Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1914-11-04
REPLY TO G. B. SHAW.
Sasha Kropotkin Gives Russia's
Side Of Controversy.
Declares That II German MilItarlsm
10 Crushed, Europe Aas Ne
Need to Fear ths
- M~uscovite.
international News service.)

international News service.)
Petrograd.-Much has been said
and written since August l OF the
causes of the great European war and
the attitudes. aims and ambitions OF
Germany. England and France In the
struggle, but little has been heard OF
Russia's side Of the affair.
Sasha Kropotkin, n Of the best In
formed Russians and . man who
knows whereof he speaks, has written
tho following article on the war from
the Russian's viewpoint:
ITO say that the present is a war
against mllitarism is to be guilty OF
Z p%latitude. For days past every
leader writer in the country has been
saying SO. Yet the attitude on this
subject Of a great number Of people
Is extremely curious. They seem t.
be oppressed by the thought that they
may have to cry, when the war is
over, lie roi est mort, vive lie roi.
After Germany-Russia-
England cannot crush German mil
itarism alone. All Of us who have
followed the lead CT Germany for
forty years must strike together. Bel.
GUM has struck her blow. France
and Russia will strike harder; per.
haps the heaviest blow will come
from Russia. And there is the rub.
For what II Russia, having helped ia
crush Germany, develops . psychol'
ogy analogous to that Of Germany
after 1870, and after tasting power de-
cides to become the greatest of all
fosters the spirit Of militarism which
we are now arrayed against?
Let us picture Russia victorious
Then, so argues Mr.. Bernard Shaw
land in the given case he represents
not only himself, but quito a number
Of other people,: The Russian govern
ment will triumph 49,. Germany
will be crushed the balance
Of power will incline in favor Of Rus
STA. After that the situation becomes
too horrible to contemplate.
"Mr. Shaw might be reminded that
there is another Russia-the Russia
Of Tolstoi, Borodine and Cork. But
for the time that is forgotten; or
people refuse to realize the extremely
important fact that il Russia is instru'
mental in defeating Germany it will
be largely owing to the intelligence
of that other Russia. "
Russians have sunk their differ
ences; they are showing q united
front. Amonth ago there were barri'
cades in st. Petersburg; the day this
wal was declared the barricades dis
appeared, and the men who had held
them. were the first to Join the army.
They were willing to lay aside their
personal grievances in the desire to
strike 4 blow at Germany; and it Is
military Germany at which they are
aiming the blow. For those men and
women owe an enormous debt to the
culture OF Germany. They know more
about it, too, than the men. and WON
On OF many other countries, having
studied it more closely, eager to as.
simulate what was best in it.. At the
same time they realize perfectly that
the first culture to droop and Wither
In the gtifing atmosphere Of German
militarism is German culture. From
supplying the wofld with the best
music aud literature and philosophy.
Germany has become an authority on
uniforms and decorative dinnerware.
The Germans, may have fashioned q
great empire, but they have become Z
small people.
Nov, at last, they may become .
great people. II Europe succeeds in
bursting the bonds Of militarism the
first to benefit BY the change will be
Germany. 4
Mr.. Shaw talks glibly Of the neces.
sity Of conserving Germany's eastern
frontier. Why? Against whom and
what? 1t is not Germany's eastern
frontier that has mattered one jot III
the European balance Of civilization;
it is that Russia lay beyond that from
tier and served as the bulwark not
only Of Germany but of Europe
against the Tartars who overran her
and put back civilization by q couple
Of centuries. 1t is idle speculation,
but an interesting point nevertheless,
TO wonder whether Germany would
have maintained as much culture a.
Russia has done had she been forced
10 bear the brunt of such an invasion.
Russian bureaucracy, as all bu-
reaucracies, has welcomed m~ilitarismn,
and has counted on it confidently as
: support. With q weaker Germany
there will no longer be either excuse
or necessity for encouraging it; and
the bureaucracy will lose ground pfo.
portionately.
1T is obvious that If progressive
Russia has joined forces with reeac.
tionary Russia for the moment 1t Is
because she feels herself strong
enough to postpone her " demands.
And in that case she is hardly likely
- H., l~~..Ys k-ErS-&--L, -