The Great Events by Famous Historians, Vol. 21 - The Recent Days (1910-1914) | Page 6

her own chief champions said of her sadly in
1910, "So ends Finland."[1]
[Footnote 1: See The Crushing of Finland, page 47.]
In southern Russia the persecutions of the Jews were recommenced,
with charges of "ritual murder" and other incitements of the ignorant
peasantry to massacre. In Asia, Russia reached out beyond her actual
territory to strangle the new-found voice of liberty in Persia. Russia
coveted the Persian territory; Persia had established a constitutional
government a few years before; this government, with American help,
seemed likely to grow strong and assured in its independence. So
Russia, in the old medieval lawlessness of power, reached out and
crushed the Persian government.[2] At this open exertion of tyranny the
world looked on, disapproving, but not resisting. England, in particular,
was almost forced into an attitude of partnership with Russia's crime.
But she submitted sooner than precipitate that universal war the menace
of which came so grimly close during the strain of the outbreaks around
Turkey. The millennium of universal peace and brotherhood was
obviously still far away. Not yet could the burden of fleets and
armaments be cast aside; though every crisis thus overpassed without
the "world war" increased our hopes of ultimately evading its
unspeakable horror.
[Footnote 2: See _Persia's Loss of Liberty_, page 199.]
MAN'S ADVANCE IN KNOWLEDGE

Meanwhile, in the calm, enduring realm of scientific knowledge, there
was progress, as there is always progress.
No matter what man's cruelty to his fellows, he has still his curiosity.
Hence he continues forever gathering more and more facts explaining
his environment. He continues also molding that environment to his
desires. Imagination makes him a magician.
Most surprising of his recent steps in this exploration of his
surroundings was the attainment of the South Pole in 1911.[1] This
came so swiftly upon the conquest of the North Pole, that it caught the
world unprepared; it was an unexpected triumph. Yet it marks the
closing of an era. Earth's surface has no more secrets concealed from
man. For half a century past, the only remaining spaces of complete
mystery, of utter blankness on our maps, were the two Poles. And now
both have been attained. The gaze of man's insatiable wonderment must
hereafter be turned upon the distant stars.
[Footnote 1: See Discovery of the South Pole, page 218.]
But man does not merely explore his environment; he alters it. Most
widespread and important of our recent remodelings of our
surroundings has been the universal adoption of the automobile. This
machine has so increased in popularity and in practical utility that we
may well call ours the "Automobile Age." The change is not merely
that one form of vehicle is superseding another on our roads and in our
streets. We face an impressive theme for meditation in the fact that up
to the present generation man was still, as regarded his individual
personal transit, in the same position as the Romans of two thousand
years ago, dependent upon the horse as his swiftest mode of progress.
With the automobile we have suddenly doubled, quadrupled the size of
our "neighborhood," the space which a man may cover alone at will for
a ramble or a call. As for speed, we seem to have succumbed to an
actual mania for ever-increasing motion. The automobile is at present
the champion speed-maker, the fastest means of propelling himself man
has yet invented. But the aeroplane and the hydroplane are not far
behind, and even the electric locomotive has a thrill of promise for the
speed maniac.[2]
[Footnote 2: See _Man's Fastest Mile_, page 73.]
In thus developing his mastery over Nature man sometimes forgets his
danger, oversteps the narrow margin of safety he has left between

himself and the baffled forces of his ancient tyrants, Fire and Water,
Earth and Air. Then indeed, in his moments of weakness, the
primordial forces turn upon him and he becomes subject to tragic and
terrific punishment. Of such character was the most prominent disaster
of these years, the sinking of the ocean steamer Titanic. The best talent
of England and America had united to produce this monster ship, which
was hailed as the last, the biggest, the most perfect thing man could do
in shipbuilding. It was pronounced "unsinkable." Its captain was
reckless in his confidence; and Nature reached down in menace from
the regions of northern ice; and the ship perished.[1] Since then another
great ship has sunk, under almost similar conditions, and with almost
equal loss of life.
[Footnote 1: See Tragedy of the Titanic, page 265.]
Oddly enough at the very moment when we have thus had reimpressed
upon us the uncertainty of our outward mechanical defenses against the
elements, we have been making a curious addition to our knowledge of
inner means of defense. The science of medicine