“The next time you see a picture of the great sphinx of Ghizeh, study its features. Thick lips. Flat nose. High cheek bones. The features are those of a Negro. And the Pharaohs did not erect sphinxes in honor of their slaves! Yes, Negroes, during certain dynasties, ruled Egypt, the most ancient of civilizations, the birthplace of learning. And it was a black woman, Queen Nefertari, who is the most venerated figure in Egyptian history.”
“I never knew that.” Robert puffed thoughtfully.
“And what did the white man do for Africa? For four hundred years, white Europe traded in black human beings, robbed Africa of a hundred million human souls, transformed the face of her social life, overthrew her organized government, distorted her ancient industry and snuffed out her cultural development. Today, instead of taking slaves from Africa, white men are converting Africa into a huge plantation, where the natives toil and die under the lash for the profit of the white world. Yes, the white men brought religion—the Bible in one hand and the rifle in the other. And, oh, yes, they brought another thing—gin.
“Listen to this. It’s from a colored writer, Du Bois: ‘Twenty centuries after Christ, Black Africa—prostrated, raped and shamed—lies at the foot of the conquering Philistines of Europe. Beyond the awful sea, a black woman is weeping and waiting, with her sons on her breast. What shall the end be? The world-old and fearful things—war and wealth, murder and luxury? Or shall it be a new thing—a new peace and a new democracy of all races—a great humanity of equal men?’”
Robert laid down his cigar.
“I guess, we have been a little rough on them,” he said.
Levin developed the idea of the reaction, the growth of hatreds, the development of the mob spirit.
“You can’t get any two men to think exactly alike on any question,” he said. “But, with a little knowledge of human nature and the gift of oratory or a forceful way of writing, you can get millions to feel alike—especially to hate alike. The crowd just now is stirred up against alcohol. In Rome the crowd used to be stirred up for it and went on Bacchanals.”
“But alcohol does detract from one’s efficiency, doesn’t it?”
“Certainly! But who drinks to become more efficient? You drink to become less efficient, to forget your troubles, to relax, to forget. Granted that alcohol makes a man unable to turn a grindstone as rapidly as water. His ultimate object in turning the grindstone is to be able to buy pleasure, which includes alcohol. Take away his pleasure and you take away his object for working.”