The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1908-08-02
SOME e BOOKS.
Taussia's Message.

It Ii an attempt to utter an appeal OF
Russian Liberals to public opinion in Eng.
land and the United States which Is made
in tho volume named Russid's Message. by
WILLIAM ENGLISH WALLINo doubleday,
Page d Coz. The author has here tried 10
interpret the Significance of the political
and social upheaval which for some three
years has been going or in Russia. con-
sidered as an episode in the upward prog
ress Of mankind. He has undertaken to
give o truthful account Of the Russian sit
uation, emitting none OF the features OF
prime. importance. but oollating them 30
that they constitute O whole. He ohers no
suggestion as to what We can do for Rus
sss, but rather points out what Russia can
do for us. He concerns himself with the
universal qualities Of the Russian people
rather than with any aspect of their char
aoter and environment that Is peculiar to
themselves. He has not dwelt much either
on incidents OF personal experience. though
he has spent the greater part OF two years
In Russia and has ~striven, through q per-
sonsl acquaintance with a majority Of the
most important leaders Of all parties and
representatives Of all elements Of the Rus
sian nation. to put himself in immediate
contact with the inner ideas and spirit OF
the great struggle that 10 now proceeding.
His attention, he tells us, was first drawn
to the absorbing interest Of this struggle
by Polish and Jewish exiles whom he met
while living among them In the University
Settlement in New York. Leaving the
United States soon after the massacre OF
january %. 1905, he passed several months
In London, Paris, Geneva, Vienna and
Cracow among leaders Of all the revolu-
tionary factions. Within a week after the
/, Czar issued his manifesto OF October, 1905,
our author was in Warsaw, and a few days
later in st. Petersburg. where lie at once
met Witte and the chief members Of the
then existing Ministry, while at the same
time putting himself in touch with spokes-
men OF the revolutionary organizations.
He spent the larger part OF his time in Rus
STA from the date named until the opening
OF the third Duma, Near the close Of his
last visit he was arrested. together with his
wife and her sister. but was released after
o detention of twenty-four hours. In the
work before US Mr.. Walling has made use
OF articles written by him for various Amer
lean periodicals, but nine-tenths OF the
present book Is entirely new. We should
add that being alive to the immensity OF
t06 thSh Win WnlCu uc DhS cobdycN W COpVs
he has confined his attention in this book
largely to Russia proper. leaving aside
Asiatio Russia, the Caucasus, the Baltic
provinces. Poland and Finland.
Before outlining what the author believes
to be Russia's message we should glance at
what he h. a to say about the Gar Nicholas
ii. and Of the treatment not only Of the
Jews but also Of the Poles. the Firms, the
Tatars and other subject ~nationalities dur
ing the present reign. For what he has to
relate he is indebted but little to the wri-
ters Of books and newspapers. but much to
active leaders in affairs. OF those enu-
merated we note especially Prince Nj.
who introduced him to the Cars Ministers,
Count Witte and the rest. as we'll as to Sew
eral most important Generals. and who
kept him during the whole period Of his
visit in close touch with the situation In
court and Ministerial circles. Nine. Turk
ova, one Of the most conspicuous leaders Of
the Constitutional Democratic party; Prof.
Miliukof; the Countess Bobrinsky Of
Moscow, one OF the organizers Of the Con-
stitutional Democratic party; volkoffsky
and other founders Of the Socialist Revo-
~lutionary party; Aladdin. the most active
II not the most influential member OF the
Labor Group. and Bielefsky Staal and
Mazurenko. founders Of the great Peasants'
Union. Other distinguished Russians whom
the author met are Tolstoi. Gorky and
Korolenko; the Conservative leaders Clutch
kof, Maklakof and Michael Stachovitch.
more than one eminent Social Democrat.
and the leaders OF the Polish Socialistic
party. whose headquarters are at Cracow.
One of the questions with which the book
begins is: What hope, il any, is there OF
the Russian autocracy reforming itself2 In
Mr.. Walling's opinion the events OF the last
three years show hat hope there Is none.
Russia herself had listened to the broken
promises of Cars for more than a genera
ton, but the promises Of the last three years
had been heard one after another by the
whole world. In October, 1905. Nicholas
II. pledged himself to grant a Duma. to-
gether with freedom from arbitrary arrest.
freedom Of speech. Of meeting and Of the
press. and likewise equality before the law.
At present. nevertheless. everything goes
on as it did before the date ramed: Jews
and Pol1s aie pe.Svcured for their religion
ard nationality, newspapers are confs-
Gated ana suppressed. every KING OF meeting
is forbidden; workingmen and peasants are
arrested by the wholesale for taking part
in strikes; hundreds of speakers, writers,
students and working people are sent every
day without trial to prison, hard labor and
Siberia. The starving peasantry arc crushed
by the came overwhelming burden Of taxes,
and the Duma is abolished in all but name.
The third Duma is entirely in he hands
OF the landlords the sole important ele-
ment Of the nation outside of Government
employees on which the Car car now rely
for loyal supports element. however.
that constitutes only about / per cent.
OF the population.
It is not. then. a question Of reform which
Russia oonfronts to-day but a question OF
revolution. The reader does not need to
be reminded by Mr.. Walling how large a
part Of the Russian people are Of this opin-
ion. Tens of thousands nave died for it.
hundreds OF thousands have gon to prison
or exile. millions have suffered prosecutions.
fines and arrests. Tens Of millions Of Rus
cions who do not happen to ave been OPP
pressed individually share the view. In
the election Of the first Duma an over
-L1irn;or ,a;oritp ~ thu paopla yotaJ Tor