New-York tribune., 1901-08-26
VISIONS OF DIRKOVITCH.
SOME sPECULATIoNs UPON THE MEAN
ING OF RUSSIAN INTEREST IN
AMERICAN AFFAIRS
To the Editor Of The Tribune.

Inere Is no more Str1klng feature of the
present imbroglio in South America than the
Russian interest manifested in it, The Russian
press, in both Russia and the United States is
daily devoting earnest attention to it as
though ii were in Finland or Manchuria For
that there must be some reason, and that reason
will perhaps become apparent if we observe the
nature of the interest which Russia is taking
in American affairs
1t is to be observed in the first place, that
the Russian press on both sides of the ocean
is strenuously and almost feverishly striv-
ing to accomplish one of two things to wit:
Either to get the United States to inter
fere in South American affairs the mon
strous pretext that the Monroe Doctrine con-
stitutes il a peace officer and suzerain the
whole hemisphere; or failing that, to create the
impression among the South American States
that such action is well within the possibilities
OF United States policy. and that they are, there
fore. to regard the United States as a potential
dictator over them Now, it is perfectly oh
vious that the accomplishment of either of these
things-happily beyond the power of the Rus
sian propagandists-would be most mschievous
I'm its results. 1 will not say ii would be disas-
trous 10 the United States, but 1t would GER
tainy entail upon IL incalculable trouble. For
the first, United States interference in South
American affairs. would bring upon the UAited
States the intense hostility of every South
American State and would involve 1t in an ef-
fort 10 conquer them all by forcbe means
Does the United States wish TO undertake gra-
tutously the subjugation Of sixteen independent
and friendly republics flor beyond doubt Mex
ico and Central America would have to be in
cluded In this omnibus scheme Of aggression)
and the military conquest of a territory much
larger and more populous than it's own? If not
II will do we'll to distrust the Russian bearers
Of oG.-4.a % Tr.G-
sian aims. the creation of an impression that
the United States inte-prets the Monroe Doc
trine as empowering il TO exercise suzerainty
over it's neighbors, would arouse violent an
tagonism throughout South America, and fill
every one Of those countries with dstrust and
hatred of the United States
If such, then. are the aims of Russian policy
in the Western Hemisphere. what is the motive
which lies back of them? For that must go far
back. even to the foundation of the Russian En-
pire. One of the chief legaces of Peter the Great
10 Russia sort of will, testament, in which
he adjured his successors TO aim increasingly at
universal conquest. In that he established that
vague yet most potent thing known the rus
sian system" The one constant factor in Russian
affairs is the determination to make Russia the
master power OF the whole world and the suze-
rain over every other nation. It is TO that end
that every measure OF Russian policy IS framed
In pursuance OF 1t Russia has already put her
self at the head OF the Slav race. and caused all
other SlaV peoples TO do obeisance TO her She
has crushed or subjugated the major part Of the
Turkish and Persian realms. and has secured
paramount place in the Mongoian world to
which she is closely akin She has more
over, attached to herself. partly as ally. partly
as vassal. the most powerful of the surviving
Latin nations and has won commanding infu-
ence least one other. Not one Of these
would be able to place any serious obstacle In
the way Of Russia's assumption of the universal
dictatorship which she has so long regarded as
her manifest destiny"
There remains however, lion in the wav. in
the shape Of the great Teutonic race which alone
is able to cope with Russia and indeed TO hold
her in check It is TO the overcoming Of that
obstacle that Russia is now bending her ener-
gies. In doing so she has shrewdly adopted the
classic rule. divide and conquer" But It is her
antagonist she means divide not herself She
realizes that the Teutonic world united is far too
strong for her. wherefore she seeks TO divide IT,
and to set its component parts against each
other. The three great divisions Of the Teutonic
world are Germany, Great Britain and the
United States. The keynote of Russian policy is
and long has been. to keep them apart 70 play
one against the other to arouse distrust and
enmity among them and thus in time to conquer
them ALL Such was her policy during the Civil
War in the United States, when she had only
two to deal with, the German Empire not having
been formed. At moment she was ready 10
join hands with Louis Napoleon in forcible inter
Vention against the Union provided Great
Britain would join in the job. Great Britain
1t will be remembered, promptly refused TO do
so, whereupon Russias tactics were changed
Instead OF backing Great Britain in depressing
the United States she sent a fleet IN aId-in -,
emergency which. happily, did not occur--tbe
United States in thrashing Great Britain.
few years later. when the German Empire was
founded. Russian diplomacy was exerted to its
utmost TO build q wall of partition between Ger
many and Great Britain. to which scheme no
less statesman than Otto Won Bismarck was
made a servitor. The efforts Of Russia in China
to ALLEVIATE the United States from Great Britain
though the natural interests and policies Of these
two were practically identical, are still fresh in
mind. Later still came the ingenious effort of
Russia to involve the United States in tariff
war with Germany, by demanding that the
United States should give TO Russian sugar
privileges which il denied to German. That
effort was thwarted by the vigorous action of
the United States Treasury Department where
upon there quickly appeared in the Russian
press persuasive hints in favor of a commercial
alliance or understanding" between Russia and
the United States in opposition to the new Ger
man tariff. And now. latest, but probably not
last comes this Russian propaganda for setting
the United States at swords points with the
Latin race in South America, and also for arous
ing distrust between the United States on the
one hand and on the other Germany and Great
Britain. the two powers of Europe most inter
ested in South America