The reconstruction of South-Eastern Europe

SOUTH-EASTERN EUROPE

teaches the means to obtain the eternal Good in this temporal life. Matter and mind are reconciled in its synthesis. The genius of the Slav race in its highest synthetic manifestations, has always reconciled the East and the West: witness Jan Hus in religion, Peter the Great in politics, Leo Tolstoy in morals, Solov’ev in philosophy, and Ivan Mestrovié in sculptural art.

In the light of these considerations the present struggle between the Slavs and the Teutons has a deep and universal meaning. Is Germany not trying to realise the conclusion of Hegel in its crudest and most brutal conception, that the world belongs to the Germans? In the German mind the characteristics of Western rationalism have been developed to their extremes. Have they not declared war upon liberty as well as upon Christianity? Being exclusive to the extreme without power of assimilation, the German mind is unable to give to Europe a synthetic conception. Germany fights to exclude Russia and the Slavs from Europe, and to condemn them to become an Asiatic race, whilst the rest of Europe is to be her vassal materially, intellectually and morally. The enthusiasm with which the Slavs are pushing back the German hordes proves the mystic ardour with which they fight for their Aryan right and European inheritance. Like a mighty river they cannot allow Germany to divert their natural course. They are bent on reaching their destination and on fulfilling their mission. But there is a profound meaning also

267