Morris tribune., 1917-11-02
George Hagerman, Six Years Resi-
dent of Russia Tells Interesting
Side Lights on Revolution
NO LONGER WAR FACTOR
Russians Are Unable to Understand
or to Utilize Their Newly
Acquired Democracy.

Russian democracy mas ceased TO
be an active figure in the winning
of the battles of the Entente powers,
is the opinion of George Hagerman,
of Morris, who has recently returned
from a six years business tour of
Russian and Siberia. ''It is the
mental makeup of the Russian,
caused by centuries of oppression
and ignorance that would cause him
to try and keep out of any war"
Mr.. Hagerman left Odessa, his
headquarters, six weeks after the
czar had been deposed and with his
intimate acquaintance with all
classes of Russian people is able to
give authentic information on the
part the United States can expect
to receive in the great common strug-
gle against the Tuetons. Mr.. Hager-
man has recently leased Michal-
schek's restaurant, intending to
keep busy until favorable Op-
portunity should occur so that he
could return to Russia as a business
representative for his former employ
ers the Advance Rumley, Threshing
Machine Co., or become a member of
one of the American commissions
that are being sent to Russia from
time to time.
All the Russian asks is for enough
ground to till so that he can acquire
enough food and enough profit to
keep him and his family in manner
that would be unheard of in the I'm
tied States. The Russian knows that
he is densely ignorant and he has
no particular desire to be any diff
erent. Leave me alone" says the
Russian, "all that L ask is for a
chance to live"
"The Russian went willingly to
the war, and yet he was by no means
willing" said Mr.. Hagerman. "He
went because he was asked to do so
by the czar and felt that further re-
sistance on his part would be USE
less. Now that the cZar is out Of
the way the Russian cannot realize
what his new freedom means, nor
can he understand that there must
still be restraint placed upon his ac-
tions by the provisional government.
For the czar to be deposed means to
him that there should be absolute
freedom or anarchy, and this ex-
plains some of the subsequent actions
of the Russians after the revolution
was successfully carried out
"There is a great difference be-
tween the Russian Of the Northern
of hn
southern Provinces" said Mr.. Hager-
man. "The southern Russian is
loath to fight his brothers of Aus
tria-Hungary, and continually tells
himself that the war was imposed
upon him by the more aristocratic
Russian of the northern provinces
and more particularly of Petrograd
or Moscow. But Notwithstanding
the southern Russians, for example
the Don Cossacks, have made the
bravest and staunchest soldiers.
"The Russian has tasted of the
sweetness of the new freedom and
can never be made to take an active
part in the war unless a form of gov
ernment is created that will be
strong enough to make it's laws en-
forced. But Russia has already &C
complished enough and suffered
> enough to make the other nations
now at war with Germany ever her
debtors. 1t was the Russian drive
at the beginning Of the war that
forced the Germans to weaken the
army that was invading France and
: drawing near to Paris and send
number of troops from the
western front to the eastern front
Again it was the Russians who in
vaded Austria and necessitated Ger
man troops that were already threat
: ening to break the English and
French lines that we're threatening
: Calais and afterward England.
'"The average American has al
most as hazy an idea about Russia
and Siberia as the Russian has Of
the United States. Contrary to the
, idea of most Americans Siberia is g
l rich and productive country save fol
the extreme northern part. AnC
j.. contrary to a prevalent idea of ours
3 the Trans-Siberian Railway is the
finest railroad in the world. It is
double tracked, rock ballasted anC
graded all of the way from Vladivo
stok to Petrograd. American pull
mans and American locomotives from
the Baldwin locomotive works are
|. used. One great draw back to Rus
Concluded on page A