The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-08-21
A coon WORD FOR RUSSIA.
The People Tolerant, Gentle. Intelligent
and Fond Of Americans.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN-Sir. 1t Is
time to say a word for the Russian peo-
pie. The desperate phrases used recently
I by German apologists demand a reply.
| Your correspondent Edward Breck in
| Tuesdays SUN pictured the American
| hating, arrogant German people and their
| megalomanlaca sovereign. beg to
speak of the Russian side OF the tragic
problem of Slav versus Teuton.
j too have been a student traveller and
guest In the land OF which / write have
| attended Imperial balls at Peter. slept
| under matched roofs with peasants, snow
shoed In the forests OF Finland, and cara
| vaned across the sands of Turkestan and
! state solemnly that nowhere are Anglo
Saxons, especially Americans, more heart
NY welcomed and admired nowhere In
Europe liz there a more tolerant. gentle
hearted and intelligent people than in the
land OF the Gear.
speak OF the Russian people and not
or the Russian Government This IN n
vital distinction. The venalty and ter
rorism OF the Government, the persecu-
tons or the Jews. the occasional cruelty
renorted OF the soldiery--these things. the
only things Russian OF which Americans
as whole have any knowledge, are no
more representative OF real Russian life
than the corruption OF our fnanciers, the
piracy OF our political bosses and the
lynchlngs of our Southerners are repre-
sentative OF real American life Aside
from the sentimental affection Of the
peasantry for their Little White Father"
the Russian Government Is no more than
the kulak. or fist" that keeps their I'M
schooled spirits in order The normal
attitude Of the real Russian toward his
Government IL that OF the American
toward his night patrolman. To poli-
ticians and soldiers the Russian gives
little consideration their evil deeds de
and ghama him he. lf.
cusses them. | have found more stanch
friends OF tho Jews among Siavs than
among Americans
The German Chancellor's references TO
Russia as "barbarlc" and half Asiatlc"
and the Stddts-ZcitUno's phrase. "Cossack
hordes loosencd on German civilization"
are pieces OF gross and ignorant humor.
Russa's Government, admittedly, Is me-
dlRval In form and her religion Is stlil
partly pagan and anthropomorphic. but IN
those forms OF intellectual activity where
she has been allowed free expression she
all but leads the world Germany nor
any other country cannot offer better
classic opera or ballet opera, comedy OF
manners. better paintings. race courses.
skating Kinks, public bathrooms banquet
ing halls. than those TO be found In st.
Petersburg and Moscow Russians are
indolent. recklessly generous, passionate.
improvident. unorginal unambitious. but
ilpb lENpThWl OF fFutl STUPID. Inc HuS-
sian likes TO live better than TO achieve.
and he will yet teach the world the art
or enjoying life and OF appreclating things
beautiful and gentle and true. Even now
the world Is turning TO Russia for her
source OF aesthetic supply.
There Is no "Slav peril" Russians with
characteristics frankness admit their vo-
litional and moral weaknesses, but ad-
mire the virulent. nervous power OF the
Americans. Any respectable American
who goes to Russia enjoys a heartier
entree and receives more touching hos
pitality than he will elsewhere in Europe.
especially In Germany. The few AmerI-
can girls who pilgrimage to Russias capt
tai to study the violin with her world
famous master are often idollzed by So
ciety and the multitudes who crowd the
concert halls. Moreover, the "Tatar
myth" has. ! think. been sufficiently dis
sipated In recent years by Wallace. Bar
ing and others who have pointed out that
practically the only Asiatic blood left IN
the great Russian Is Finnish and not
Tatar
As for the Russian Government, an
American associate of mine In 81. Peters
burg. who has spent much OF his life in
Russia and has had audiences with the
Gear and his Ministers. used often TO
exclaim: "rhe mere fact that order IL
maintained In this land OF restless, weak
willed people Is one of the greatest ad-
miulstratlve feats of modern times There
Is no excuse for the corruption Of the
court and officials, but I doubt II any
other form of government could possibly
achieve what is now being achieved
Russia's territorial aggressions into Slavic
countries can be easily defended. Are
not historiographers agreed that the ulti-
mate disposition OF land which alone will
permanently settle the problem of the
balance Of power in tho old world. will
follow photographic boundaries? The
term "panslavlsm" carries opprobrium
outside Of Russia, but II II as dear word
to Russians as united Germany" is to
Germans or independence" is to Ameri-
cans.
The Russian Is everything that the
American Is not. and some OF his most
notable qualities are those which Ameri-
cans will have 10 adopt before they attain
all that is possible to an enlightened and
civilized people An alliance with France
and England is a natural and propltious
one. and especially II Poland and Fin
land gain their autonomy success for
such a triumvlrate OF races in such a
struggle as the present should rebound
to the ultimate peace and prosperity OF
the world. T. UzzELL.
New YoRK, August 10.
"OutrageOusly Brutal