Аннотация: The Tale of the Mini-Conference in the Cafe-Library of M. Gorky
The Tale of the Mini-Conference in the Cafe-Library of M. Gorky
- Misters!. - Gorky has stopped for a moment. - Comrades!.. I have asked you, the most famous readers of our cafe-library - the Designer, the Writer, the Builder, the Politician - to gather for several minutes for a small discussion.
One of our young readers was interested in the Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Perigord's personality. He have asked also: and what it is possible to read about a diplomacy art?
I do an assumption: to make a thematic selection of books. And on its basis to issue the stand with an exhibition of books on a subject.
The visitor comes into library. Also sees - the stand with a thematic selection of books. The visitor can remain an indifferent, but he can become interested. And I am ready to make explanations, recommendations... The project is potentially useful. In any case - it's not harmful project.
So, question the first: how to formulate an exhibition subject?
- Diplomacy is, of course, "an art of a possible", - the Writer has spoken. - But nevertheless diplomacy is perceived as the solution of important foreign policy questions by a peace methods.
- Territories - an important question, - having sighed, the Builder has spoken.
- You do a project of a sequence of actions and you receive a useful result, - the Designer was connected.
- And what about a violence? - the Politician has asked. Participants of discussion with displeasure have looked at him.
- In a history process we may see a much of violence. Diplomacy art - here is a question, - the Writer has answered the Politician.
- A beautiful presentation to make ... To give a representation of a voluntariness, of equal rights... - Gorky has thoughtfully said. - Territorial questions - a subject in the history is a frequent. And a diplomacy doesn't stay from the corresponding events aside.
- As far as will we go deep into a history during a characteristic of an example? - the Writer has asked a question to participants of discussion.
- We won't do without a conciseness, - the Designer has reacted. - But it is necessary to give an overall historical picture, a historical context.
- Misters! - the Writer has quickened. - Dear Alexei Maksimovich in 1906 has visited the USA. And meanwhile, venerable mister Talleyrand has also lived some time in the USA. Perhaps, we will address the history of the North American continent?
Gorky has become somehow nervous. His fingers began to rotate a pencil. Then he has displaced a cup of coffee along some intricate trajectory. He have several times cleared his throat.
The Politician began to massage eyelids of eyes.
- Misters! - the Builder has interfered. - Remember the discussed question! Be diplomatic!
- I meant the southern, only southern, regions of the continent, - the Writer began to justify himself.
Gorky with interest has looked at him and has specified:
- Southern regions of the North American continent?
- Yes! - the Writer has confirmed.
- Yes! - the Politician has repeated.
- Perfectly, misters! Now we pass from the first question to the subsequent, - the Designer has joined. - The subject is defined. And we now fastly will make the list of literature works. And then, if necessary, we will help Alexei Maksimovich to place books on the stand.
We will begin with those books which will allow to give a general idea about the statement of Europeans in Northern and Southern America. I mean book collections about great seafarers, travelers, military leaders, politicians. The reader in these collections won't find detailed information. But he will be able to form a general view: how at "North" of the North American continent there were created USA, and at "South" - Mexico.
- Spaniards have entered in history, - the Writer has thoughtfully said.
- Yes, - the Politician has confirmed.
- Will we include works about formation of democracy, development of economy in the USA in the list of works? - the Builder has asked.
- Generally, is clear that democracy creates conditions for economic development... - Gorky has said. - Is it necessary to include in the list the books from the Pavlenkov's pre-revolutionary series "Life of Remarkable People": about the American inventors and political figures? Books by Dreiser for a general understanding?
- None... - the Builder has reacted. - We will consider this question as the theme, which may be easily understanding.
- So, at "North" - the USA, at "South" - Mexico, - the Politician has continued.
- Democratically arranged and economically developing USA... - the Designer has added.
- We won't absolutize the American experience, - M. Gorky has noticed. - Chinese people are concentrated several millennia on the wisdom of ancient. What did ancient wise men call for? They called for a philanthrophy, a justice, an obedience to current laws and an observance of the established ceremonies, a love of truth, a fidelity and a honesty... In Pavlenkov's series there is, by the way, a book about Confucius. The book was published in 1891 and 1897.
- The land has a value, - the Builder as if thinking of something own a particular has said.
- If we consider details of military operations between the USA and Mexico then such specification whether will help us to characterize a diplomacy art? - Writer have asked the rhetorical question.
- We will focus attention on the treaty. - the Designer has offered. - The peace Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo signed on February 2, 1848, in the Villa de Guadalupe Hidalgo. The Treaty ended the Mexican-American War (1846-1848). This war has ended with defeat of Mexico.
The territory of 2,3 mln sq.km was transferred to the USA according to this Treaty. This territory makes about a quarter of the territory of the modern USA (states Texas, California, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, a part of Colorado and Wyoming).
According this Treaty the USA paid to Mexico instead of the transferred territories the "compensation" in 15 million dollars and, besides, the American government undertook satisfaction of financial claims of the citizens to Mexico in the sum of 3,2 million dollars.
- A substantial scale! - the Politician has noted.
- For the characteristic of art of diplomacy more important another, - the Designer noted. - USA have received Territories not free of charge. For the money.
- For the money, Misters! - the Designer has repeated, drawing with intonation attention of participants of discussion to the words. - So, it is possible to speak about not "annexations", and especially not (military) "contributio". We may to see, - the Designer has fastened with one hand on the tip of his nose an eyeglasses. With the index finger of the other hand he lightly tapped on an eyeglasses, - both a voluntariness, and a mutual benefit, and equal rights. By the way, in the Treaty there are formulations in which the aspiration to the subsequent peaceful co-existence is expressed. In these "voluntariness", "mutual benefit", "equal rights", "aspiration to peaceful co-existence" a diplomacy art can be revealed.
- A violence nevertheless took place. And it causes a regret, - the Politician has joined.
- Mm, - the Writer has muttered.
- What, misters? - Gorky has specified. - To put several books on an exhibition? Literary collections about great travelers, seafarers, politicians, military leaders? And to add to them the more detailed book about the political destiny of the southern territories of the North American continent containing data on the Treaty of 1848?
- You put them slightly below, - the Writer has expressed opinion. - And on the top row you may to put the Talleyrand's biography. With his good portrait on a cover. For your attention - in 1797 Talleyrand became Minister of Foreign Affairs. The biography - saturated. An exhibition to anniversary - it is bad? To what anniversary? You may read the biography... We spoke about a historical context. Doesn't a Talleyrand's life story give a certain notion of a historical context of the Treaty of 1848?
- Give a title to this the small book exhibition: "An Art of Diplomacy in a concrete historical example", - the Designer has spoken.
- A construction business is not an art of diplomacy? - the Builder has said. Participants of discussion looked at him with a silent understanding. He have continued. - - And, misters, if a part of the title - "in a concrete historical example" - not to show for a public review. For now to make visible only the words "An Art of Diplomacy". Whether such option more diplomatic will be?
- I thank, misters, for your opinions, - Gorky has said. - I try to present visually offered stand. At the stand the sonorous title and only several books...
At the top level - a Talleyrand's biography with a good portrait. Below - several books collections with biographies of great people: travelers, seafarers, military leaders, politicians. And - the detailed book, which contains data on the Treaty of 1848.
- On her cover, this special book, unless it is written that she - about the Treaty of 1848? If at once you don't find her now, so you will put her later. Affairs of bygone days! Whether it is worth to shake the events of the old? To disturb ghosts? - the Writer has noticed. - The reader will begin with Talleyrand's biography. She is sated with the subject "diplomacy art"! And collections of biographies of great people unless aren't sated with data on this subject?
- It isn't too simple? - M. Gorky has said. - Somehow the action may be percepted as not an academic like... But why not? Who can, that let will make better!
Misters! I declare the completion of our discussion, our mini-conference.
I wish you good day and pleasant reading!
And I go to prepare the thematic exhibition of books.
May 15, 2017.
Translation from Russian into English: May 1, 2018 18:57. Владимир Владимирович Залесский 'Сказка о мини-конференции в кафе-библиотеке М. Горького'.