THE GREATEST EMPIRE.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 258, 31 October 1929, Page 6

THE GREATEST EMPIRE.

If Mr. Mulvihill's sole reason in writing was to denounce the use of a slogan in stating a position, why has he committed a similar error himself in contending that the Romans achieved more, comparatively speaking, than other nations before or since? Your correspondent fails to realise that the Roman Empire could not have continued much longer even under more favourable circumstances, as its aims were sensual and selfish and that the result in a thousand similar experiment* would be the same. And it seems evident that the Romans were handicapped from the very commencement by the eternal law of the world, and that an empire whose sole strength was military force could not endure. The hiatus mentioned by your correspondent was mainly caused by the despotic rule of the Romans, and the enslavement and humiliation of the invaded nations, everywhere debarred from progressing. This hiatus, however, was ill reality only a season of growth—a certain period of time had to elapse before a new civilisation could be ushered in to replace the older one already worn threadbare. A change was inevitable, and the Church was destined to become an important lever in the cause of humanity, in the promotion of peace and the encouragement of the arts. If your correspondent's contention is correct, that originally no nation ever progressed, how could any nation pass the torch of progress on? As a matter of fact, in obeying the law of evolution, each nation and generation does advance a, certain distance on its own initiative. JOHN GUINIVEKT.