ukraine is critical for the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU). However, the long-term impact of additional support will depend on the predictability of it continuing. Over the past 7 months, Ukraine has lost the ground initiative due in large part to resupply delays from its allies. During that time, Russia has maintained a steady supply of munitions from its allies and transitioned from static defense to resuming offensive operations.It remains unclear whether the AFU can regain the initiative quickly. One outcome is certain though. If the $60 billion appropriation from the US Congress is not routinely renewed, this weekend's legislative action will simply be a band-aid for the Ukrainian war effort. Military planners cannot conduct offensive operations and extend lines of support into Russian occupied territory without stable, predictable resupply.Given this, if support to the AFU continues to be a source of contentious politics, Ukrainian sovereignty will remain at risk. Without broad agreement among governing parties in the US and Europe that Ukraine's survival is a critical collective security priority, Russian political warfare will find cracks to exploit. Preparing the next round of legislative support for Ukraine should begin now. Another 7-month delay in logistical support from the US or Europe will likely cost Ukraine the war.While this seems dire, it is important to explain the time factor of war and the impact of delay to the publics in NATO member states. Citizens in the US and Europe should clearly understand that without military support, Russian troops will reoccupy Ukrainian towns and continue committing war crimes against Ukrainian citizens without consequence. It is a well-documented pattern. However, it is equally important to highlight that even with logistical delays, the AFU has continued to weaken Russian aerospace and naval forces and threaten Russian supply lines. A resumption of robust military support from the US and European countries members will help Ukrainian ground forces regain the physical and psychological edge necessary to take back the ground initiative.Since Russian troops will not likely leave Ukrainian territory through negotiation, it is critical to continue giving Ukrainian troops the means to remove Russians by force.Robin Quinville, Director, Global Europe ProgramBurden-sharing is a long-standing theme of US policy with our transatlantic partners. US pressure increased over the past ten years, after NATO codified 2% of GDP as the Alliance's defense spending standard in 2014. We have pressed Allies to contribute more to capabilities and readiness. We have asked countries with the most capable militaries to join or support action beyond NATO's borders. We have also asked transatlantic partners to contribute to reconstruction efforts following military action.That's why it isn't surprising Europeans have paid close attention as Congress debated Ukraine funding. Europe's threat perception changed fundamentally with Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Europe – both individual countries and the European Union -- has stepped up both military aid and vital financial assistance to keep Ukraine's government functioning. Much of it is multi-year funding Ukrainians can count on. But for the past several months, Europeans have questioned whether Ukraine – and Europe – can count on the US commitment to burden-sharing.European concern was highly visible at the Munich Security Conference. Then, the question was when the US would pass the funding package. But as weeks passed, the bigger question became whether the US would continue funding. Would the US continue to share the burden?Europeans will welcome (with considerable relief) Congress's decision to move funding forward. Delay has hampered Ukraine's military planning (as our Global Fellow Jack Watling outlines), just as debate in Europe and the US over provision of specific military equipment hampered earlier Ukrainian efforts in the fight. European assistance to Ukraine was structured to complement US efforts, as Europe ramps up its defense production over the course of the year. In July, NATO's Washington Summit will face – again – the question of what the Alliance is prepared to do for Ukraine. Allies will come prepared to show they are taking burden-sharing seriously (especially NATO's 2% threshold). But Allies will also be wondering how solid the US commitment to burden-sharing is when it comes to European defense, given the difficulty of getting funding for Ukraine's existential fight.Jason C. Moyer, Program Associate, Global Europe ProgramAhead of the NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs meeting in early April, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg proposed codifying long-term support for Ukraine over a 5-year period using a special €100 billion fund. This proposal was met with mixed results–proponents saw this as a way of protecting support for Kyiv from the 'winds of political change' while others, notably the US, saw this as an overreach and a potential escalation by deepening NATO's role in an active warzone. As this year's uncertainty over future military support for Ukraine has demonstrated, it might be time to consider institutionalizing aid for Ukraine at the NATO level. Dubbed the "Mission for Ukraine" proposal, Stoltenberg's plan, should it be approved, would ramp up NATO's direct involvement in supporting Ukraine. Support from Ukraine is organized and delivered by NATO member states–not the defensive military alliance itself. This was by design to avoid entangling the alliance in providing lethal aid to Ukraine. The proposal would also give the alliance control of the US-led Ramstein weapons support group and was the main source of contention with US decisionmakers. However, the US should welcome Europe stepping up to do more via NATO. The US share of this €100 billion fund would be significantly less than the $60 billion passed by Congress. Notionally the fund would be financed based on NATO's shared budget, meaning the US would only need to contribute about €16 billion (about $17 billion). As US support stalled, Europe has filled the gap and has now surpassed US assistance. The EU institutions and its member states have committed more than double the US financial support of Ukraine over a longer timespan (€155 billion through 2027 compared to €67.7 billion from the US). Even with the supplemental, the EU and its member states are still contributing more than the United States to Ukraine.This special fund proposed by NATO is not a done deal nor are the details finalized. The proposal will be ironed out in the months ahead and presented at the Washington Summit in July, where all 32 allies will need to agree to it. However, this proposal demonstrates that reliable and predictable support for Ukraine is essential for their victory and represents an investment in continued US and European security. Suzanne Loftus, Global Fellow, Kennan InstituteA bill with much-needed aid to Ukraine has passed in Congress after months of political battles that left the Ukrainian army at a battlefield disadvantage. Now, Ukraine will better be able to hold down its defense lines amidst Russian offensive operations.While a positive development, the difficulty in passing this bill suggests continued challenges of this nature on the horizon. This necessitates two urgent policy shifts:One, Europeans need to invest heavily in their own defense as Americans seem preoccupied with matters other than European security. This is fundamental both to secure long-term support for Ukraine and for European security amidst Russia's massive investments into its military. The second is to re-strategize how this war is communicated to the American public to garner continued support for Ukraine. Without American aid, Russia will conquer more land and force Ukraine to capitulate. This will lead to a stronger Russia in terms of land, resources and military power. Without efforts to defeat Russia in Ukraine, the West will face a strong adversary on Europe's doorstep that considers itself at war with the West. An emboldened Russia may bring a host of new challenges to the European continent. In addition, it is important to convey that providing Ukraine with needed weapons is a direct investment into the American defense industry and does not negatively affect the average American's economic well-being nor does it directly impact our border security.While the new aid package is a positive development, American aid needs to be secured for the long-haul to create an effective deterrent in Ukraine that ensures an eventual and impactful Russian setback and prevents a repeat invasion. This may be the only way to end the war, as negotiations do not appear to be a serious possibility given the incompatibility of each side's demands. Peter B. Zwack, Global Fellow, Kennan InstituteMore than anything else passing this funding bill provided a major morale boost to the Ukrainians - from soldiers, to population, to government. It also injected some hope and buttresses Ukraine's extraordinary will to fight – critical intangibles that one cannot put a quantity or dollar sign against – within an increasingly worn down Ukrainian defense and society.It also provides immediate practical military capability such as artillery rounds and air defense across the breadth of the battle space from trenchlines to defending cities and infrastructure that of which the currently overmatched Ukrainians are desperately short. It buys time for the added influx of even more advanced weaponry including advanced fighter planes and Long Range missiles in the near-mid future. It also reduces the risk of this aid being subsumed by what looks to be a bitter US 2024 Presidential election.There will be bitter fighting over the year ahead and the Ukrainians have lost over a half year to reconstitute and refurbish as implacable Russia has rapidly been doing as it perseveres in its grinding war of attrition … but better late than never. Most importantly the Ukrainians know we and the free-minded world still tangibly have their back.This was also crucial to show our allies who could also waver in that we are still "all in" with support to Ukraine and other threatened democracies such as Israel and Taiwan.Passing this bill and the actions of our allies bill serves notice to the relentlessly revanchist Putin regime and their growing 21st century "axis" of China, Iran and North Korea that the unified free-minded world will not be divided and will stand up to aggression early which was the great failure of the late 1930s leading to grisly WWII in Europe and then the Pacific.And finally, this moment presents a philosophical point for all of us, especially younger generations more distant from the bloody 20th century … namely "who are we, and what do we stand for?" Can we stay the course? Forestalled for now, I still fear imagining a few years from now a debate about "Who lost Ukraine'' and stinging questions about whether did the West and its global allies do all it realistically could to support a free-minded nation within our civilization fighting for its existential life thereby deterring a mortifying a 21st century Neville Chamberlin moment.

On a picturesque beach in central Gaza, a mile north of the now-flattened Al-Shati refugee camp, long black pipes snake through hills of white sand before disappearing underground. An image released by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) shows dozens of soldiers laying pipelines and what appear to be mobile pumping stations that are to take water from the Mediterranean Sea and hose it into underground tunnels. The plan, according to various reports, is to flood the vast network of underground shafts and tunnels Hamas has reportedly built and used to carry out its operations. "I won't talk about specifics, but they include explosives to destroy and other means to prevent Hamas operatives from using the tunnels to harm our soldiers," said IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi. "[Any] means which give us an advantage over the enemy that [uses the tunnels], deprives it of this asset, is a means that we are evaluating using. This is a good idea…"While Israel is already test-running its flood strategy, it's not the first time Hamas's tunnels have been subjected to sabotage by seawater. In 2013, neighboring Egypt began flooding Hamas-controlled tunnels that were allegedly being used to smuggle goods between the country's Sinai Peninsula and the Gaza Strip. For more than two years, water from the Mediterranean was flushed into the tunnel system, wreaking havoc on Gaza's environment. Groundwater supplies were quickly polluted with salt brine and, as a result, the dirt became saturated and unstable, causing the ground to collapse and killing numerous people. Once fertile agricultural fields were transformed into salinated pits of mud, and clean drinking water, already in short supply in Gaza, was further degraded.Israel's current strategy to drown Hamas's tunnels will no doubt cause similar, irreparable damage. "It is important to keep in mind," warns Juliane Schillinger, a researcher at the University of Twente in the Netherlands, "that we are not just talking about water with a high salt content here — seawater along the Mediterranean coast is also polluted with untreated wastewater, which is continuously discharged into the Mediterranean from Gaza's dysfunctional sewage system."This, of course, appears to be part of a broader Israeli objective — not just to dismantle Hamas's military capabilities but to further degrade and destroy Gaza's imperiled aquifers (already polluted with sewage that's leaked from dilapidated pipes). Israeli officials have openly admitted their goal is to ensure that Gaza will be an unlivable place once they end their merciless military campaign."We are fighting human animals, and we are acting accordingly," Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said shortly after the Hamas attack of October 7th. "We will eliminate everything — they will regret it."And Israel is now keeping its promise.As if its indiscriminate bombing, which has already damaged or destroyed up to 70% of all homes in Gaza, weren't enough, filling those tunnels with polluted water will ensure that some of the remaining residential buildings will suffer structural problems, too. And if the ground is weak and insecure, Palestinians will have trouble rebuilding.Flooding tunnels with polluted groundwater "will cause an accumulation of salt and the collapse of the soil, leading to the demolition of thousands of Palestinian homes in the densely populated strip," says Abdel-Rahman al-Tamimi, director of the Palestinian Hydrologists Group, the largest NGO monitoring pollution in the Palestinian territories. His conclusion couldn't be more stunning: "The Gaza Strip will become a depopulated area, and it will take about 100 years to get rid of the environmental effects of this war."In other words, as al-Tamimi points out, Israel is now "killing the environment." And in many ways, it all started with the destruction of Palestine's lush olive groves.Olives No MoreDuring an average year, Gaza once produced more than 5,000 tons of olive oil from more than 40,000 trees. The fall harvest in October and November was long a celebratory season for thousands of Palestinians. Families and friends sang, shared meals, and gathered in the groves to celebrate under ancient trees, which symbolized "peace, hope, and sustenance." It was an important tradition, a deep connection both to the land and to a vital economic resource. Last year, olive crops accounted for more than 10% of the Gazan economy, a total of $30 million.Of course, since October 7th, harvesting has ceased. Israel's scorched earth tactics have instead ensured the destruction of countless olive groves. Satellite images released in early December affirm that 22% of Gaza's agricultural land, including countless olive orchards, has been completely destroyed."We are heartbroken over our crops, which we cannot reach," explains Ahmed Qudeih, a farmer from Khuza, a town in the Southern Gaza Strip. "We can't irrigate or observe our land or take care of it. After every devastating war, we pay thousands of shekels to ensure the quality of our crops and to make our soil suitable again for agriculture."Israel's relentless military thrashing of Gaza has taken an unfathomable toll on human life (more than 22,000 dead, including significant numbers of women and children, and thousands more bodies believed to be buried under the rubble and so uncountable). And consider this latest round of horror just a particularly grim continuation of a 75-year campaign to eviscerate the Palestinian cultural heritage. Since 1967, Israel has uprooted more than 800,000 native Palestinian olive trees, sometimes to make way for new illegal Jewish settlements in the West Bank; in other instances, out of alleged security concerns, or from pure, visceral Zionist rage.Wild groves of olive trees have been harvested by inhabitants of the region for thousands of years, dating back to the Chalcolithic period in the Levant (4,300-3,300 BCE), and the razing of such groves has had calamitous environmental consequences. "[The] removal of trees is directly linked to irreversible climate change, soil erosion, and a reduction in crops," according to a 2023 Yale Review of International Studies report. "The perennial, woody bark acts as a carbon sink … [an] olive tree absorbs 11 kg of CO2 per liter of olive oil produced."Besides providing a harvestable crop and cultural value, olive groves are vital to Palestine's ecosystem. Numerous bird species, including the Eurasian Jay, Green Finch, Hooded Crow, Masked Shrike, Palestine Sunbird, and Sardinian Warbler rely on the biodiversity provided by Palestine's wild trees, six species of which are often found in native olive groves: the Aleppo pine, almond, olive, Palestine buckhorn, piny hawthorne, and fig.As Simon Awad and Omar Attum wrote in a 2017 issue of the Jordan Journal of Natural History:"[Olive] groves in Palestine could be considered cultural landscapes or be designated as globally important agricultural systems because of the combination of their biodiversity, cultural, and economic values. The biodiversity value of historic olive groves has been recognized in other parts of the Mediterranean, with some proposing these areas should receive protection because they are habitat used by some rare and threatened species and are important in maintaining regional biodiversity."An ancient, native olive tree should be considered a testament to the very existence of Palestinians and their struggle for freedom. With its thick spiraling trunk, the olive tree stands as a cautionary tale to Israel, not because of the fruit it bears, but because of the stories its roots hold of a scarred landscape and a battered people that have been callously and relentlessly besieged for more than 75 years.White Phosphorus and Bombs, Bombs, and More BombsWhile contaminating aquifers and uprooting olive groves, Israel is now also poisoning Gaza from above. Numerous videos analyzed by Amnesty International and confirmed by the Washington Post display footage of flares and plumes of white phosphorus raining down on densely populated urban areas. First used on World War I battlefields to provide cover for troop movements, white phosphorus is known to be toxic and dangerous to human health. Dropping it on urban environments is now considered illegal under international law, and Gaza is one of the most densely populated places on earth. "Any time that white phosphorus is used in crowded civilian areas, it poses a high risk of excruciating burns and lifelong suffering," says Lama Fakih, director for the Middle East and North Africa at Human Rights Watch (HRW).While white phosphorus is highly toxic to humans, significant concentrations of it also have deleterious effects on plants and animals. It can disrupt soil composition, making it too acidic to grow crops. And that's just one part of the mountain of munitions Israel has fired at Gaza over the past three months. The war (if you can call such an asymmetrical assault a "war") has been the deadliest and most destructive in recent memory, by some estimates at least as bad as the Allied bombing of Germany during World War II, which annihilated 60 German cities and killed an estimated half-million people.Like the Allied forces of World War II, Israel is killing indiscriminately. Of the 29,000 air-to-surface munitions fired, 40% have been unguided bombs dropped on crowded residential areas. The U.N. estimates that, as of late December, 70% of all schools in Gaza, many of which served as shelters for Palestinians fleeing Israel's onslaught, had been severely damaged. Hundreds of mosques and churches have also been struck and 70% of Gaza's 36 hospitals have been hit and are no longer functioning.A War That Exceeds All Predictions"Gaza is one of the most intense civilian punishment campaigns in history," claims Robert Pape, a historian at the University of Chicago. "It now sits comfortably in the top quartile of the most devastating bombing campaigns ever."It's still difficult to grasp the toll being inflicted, day by day, week by week, not just on Gaza's infrastructure and civilian life but on its environment as well. Each building that explodes leaves a lingering cloud of toxic dust and climate-warming vapors. "In conflict-affected areas, the detonation of explosives can release significant amounts of greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter," says Dr. Erum Zahir, a chemistry professor at the University of Karachi.Dust from the collapsed World Trade Center towers on 9/11 ravaged first responders. A 2020 study found that rescuers were "41 percent more likely to develop leukemia than other individuals." Some 10,000 New Yorkers suffered short-term health ailments following the attack, and it took a year for air quality in Lower Manhattan to return to pre-9/11 levels.While it's impossible to analyze all of the impacts of Israel's nonstop bombing, it's safe to assume that the ongoing leveling of Gaza will have far worse effects than 9/11 had on New York City. Nasreen Tamimi, head of the Palestinian Environmental Quality Authority, believes that an environmental assessment of Gaza now would "exceed all predictions."Central to the dilemma that faced Palestinians in Gaza, even before October 7th, was access to clean drinking water and it's only been horrifically exacerbated by Israel's nonstop bombardment. A 2019 report by UNICEF noted that "96 percent of water from Gaza's sole aquifer is unfit for human consumption."Intermittent electricity, a direct result of Israel's blockade, has also damaged Gaza's sanitation facilities, leading to increased groundwater contamination, which has, in turn, led to various infections and massive outbreaks of preventable waterborne diseases. According to HRW, Israel is using a lack of food and drinking water as a tool of warfare, which many international observers argue is a form of collective punishment — a war crime of the first order. Israeli forces have intentionally destroyed farmland and bombed water and sanitation facilities in what certainly seems like an effort to make Gaza all too literally unlivable."I have to walk three kilometers to get one gallon [of water]," 30-year-old Marwan told HRW. Along with hundreds of thousands of other Gazans, Marwan fled to the south with his pregnant wife and two children in early November. "And there is no food. If we are able to find food, it is canned food. Not all of us are eating well."In the south of Gaza, near the overcrowded city of Khan Younis, raw sewage flows through the streets as sanitation services have ceased operation. In the southern town of Rafah, where so many Gazans have fled, conditions are beyond dire. Makeshift U.N. hospitals are overwhelmed, food and water are in short supply, and starvation is significantly on the rise. In late December, the World Health Organization (WHO) documented more than 100,000 cases of diarrhea and 150,000 respiratory infections in a Gazan population of about 2.3 million. And those numbers are likely massive undercounts and will undoubtedly increase as Israel's offensive drags on, having already displaced 1.9 million people, or more than 85% of the population, half of whom are now facing starvation, according to the U.N."For over two months, Israel has been depriving Gaza's population of food and water, a policy spurred on or endorsed by high-ranking Israeli officials and reflecting an intent to starve civilians as a method of warfare," reports Omar Shakir of Human Rights Watch.Rarely, if ever, have the perpetrators of mass murder (reportedly now afraid of South Africa's filing at the International Court of Justice in the Hague, accusing Israel of genocide) so plainly laid out their cruel intentions. As Israeli President Isaac Herzog put it in a callous attempt to justify the atrocities now being faced by Palestinian civilians, "It's an entire nation out there that is responsible [for October 7th]. This rhetoric about civilians not aware, not involved, it's absolutely not true. They could've risen up, they could have fought against that evil regime."The violence inflicted on Palestinians by an Israel backed so strikingly by President Biden and his foreign policy team is unlike anything we had previously witnessed in more or less real-time in the media and on social media. Gaza, its people, and the lands that have sustained them for centuries are being desecrated and transformed into an all too unlivable hellscape, the impact of which will be felt — it's a guarantee — for generations to come.This article has been republished with permission from TomDispatch.

At the United Nations (UN) 4th Global Conference on Women, held in Beijing in 1995, Hillary Clinton, who was then the United States' First Lady and would later become Secretary of State and one of the first women to run for the office of US President, passionately declared that "human rights are women's rights.... And women's rights are human rights, once and for all".[1] This powerful message, delivered in the background of an emerging post-Cold War world order, held a strong promise for change, envisaging a new global agenda for gender equality and women's human rights.
The Beijing Declaration and the Platform for Action, signed by 189 countries and endorsed by numerous NGOs from different parts of the world, established an important link between women, conflict resolution and peace. The Declaration was based on the principle that: "Local, national, regional and global peace is attainable and is inextricably linked with the advancement of women, who are a fundamental force for leadership, conflict resolution and the promotion of lasting peace at all levels".[2]
This conviction would especially resonate with delegates coming from countries in conflict or on the verge of it, and those who had long played an active role in fighting for peace and human rights. Amongst them were also ten women delegates representing Kosovo's "parallel institutions"/government-in-exile and civil society, who directly contributed to the Beijing Platform for Action.Kosovo women's political activism on the rise
In 1989, Kosovo's autonomy was revoked on the initiative of Slobodan Milošević, known as the "Butcher of the Balkans" and Serbian Communist leader who would later become the first European head of state prosecuted for genocide and war crimes in Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia. In the aftermath of that decision, women activists and politicians in Kosovo played an active role in raising awareness against the systematic oppression of the Kosovo Albanians and the atrocities committed against the civilian population by Milošević's state apparatus. Their activism would stretch beyond the borders of Kosovo: they would engage in public actions and lobbying campaigns seeking peaceful resolution of all conflicts in the former Yugoslav region and beyond.
Their mobilisation also aimed to fight the discrimination and Serbian cultural racism against Albanian women.[3] Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, the Serbian media would portray Albanian women of Kosovo "as washing machines or breeders of 'mice'", while their babies were labelled as "biological bombs".[4]
Women in Kosovo took to the streets "at times as mothers, sisters, daughters, many other times as oppressed Albanian citizens and activists of women's human rights".[5] According to Nita Luci and Linda Gusia, "being visible was not just about claiming public space but also demonstrated to the international community a new emancipated nation where women take to the streets and be active citizens".[6]
In March 1998, when war was looming over Kosovo, around twelve thousand women with loaves of bread gathered in Pristina. They marched towards the villages in the Drenica regions where whole populations were being kept under siege by the Serb military forces. The Prekaz massacre had taken place a few days before, carried out by the so-called "Special Anti-Terrorism Unit of Serbia", laying bare the brutality and ruthlessness of the Yugoslav and Serbian forces towards Albanians. The marching women chanted "Bread for [the women and the families in] Drenica", aiming to convey a message to the international community about the atrocities committed against the civilian population in Kosovo by the Serb regime.[7] They were stopped by the Serb police, yet their resistance was only reinforced. As part of the International Women in Black movement, they would even protest in the streets of Belgrade against the Milošević regime.
The 1990s activism of women would have an immense impact on the fight for peace and human rights in Kosovo, paving the way for the next generation of women activists who would follow. They also fought the prejudices crafted by Serbian politicians against Albanian people in general and Albanian women more specifically.The continuous fight for participation and representation
As the case of Kosovo in the 1990s highlights, women's participation in conflict prevention and resolution can improve outcomes before, during and after conflict.[8] This is of course the responsibility of the parties involved in such processes, from the national institutions and domestic political actors to the international mediators who facilitate and/or mediate these processes. Indeed, since 2000, the Security Council has adopted 10 resolutions on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) which, amongst other things, call for women's participation in peace processes. Yet more often than not, women are excluded from the formal peace processes.
In the case of Kosovo, the fight of women for representation and participation has been a long one. There have been successes and setbacks which have showcased the complex interplay between national and international actors. As it was observed, "the explicit or implicit neglecting of the gender dimension found in international and national institutions towards gender mainstreaming and towards practical compromises with the local women's movement has proved to be a significant factor hindering the achievement of major inputs in certain fields, such as in the peacebuilding dimension and the status negotiation".[9]
During the war, the bodies of tens of thousands of women became battlefields, targets of conflict-related sexual violence used as a weapon of war and instruments of systematic ethnic cleansing by Serbia.[10] Yet this topic was not tabled at any of the negotiation processes.
Despite such gendered violence and women's mobilisation for peace during the conflict, in the talks on the Interim Agreement for Peace and Self-Government in Kosovo, the Rambouillet Accords (1999), there were no women signatories, no women mediators, no women witnesses, and women made up only 3 per cent of negotiating teams.[11] Against this backdrop, women activists mobilised to find venues for making their voices heard and ensure their presence.[12] They would send letters to Martti Ahtisaari, the UN Special Envoy for the Kosovo Future Status Process, and even organise a number of meetings with him articulating their demands and expectations.[13]
Later in 2011, a new process of negotiations between Kosovo and Serbia started under EU facilitation. This time, the technical process of the negotiations was led by a woman in her capacity as the Deputy Prime Minister, Edita Tahiri, and women were part of the negotiation teams, even though in much lower numbers than their male counterparts.[14] The question lingered: Was this enough?Lessons learned
Based on the dismal data concerning women's participation in these peace processes, the question is: How can we ensure greater participation of women in formal negotiation processes? How can we ensure that these processes integrate a gender perspective? By looking at the experience of peace processes between Kosovo and Serbia, a few important lessons can be identified.
First, there is a number of actors who determine the extent to which gender participation and incorporation of a gender perspective in peace processes are ensured. These include, at the national level, in the countries or parties participating in the talks, the negotiating teams, government institutions, opposition parties, civil society and media, among others; and at the international level, the parties directly involved in the negotiation process, such as the facilitator or mediator and others international actors supporting the process. Their influence is largely determined by their power of decision-making and/or their power to determine the course and the outcome of the negotiating process.
Second, despite the forward-looking international framework that calls for greater gender representation, the design and goals of the very peace process (what the negotiations aim to achieve) determine to a large degree the set of topics and issues that become part of the conversation. In the case of the EU-facilitated Kosovo–Serbia dialogue, for example, for any topic to become a part of the negotiation, preliminary consent of both parties was – and still is – required. The Kosovo institutions in different stages of this process attempted to integrate topics which dealt with issues related to war reparation or dealing with the past – topics which were articulated by women's groups as priorities;[15] yet consent by the other side (namely, Serbia) and at times even from the mediator were not there.
Third, the importance of women's participation and integration of a gender perspective is underestimated, if not disregarded. Relatedly, there is a lack of understanding that having more women in the process does not per se mean that the process has a gender lens.[16]
To be sure, other factors – such as the period and the circumstances or conditions under which the peace negotiation takes place – also play an important role.The way forward
The emergence of women in Kosovo politics has been a long, painful process. Yet the legacy and the path paved by Kosovo's women through their political activism during the war and the following post-war years, whether as part of political parties or civil society, has never faded.
Newer and older generation of women activists alike continue to leave their mark and make their voices heard, and initiatives take place highlighting the importance of the Women, Peace and Security agenda and women's role in peace processes, including those of the Mediterranean Women Mediators Network – of which Kosovo women are part.
It is well known that peace processes are imperfect; yet, as research has widely shown,[17] there is a significant correlation between the positive and sustainable outcome of peace negotiations and women's participation in them.[18] For all deficiencies and constraints of peace processes, the experience of Kosovo is a solid testimony to how important ensuring inclusiveness through greater participation of women and the gender agenda is.Jeta Krasniqi is a consultant serving as an Expert Advisor to the Kosovo Government on the EU-facilitated negotiation process between Kosovo and Serbia. Mrs. Krasniqi is also the deputy chair of the Governmental Commission for the Verification and Recognition of Conflict-related sexual violence victims during the War. She is a member of the Mediterranean Women Mediators Network (MWMN).
This article is part of a research project produced within the framework of Kosovo Research and Analysis Fellowship, supported by the Kosovo Foundation for Open Society. This commentary is published with the support of the Mediterranean Women Mediators Network (MWMN), an initiative launched by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and implemented by the Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI) and Women in International Security (WIIS) Italy. The views expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Network or the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.[1] Hillary Rodham Clinton, Remarks to the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women, Beijing, 5 September 1995, https://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/exhibits/show/womens-rights/wr-hr-keynote.[2] United Nations, Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, Beijing, 4-15 September 1995, point 18, https://www.unwomen.org/en/node/1901.[3] Nicole Farnsworth, History is Herstory Too. The History of Women in Civil Society in Kosovo, 1980–2004, Pristina, Kosovar Gender Studies Centre, 2008.[4] Majlinda Behrami, José Carpintero Molina and Nicole Farnsworth, A Seat at the Table. Women's Contributions to and Expectations from Peacebuilding Processes in Kosovo, Pristina, Kosovo Women's Network, 2021, p. 24, https://womensnetwork.org/?p=3349595.[5] Elife Krasniqi, "Same Goal, Different Paths, Different Class: Women's Feminist Political Engagements in Kosovo from the Mid-1970s until the Mid-1990s", in Comparative Southeast European Studies, Vol. 69, No. 2-3 (2021), p. 313-334 at p. 329, https://doi.org/10.1515/soeu-2021-0014.[6] Nita Luci and Linda Gusia, "'Our Men Will Not Have Amnesia': Civic Engagement, Emancipation, and Transformations of the Gendered Public in Kosovo", in Sabrina P. Ramet, Albert Simkus and Ola Listhaug (eds), Civic and Uncivic Values in Kosovo. History, Politics, and Value Transformation, Budapest/New York, CEU Press, 2015, p. 199-220 at p. 206, DOI 10.1515/9789633860748-012.[7] Serbeze Haxhiaj, "Bread for Drenica: When Kosovo Women Marched to Break a Serbian Siege", in Balkan Transitional Justice, 15 March 2023, https://balkaninsight.com/?p=1026541.[8] Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) website: Women's Participation in Peace Processes, https://www.cfr.org/womens-participation-in-peace-processes.[9] Ana Villellas Ariño and Gema Redondo de la Morena, "An Approach to the Kosovo Post-War Rehabilitation Process from a Gender Perspective", in Quaderns de Construcció de Pau, January 2008, p. 21, https://escolapau.uab.cat/img/qcp/qcp02i.pdf.[10] Human Rights Watch, Kosovo: Rape as a Weapon of "Ethnic Cleansing", March 2000, https://www.hrw.org/node/257328.[11] Pablo Castillo Diaz et al., Women's Participation in Peace Negotiations: Connections between Presence and Influence, UN Women, October 2012, p. 4, https://www.un.org/shestandsforpeace/node/1379.[12] Nicole Farnsworth, History is Herstory Too, cit.[13] For more details please see: Kosovo Women's Network, Letter to Mr. Marti Ahtisaari, UN Special Envoy for the Future Status Process for Kosovo, 8 March 2006, https://womensnetwork.org/?p=3334512; and Regional Women's Lobby in South East Europe (RWLSEE), Chronology of RWLSEE Key Meetings & Activities, 27 September 2020, https://rwlsee.org/?p=2696.[14] Based on an analysis covering the period 2011–2017, the Kosovo negotiations team had 90 members out of which only 14 were women. For more details see: Balkans Policy Research Group (BPRG), "The Brussels Dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia. Achievements and Challenges", in BPRG Policy Reports, September 2020, p. 104, https://dialogue-info.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/BPRG_DIALOGU-I-BRUKSELIT_ENG.pdf.[15] For more please check: Majlinda Behrami, José Carpintero Molina and Nicole Farnsworth, A Seat at the Table, cit.[16] "Women should be included at all levels in negotiations to formulate and implement peace agreements, and […] the provisions of peace agreement should de designed with the particular status and situation of women in mind and, where appropriate, include special provisions for women." Christine Bell, "Women and Peace Processes, Negotiations, and Agreements: Operational Opportunities and Challenges", in NOREF Policy Briefs, March 2013, p. 1, https://noref.no/insights/publications/themes/gender-and-inclusivity/Women-and-peace-processes-negotiations-and-agreements-operational-opportunities-and-challenges.[17] Theodora-Ismene Gizelis, "Gender Empowerment and United Nations Peacebuilding", in Journal of Peace Research, Vol. 46, No. 4 (July 2009), p. 505-523, DOI 10.1177/0022343309334576. For more information please see: CFR website: Women's Participation in Peace Processes, https://www.cfr.org/womens-participation-in-peace-processes.[18] Thania Paffenholz et al., Making Women Count - Not Just Counting Women: Assessing Women's Inclusion and Influence on Peace Negotiations, Geneva, Inclusive Peace and Transition Initiative and UN Women, April 2016, https://www.inclusivepeace.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/report-making-women-count-en.pdf.