In the accompanying cartoon the Dutch caricaturist has thrust with his
pencil at the central point of this falsity. It is something which is
probably the central point of everything everywhere, but is especially
the central point of everything connected with the deep quarrels of
Eastern Europe. It is religion. Russian Orthodoxy is an enormously
genuine thing; Austrian Romanism is a genuine thing; Islam is a genuine
thing; Israel, for that matter, is also a genuine thing.
But Ferdinand of Bulgaria is not a genuine thing; and he represents the
whole part played by Prussia in these ancient disputes. That part is the
very reverse of genuine; it is a piece of ludicrous and transparent
humbug. If Prussia had any religion, it would be a northern perversion
of Protestantism utterly distant from and indifferent to the
controversies of Slavonic Catholics. But Prussia has no religion. For
her there is no God; and Ferdinand is his prophet.
G. K. CHESTERTON.
[Illustration: FERDINAND THE CHAMELEON
"I was a Catholic, but, needing Russian help, I became a Greek Orthodox.
Now I need the Austrians, I again become Catholic. Should things turn
out badly, I can again revert to Greek Orthodoxy."]
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THE LATIN SISTERS
The Latin Sisters! Note carefully the expression of France as contrasted
with that of Italy. France, violated by the Hun, exhibits grim
determination made sacrosanct by suffering.
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