New-York tribune., 1917-12-03
By Franz Bohn, Ph. d.

course Of events The Russian revolution
has it's inception as an active force through
the propaganda of the Russian Nihiiists ana
Socialists during the last third OF the nine
,eonth century. The Nhilists included con-
s,itutionalists, anarchists and Socialists the
name implying the use Of terrorism as
means Of securing political rights. II was
this Nihilistic terrorism which made OF lne
czars and the grand dukes prisoners IN thelr
palaces. Then, during the Russo-Japanese
War. came the first revolutionary upheayal
MANY reasons are given for its failure, chiet
of which was no doubt, the simple fact that
the movement was not yet strong enough ioT
the lob il undertook to do. Yet IN It's par
tial failure it produced fundamental result
The Duma WAS established. The Duma was
weak, quite as weak as the German Reiehs-
tag. Nevertheless, it was the beginning OF
constitutional government. The decade I9Oo-
IA was period Of intensive Industria!
progress and Of the propaganda OF iaoor
union and peasant organization. The TeVo-
lutionary lump was being leayened
The German challenge was accepted IN de'
fence Of Slavic autonomy in the Balkans
and in the hope OF a Russian CONSTANT
NOBLE. But far deeper than the territorial
and commercial competitions as maker OF
history ran the fundamental cleavage pro-
duced by class consciousness. Against the
people the class represented by the Gar
and the Kaiser must stand together.
willy" and "Nicky'
The view that the Gar and the class nc
represented in Russia were the agents OF
the Kaiser is wholly untenable. Neither was
the agent of the other. They were veritaole
brothers in principle and practice. lhey
must hold to the same fundamental views
Of politics and Of their relations to their
underlings. Either must. perforce, despite
all mere territorial concern, come TO the
holm of his brother when in danger of a
SOCIAL revolution. The letters from willy
to "Nicky" during the Russo-Japanese war
in which willy" advised "Nicky' how 20 de-
ceive and beat down his own subjects, sho"
neither dishonesty nor disloya!ty. hach was
loyal to the other. That was the hrst test
Of loyalty always. The Russian revolution
lists of all groups knew full well that hght-
ing the Kaiser had no purpose unless they
! fought the Gar az tnG SAINT N4AAS'
The March revolution came naturally and
normally. 1t had the good fortune OF Deihg
able to seize upon the melodramatic situa-
tion presented by the Cars household as q
means Of infsming the popular mind rs
brilliant success was not unexpected. we
have II upon very good authority that the
Western democratic allies Of Russia we're not
without their share in the revolutionary pro-
Ia bat nod pyprVthinU to Waln
by the deed. So long as the knout was the
only visible means of government in Russia
France and England could not expect more
than sympathy from America. When Pres
ident Wilson broke with Germany, on Febru-
ary /. the fate of the Car was sealed in
London and Paris, as well "a in Petrograd.
To the student Of revolutions, as they
have been worked out in history, the recent
fulflment of the revolutionary cycle in Rus
sia was taken as matter Of course. For
the overthrow Of autocracy every opposition
element was ;mpelled to unite. At the dawn
of the morning after the vast differences
among these elements began TO appear. These
differences speedily widened into chasms as
regards both means and programmes. Prl-
marily there were the Constitutional Demo-
Gratis, led by Milukoff. There was the So
cialist wing, led By Kerensky, and there were
the Bolsheviki, later led by Lenine and
Trotzky. The Constitutional Democrats Ger.
tainlv lacked vigor and seemed to be weak
in organization. They have not been able
20 develop the strength necessary 70 domi-
nate at any time.
The Poor Dictate
In this aspect the Russian revolution de-
parts from the rule Of preceding revolution
In al! former revolutions The constitutional
lists. representing primarily the ron-aristo.
cratic landed and commercial class has hrs'
established its governmental form, only to oe