The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-10-23
Ambassador Bakhmeteff
Says Terms Of Council Were
Basis for Discussion.
SEPARATE MOVE DERIDED
Turning Point Said to BE
Passed in Change From Mon
archy to Democracy.
Special DeapafcA to TaD SuN.

WARRINGTON. Oct. 22.-Russia has
safely passed the turning point In her
transition fsom the most autocratic to
the most democratic OF nations.
German military efforts and the
threatened attack against Petrograd are
serving to complete the consolidation of
the Russian people behind practical
ideas OF duly elected representatives to
the exclusion OF impractical extremist
elements.
All Thought OF peace excepting on
terms in agreement with those Of the
Entente and the United States has been
definitely eradicated in Russia.
Financially Russias position as bel.
ligeient is even better assured than In
the case of most OF her allies.
These are statemepts which developed
to-day from an inquiry by THE Sun cor
respondent into the situation In Russia.
They are based on information from
State Department sources and from
Boris Bakhmeteff the Russian Ambas.
sador.
Separate Pesce ImpSssible.
Reports had been received outlining a
peace pToBTdlnUle II uTdWn up
by the Central executive committee Of
he Council Of workmen's and Soldiers
Delegates In the form OF instructions to
NJ Skobeloff. Its delegate to the Paris
conference. Some persona have jumped
20 the conclusion that this revived the
possibility OF a separate peace between
Russia and Germany. THE Sun corre-
spondent asked the Ambassador about II.
The idea Of q separate peace 10 ab-
| nj, ~ - MI tAar~ ian he
planned frankly. 1T IL not even thought
| Of by any representative statesman or
by any group or party. The only peace
| possible In Russis 10 q genuine peace
| on democratic principles established In
full agreement with our allies and the
United States"
The Ambassador added that the Gen.
trail executive committees programme
= WAS just a proposal from certain
. group which believed II could serve as
! material for future discussion.
The separate peace idea" II was ex-
! planned. was only an ofYshoot OF the Ger
! man propaganda in Russia and was ex-
posed and definitely snuffed out last
June.
Genuine Peace OF None.
The situation In Russia with respect
! TO peace WAS described AS follows: All
l
just as Russia or the United States or
| Great Britain or France want peace.
/ But they all want q genuine peace. and
not a counterfeit peace. and all are de-
termined to nght on until the common
! enemy Is forced to accept democracys .
genuine peace.
B. Soldatenkov, special envoy OF Rus.
s,s 10 the United States. has put this
IDEA in striking form by pointing out
that the difference between the kind OF
peace which Germany Is seeking to force
and the peace which the Entente and
the United States are determined to win
is the ference between Immoral and
moral welfare.S
Moral and immoral welfare" he
says. these are the two opposed pr n.
cplcs for whi n the great fight Is going
on and men are willing to die for. Moral
welfare of free people has to he made
secure throughout the world and there
fore radical sound democracy must rule
the world"
Mr., Soldatenkov says that the Eight
million men who are dead in this cata-
'lysm will have made the sacrifice IN
vain and that all the sacrifices OF the
democratic nations will have been for
nouKht ''unless humanity has enough
moral ard physical strength to crush
any Hun power alive"
Wilson's Innuence Felt.
Il is this spirit In Russia, # is ex.
planned. with the fact that practical
views OF duly elected representative
OF the Russian people are absorbing the
power from less stable elements, which
signifies that the turning point In the
Russian revolution has been safely
passed.
The feature Of tho present foreign
policy of Russia is the harmony exist.
ing between the war aims OF the United
States and the war alma Of Russia
The influence OF President Wilson,
policy and the confidence which ths
United States and the Entente have re-
rosed in Russia have been dominant
factors. Russian ideals. II Is shown. ar,
locking far ahead to the Dement'S which
will accrue from the principles of de
mocracy after the war and this too 1.
rowing moral strength. for the Who'll,
s'ructure of future Russian aspiration
: built on the foundation OF peace die
'atcd by democracy
u was learned for the nrst time 10
law that 'he reason that Russia re-
emily asked the Entente nations 10 re
tate their war G'ne was pHrt'v becaus,
iernan propagapdists had spread re
pOrts before tho Russian peoDe 'ha
'ircat Britain and France were think
ing OF making separate peace With Der
many. Russian groups wanted to b,
assured that this was not the case. Ye
when means were taken to provide THU
assurance the German asents prompt,
used te inquiries from Russian sources
as indicating that Russia wanted sepa
rate peace.