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DUELLING
199
wrong to the wrong committed ; it stands in flagrant
opposition to the Christian religion ; it is not only altogether
unnecessary, but has proved itself to be an unmitigated evil,
which should and could be suppressed by the rigour of the
law, by stringent adverse public opinion, and by appreciation
of the duties of democratic citizenship. Duelling in England
has been abolished by an adequate improvement in legal
remedies, and by a change in social opinion with regaid to it.
Both these factors would also be necessary in Russia in order
to obtain the same result.
If one realises that the great majority of the population of
Russia—namely, 80 per cent.—who belong to the peasant
class, have never had the slightest inclination to fight duels,
and that the peasant class all over the world does not fight
duels: that the entire population of Norway, Sweden,
Denmark, the British Empire, the United States of America,
and China have never indulged in this practice, it appears
that those believing in duelling form a very small minority.
In the twentieth century amongst the classes who hitherto
believed in duelling a propaganda has been initiated in
favour of abolishing this custom. In the August number of
1908 of the Fortnightly Review there appeared an interesting
survey of the fight against duelling in Europe, by Alfonso de
Bourbon et d’Autriche-Este. According to this article an
Anti-Duelling League was formed in 1902 in Germany under
the presidency of Prince Charles of Lowenstein, which in
1907 comprised 3000 members. At a general meeting of
that League at Munich on October 13, 1907, it was moved
that whoever commits adultery dishonours himself, and by
this act becomes incapable of giving satisfaction by arms.
In France a committee was formed in Paris for the same
purpose in 1909, under the presidency of General Baron de la
Rocque and Admiral Kuverville. In 1903 the first Court of
Honour was created in Paris, composed of distinguished
military people, amongst whom there was also M. Paul de
Cassagnac—since dead—who was previously a noted duellist.
In Austria a national Anti-Duelling League was formed,
and in 1902 a general meeting was held at Vienna. An Anti-
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