Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-10-01

1t is utterly misleading to speak or
think OF Russia in terms that would
apply to any other country in Europe.
Hence, the reverses which the Russian
arms have suffered and the extent OF
Russian territory now in the hands OF
the enemy must be measured with
reference to the vast Population and
the colossal empire of which they form
part. Yielding only to the British
Empire in superficial area the Russian
is the greatest compact empire on
the face OF the globe. 1t is larger than
all or North America, having a greater
area than the whole OF the United
States. ALASKA, Canada, Mexico, Central
America, Cuba, Porto Rico Haiti and
the other islands OF the Caribbean It's
total area OF 100000 square miles is
greater BY 100000 square miles than
the whole OF South America. Il is more
than twice as big as Europe and occu-
pies three-iifths OF the surface of that
continent: it is half as big as Asia
two-hfths Of which it covers. and It's
!HS!at!c possessions arc three times as
large rs those of Great Britain. In
fact. Russia lacks but ten degrees of
stretching half way round the earth: 1T
possesses one-S!Xth OF the land area of
the s!obc and one-twclfth OF it's inhab!-
tants. In iS7S-I9 the subjects of the
Car numbered 36.JO0.0 900, in 1899 they
reached l2S,O00.G00 and In 1912 they
"
n single generation. or this poru,a
ton So per cent live on the soil and by
the soil, and OF a male population az
So'oo0.oOo there are 32.09O,O0O OF nght-
ing age. Hence the German profe.
sors niscerned 'Slav peril" forget
lins now thinly spread these people
were over the vast domain OF Russia
and how easy IT Is for the humblest
peasant 10 find a new home when tho
Ola one begins to be crowded The real
peril, as the world has seen, Is the Ten
tonic peril. The fear that Germany
might be despo!led BY Russia was a
purely visionary one: the predatory do
signs of Germany and Austria n M,
on Russia. at least on the kindred
SiaVlc peoples outside OF IL. were
openly avowed
Germnny's Association.
me lact is apt 10 be forgotten that
Eastern Germany was won from the
"por'sihal Siav by the sword. The
carly rulers of Prussia founded , Car
man colony in the Slavonlc wilderness
pushing It's habitants back toward
the swamps and forests further eas,
IN their country the Austriars ,ctcI
similarly. Between the twelfth and
eighteenth centuries practically tho
ehlire German emigration strc,med
chs'"ar1 into the lands of the Slays
Inc ilrst schools and universities in
RUSSIA were founded by the Germans
ana the learned professions as well as
RUSSIAN commerce, became German
mohopohes. Everywhere, in Russia
III Germany, In Austria Hungary. in
the Balkan peninsula. the Slavs were
rulcd ny foreigners. Everywhere they
were Il Gated by alien rulers MS If NO..
We're conquered savagcs II is ouIy
i"'eiE 'hat the sense OF nationality has
oeeh awakened among the Sl,vs of
tuSS'a. me chronic misgovcrnmcnt OF
tne empire. the disastrous defects
winch the empire suffered from mo
Crimean War down 10 the war win
'1Phh' not to mention the ,njsmanape
meht and corruption which succ.ssiva
military campaigne revealed. seemed
10 confirm the view that the Slays
wore cohstitutionaliy Incapable of rul-
ns, ou administering and of making
war. That belief received q rndn shont1
by the entirely unexpected abilitv
Which the Balkan Slavs dispIayed in
thclr war with Turkey. There can be
no question that this war infused a
ne" spirit into the Slavonic race in
an countries, and that fired by the
,.riumphs OF tho Balkan Slavs. they
logan 10 acquire n new pride of race
The humble and oppressed Slavs of
Southcrn Hungary graEced the signi-
hcance OF the Bulgarian and Serbian
victories which they celebrated with
pnphc professions and great rejoic-
.'SS' Whatever may he the policy OF
inc rulers Of the minor Shv States it
is uncomfortable that the sympathics
or the mass of their people could run
counter to those of their brethren i'm
Russia. Sooner or later great war
between the Slavonic and Germanic ma
tons was held to be inevitable. and
now that the long apprehended conflict
Is actually in progress it may be safe
~ assumed that 1t can end only when
certain vital questions at issue be-
tween Slav and Teuton receive final
settlement.
Russia Ia Determined.
Nowhere are the broader aspects OF
the struggle better understood than in
Russia. and no where is there q frmer
determination that the future of tho
Slav world shall not h1 dominated by
Germany. There Ia n dccp-scated con-
viction that the vital forces of the en-
pire OF the Gear stand inccmparably
higher than those OF Germany. and the
calm confidence OF ultimate success
finds expression I'm statements like the
following made the other day by the