The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1915-05-22
RUSSIA IN THE WAR
Great Empire Able To Come Back
After Defeats.


If any of the great powers now en-
gagged in the European war entered
into it with apparent willingness, it
was Russia. Indeed, in apportioning
the responsibility for its outbreak
last summer, the impartial student
would have to place a considerable
measure of it at the door of Russia.
To be sure, Austria formulated de-
mands upon Seryia impossible of ac-
ceptance and Germany backed her
up even to the extreme limit, but
Russia, in espousing the cause of Ser
via, moved with precipitance that
left no chance for diplomacy to set
tie the difficulty. She was the first TO
mobilize her troops-a threatening
act under the circumstances-and
she refused to stop mobilization at
Germany's demand at critical mo-
ment when short delay might have
avoided or postponed the conflict.
At the time it seemed as if Russia
were disposed to yield little in the
cause of peace.
Without doubt the provocation was
great Austria had for years pursued
a course of intimidation toward the
weaker Balkan states that could only
endr-as ii had already begun--in
their complete absorption. moving
1.-The limits OF the dual empire down
the peninsula toward the goal covet-
ed for centuries by Russia herself
Constantinople More than the sym
pathy of co-racial and eo.religious
connection drew Russia to the sup
port of Servia. She could not permit
what she knew would take place in
the event of war between the empire
and the little kingdom. Austria $
aims must be checkmated If the Bos-
phorus was ever to be the gateway
to golden future for Russia. So
the czar quickly modified his arm
les on the German and Austrian
frontiers and treated with dsdan
the command of the kaiser that he
stop This brought the first declar-
alton of war--that of Germany
against Russia.
That was nearly ten months ago.
How has it Jared meanwhile with
Russia and Russia arms? The war
was evidently popular in the cars
domain. Not hint has come of TEN
porizing- but a triumphant
peace has been considered-a peace
that would mean the realization of
Russia's long-cherished and always
deferred hopes. The great northern
empire has put forth an effort that
few in this part of the world consid-
cred possible for her. To begin with,
she grappled the liquor problem and
settled it once and for all by putting
an absolute stop to the manufacture
and sale of vodka, the drink that has
been her worst curse. When we con-
slider that the liquor business in Rus
STA was a government monopoly that
yielded immense profits and that the
returns were sorely needed to help
finance the war; we can better com
prehend the vital Importance of the
step she took From all accounts,
HUWcNeT, lHe UeSI VI ItSultS nave lOl-
lowed. The increased sobriety of the
people has proved an economic and
military advantage as well as NOR
al uplift. Russia has set an example
that her allies, France and Great
Britain, have tried with partial sue
cess to follow. Despotism rightly di-
rected did what democracy cannot
yet quite do in Western Europe.
The legacy of Russia's last prev
ious war was not a proud one. Sound
ly whipped by little Japan less than
ten years ago, the result disclosed
serious defects in her military sys-
tenn. Her navy was practically de-
stroyed Her armies, fighting brave
ly, We're poorly fed and poorly equip
ped. Though much attention and
vast OUTLAWS of money had been de-
voted to rehabilitation, it did not
seem likely that Russia could
possess strength commensurate with
her size, or that she could, for a long
time, at least, be a serious factor in
the war.
This was Germany's view, at least.
She held Russian prowess in con
tempt, seeing nothing to fear in what
she regarded by comparison as an