But the point is what conclusions would he come to regarding State, National, or World politics? Would he consider the time well spent in harassing public audiences with his own particular or peculiar views: Or would he say, leave me alone, give me my rosary, my prayer wheel, my sacred book, and let my soul dwell in quietness? If men are judged by their contribution to the well-fare and well-being of others, surely a contribution of peace, is the greatest thing any human being can make. Life in Lamaland has to be seen to be understood and appreciated. In Minya there are numerous lamaseries with one hundred and more resident lamas, Goaka, Regu, Jeleku, Lhagonz, and Gada, all two days from Tachienlu, are religious institutions with three and four hundred resident priests. One might say that these able-bodied, strong, young men are simply living a life of wicked indolence, spending their days and nights in idleness, passing their time seeing visions and dreaming dreams. And it might be suggested that their young marthaed and energies might be used in some useful occupation, milking cows, cutting grass, tending sheep,- and hunting game. What contribution, it might be asked, is a lazy, unclean, unwashed lama making towards the advancement and progress of civilization? Is he making the world happier, better, safer, ¢leaner? But what, it might be asked, is the politic ian doing? AJB. had probably the keenest critical, analytical, political mind of any man in any cen-though it was sometimes encased in an ice box: Blanche Dug-dale who has just finished the second volume of his Life once had the temerity and audacity to ask thi, great man: "Did you make anything that lasted in your first 25 years—In a review of the book we read: That A.J.B. was among those most responsible for the Treaty of Versailles, and it was he who answered Gen. Smuts when the latter pointed out that there was an absolute incompatibility between the terms on which the Germans surrendered and those the Treaty was compelling them to accept. Balfour argued ably, quietly, ironically, that the Fourteen Points was not a legal document and therefore not binding; and the Treaty of Versailles is responsible for the present condition of the world. How terrible! How horrible! And the political brains of the world sitting round the table; and the lama sitting peacefully, quietly, silently in his lonely cell somewhere on the Roof of the world.
What then, if any, is the difference in the contribution to the peace of the world between the lama and the politician? All Capone. James Maxton, L. G. Winston Churchill, are all men with enormous glands, and might do enormous good to themselves and mankind if they bricked themselves up in some lama's cell and prayed devoutly for the peace of Jerusalem. This however demands courage and determination and apparently the red robed lama has these. And what after all is the lama's contribution? "If the honourable member for Dartmoor will remain quiet we will proceed with the business of the house." Exactly! The lama's contribution of peace to this dark and troubled world is a quiet and peaceful heart; and if the struggling, striving dictators made a similar contribution we might have a quiet and peaceful world; and if our fighting, blustering, boisterous politicians casefully locked themselves up for a period of years we might have peace and quietness, 'The word peace' is the salutation all over the Land of the Lamas. True, the nomad may seem wickedly naughty when he passes you in the early morning, for when he does so. he very rudely sticks out his long tongue, and then asks, "Deh-mo-ah-yin?" that is, "Are you at peace?" And when they come to call and enter your home, there first words are, "Clu-so-ah-deli?" that is, "Are you dwelling in peace?" Along the Tibetan highway they greet each other and they kindly greet the perfect stranger with the gentle word, "Deli-mo" that is. "Peace."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.