The Washington times., 1917-01-16
NEW LIGHT ON RUSSIA


European war brought into strong
relief those qualities Of France which
many Americans, judging the whole
nation by tales Of night life in Paris,
knew nothing about; 50 recent events
in Russia are fixing the attention Of
men and women in this country upon
the hitherto unrecognized phases of
the Cars domain.
In a vague sort Of way, even be-
fore the war, Russian literature had
begun to make an impression upon
us. We had begun to realize that
Tolstoy was not a phenomenon
sprung from an iIliterate land, but
was one Of a host Of novelists and
short story writers whose work, in
craftsmanship and a certain sdrt of
grim realism, had not been equaled
One man who helped
greatly toward this appreciation was
DR.. Hamilton Wright Mabie, who
died only a few weeks ago. Then
the musical world began to take no
tice Of Russian music. Stifed in
many other forms of artistic express
sion by a medieval despotism, the
Russians turned to music as q means
Of giving vent to their creative gen.
ius, and before the Russian ballet
came, the musical world had begun
to pay tribute to Russian composers.
Just now a third aspect Of Rus
sian character, the character, that is,
Of the great hordes of Russian sub
jects, forces itself upon world atten-
tion. Russian political news is slow
in getting outside the empires con-
fines. But those who read the war
news cannot have helped noting that,
in about two months, three men
have headed the Russian government
-Sturmer, Trepoff, and at present,
Golitzin. This fact has not attract
I'd such wide attention, perhaps. as
the death Of the monk Rasputin,
about whom enough, weird stories
had centered in his lifetime to fur
nish a setting which most historical
characters take century or two to
gather.
Important as was the monks pass
ing in the routine Of current events, |
observers of Russian affairs see a far |
more significant event in the shifts |
n the premiership, especially in the |
TACT that the downfall of Sturmer !
lad been caused directly by the
Ouma, or Russian parliament. That |
downfall was the result of a revolt |
expressive of the growing democracy |
n Russia, Of. the passing Of the total |
subsection to absolutism, Of the first |
transition Of organized revolt |
against such absolutism from an
lrchistic outbreaks to a peaceful but |
expression of the will Of the
oeople.
Primarily, of course, Sturmer's
downfall was the result of his Ger
manic leaning, and the fear that he
would be successful in his attempts
% effect a separate peace. After
rrepof succeeded Sturmer, Rasputin
vas left as the exponent Of such
policy. He was too close to the Car
% be dislodged. His death, it is
.harged, was brought about by those
Who feared his influence in this re-
gard. Indirectly, his death seems to
rave been the cause of Trepoff's
DOWNFALL. That premier's sympathy
With the peoples leanings toward the
allies was indicated by his failure to
punish the slayers Of Rasputin.
Prince Golitzin, third Of the tri-
ogy Of premiers, is characterized [
Is weak and vacillating, with lean
ngs toward Sturmer's policies, and
t is feared by those who saw the
lawn Of a new day in Russia that
he dark powers" Of the court may
Use him as an instrument for
iespotism. But the responsiveness
# the Duma, even once, to q popu- |