The sun., 1915-03-28


freely and elouuently about the rising
wave of reaction in Russia, about the
hangings and shooungs throughout
the Russian Empire at the time.
II fear that this is only the begin
ming OF the reaction" he said. "I
should say that the people who are
leading Russia to ruin at this moment
have thus far carried out only ono
third OF their programme The inn
mediate future Of Russia is hopelessly
dark.
II may say that I have done all in
my power to save Russia after that
most stupid and most terrible bum
der Of our bureaucracy that expressed
itself In the Japanese war. | made
peace upon terms that Russia was
hardly justified in expecting in view
OF the defeats of our armies and our
system. ] secured loan for Russia
when Il was difficult to secure such n
loan and made it possible for Rus
sla TO bring back the discontented
army from Manchuris.
"Of course the revolutionists hate
me for this. They feel that II il we're
not for this. IL the army could have
been kept In Manchuria for n longer
time, the discomfort and restiessness
throughout Russia would have as
sumed large proportions and a death
blow could have been dealt the Rus
stan Government. But | did what I
believed to be the best for my country.
Besides. the revolutionists were not
well organized; they were split up into
many small groups. each one with q
different programme. Instead of
political revolution they We're really
planning n social revolution.
Thus they antagonized many of the
elements that were dispeased with
the Government, but were not ready
TO support such radical change in
Russia The leaders of the various
movements in Russia lost their heads
in those days. They acted Ike chill
dren and stood in their own way and
in the way OF the movements they
were ca ger 10 lead.
Even in the Duma where we have
had some OF the best men in Russia.
instead OF constructive craftsmanship
We have heard oratory and an endless
number Of fine phrases. Prime Minis
ter stolypin is quite an orator him
self and he likes the idea of deliver
ing speeches in the Duma. realizing at
the same time that the moment the
Duma decided TO do something Of real
importance that did not coincide with
fis will he could dispense the Duma.'
recall an interesting characterize
ton OF one Russian Prime Minister by
another.
I asked Count Witte for his opinion
Of Premier Stolypin as a statesman.
4 .nI ,lr,,f
was the reply. He was a Governor
and he has remained to this day a
Governor: nothing more. even though
he Is Prime Minister. He is accus-
toned to small things: he cannot do
original thinking. and il incapable Of
constructive work on large scale.
You see. ne is fine orator added
Count Witte with a smile. He speaks
French beautifully. he can talk Ger
man smoothly, he speaks English well,
and ne makes speeches in the Duma.
], for instance. am not an orator. |
can speak French. though my French
IL not so brilliant: | can speak German
but bro<enly, and as to English, |
can only read il a little; even in
Russian I am not an orator. But |
have n grandson--he Is only years
old-and he can speak French and
German and English and Russian
beautifully"
The Count laughed
He took up a copy of the RnSskoVe
ZndmUd which lay on his writing
table and showed mo an article that
was marked with b,ue pencil. u was
q scurrilous attack on Countess Wttte,
who Is Jcwess and a brilliant and
cultured woman. The attack in the
organ Of the Black Hundreds on the
character of Countess Wltte was abso-
lutely the most shocking and disgust
ing article I have ever read, In no
country outside of Russia would the
postal authorities permit the sending
OF such articles through the mails.
"I have written to Premier Stolypin
calling his attention 10 this article,
said Count Witte. II tod him that
I paid no attention to any attacks,
however vile and disgusting. upon my
self. but when the honor Of my wife
ts thus besmirched cannot leave
this attack unpunishsd. I asked him
whether no could not find way Of
furnishing the publishers OF the Russ-
ltoyc Zndmya for such outrageous
articles. He has Just written me say
ing that he did not know what he
could do in the matter.
"Stolypln is telling me that he does
not know OF any way In which he can
punish the publishers Of this sheet !.
At this time when so many OF the
best Russian journals are suppressed
and oonfiscated, when writer's and pub
NsherJ are thrown into prison. Stoly-
pin 10 telling me that he knows OF nc
way of stopping suoh an outrage az
that In this paper!
He knows well what he could do
but he is afraid to do anything. be-
cause he knows that the Car II favor
ably inclined TO this publication that
he has personally helped this Black
Hundred Journal with a substantial
sum. This little incident will give you
an idea of the present state OF affairs
in Russia"
j asked Count Witte for his views
concerning Alexander I.opukhin, the
former Director of the Russian Police
Department, who had just been cXllec
TO Siberia for helping to expose
Eugene Azeff tho Russian provocS
teur. who was AT the head of the
revolutionary organization and who
participated in the plot to assassnats
tho Grand Duke Sergius and Vor
Plehvc, Count Witte said:
"Tn time OF war. when thousands
of soldiers are killed. what does II