The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-06-09
HOPEOF RUSSIA
LIESS0LELYIN
MOB MASTERY
Situation Described as
Menacing but by No
Means Hopeless.
STRONG MAN IS NEEDED
Germans Working Upon War
WEAKNESS of Nation to OBJ
tain Separate Peace.
STRONG MAN Is NEEDED
spec,a, Cable Despatca TO rmr srS.

PETRoGRAD, June S.-The situation in
Russia is ominous, even menacing. but II
is by no means hopeless. AS matters
stand to-day there is such conflict in
authority between the Council of Work.
mems and Soldiers Delegates and the
Cabinet as paralyzes domestic progress
and military activity. There is danger
Gus relaxation of discipline In the army
and a disturbing spread of license
among the civil population. German
agents. seizing upon the weariness OF
the whole nation and the special pacifism
Of the Socialists, are working with all
their energy to withdraw Russia from
the war by means OF a favorable sepa-
rate peace.
These probably are the worst aspects
OF the situation. but CLEANS Of hope ap-
pear through the clouds. II is still pos
sible that the solid. thinking citizens,
those that are neither in sympathy with
autocracy nor with untrammelled social
ism, may combine to reconcile the
Council and the Cabinet, exert their in
fluence to bring about domestic tran
quillity and to steady the Russian armies
on the Ddttie IrOutS, anu tNchtuhhs ~
work out a sane and dependable form
of government This is not an actual
probability. 1t is. however. strong
possibility Events seem to be moving
In that direction.
At heart Russia is sound. The trouble
is with her head. 1t has filled sud
denly with wild eyed theories Of absolute
human equality. of a millennium brought
TO earth. of peace without victory
Russia, freed over night from the tyran-
nies OF Czarism, has leaped at bound
to the other extreme Ardently craving
liberty, she has accepted license. unable
for the moment 10 detect the difference
The reaction Is human and natural.
I. Strons Man Needed.
But such conditions need not neces-
sarily endure They Will not endure II
a strong man arises. q strong man with
the will and courage to subaue the mobs ::
a strong man who will have the sincere
backing OF the solid. conservative agri-
cultural and business elements. such a
man. in the broad aspects as Bonaparte
was TO revolutionary France.
Kerensky, the Minister of War, has
shown evidences of such mental equip
meut and moral courage, but Kerensky's 8
health is poor He has taken upon his
shoulders tremendous burdens OF ad-
ministration He is harassed beyond
belief by the quarrels OF Council ana
/ Cabinet and the absurdiy fantastical de-
mands of the Socialists. II may be that
he will survive the swiftly recurring
crises because he is personally very
popular especially with the army. But
II not Eerensky II must be another
virtually a dictator. one who will say
you will" instead of will u?"-if
I n. l. olo pf the nDlifiral
and social uuicksands into which she
/ has wandered.
The great problem Of Russia to-day lis
mastering the mobs subduing the mob
( spirit which was the direct and inevi-
! table consequence of the policy OF the
! old regime, which systematically sup
| pressed every effort toward independent
initiative and organization. thereby de-
stroying solidarity and respect for law
I Then when Russia came suddenly to
freedom, when the Romanoff and bu-
I reaucratic yokes were thrown off, the
; people Interpreted their position as a
release not only from tyranny hut from
any sort of obligation to the State.
Hence the soldiers began to fraternizt
with the enemy There were desertionf
from all parts OF the front and nobody
In sufficient authority to punish the de
serters Officers and enlisted men lef'
the trenches and came here as SUITED
their pleasure Disturbances arose II
the provincial cities. Estates were
seized, live stock and agricultural ma
chinery were confscated. The work
men put forward programmes or impos
sible demands. Criminals. liberated by
an overjoyed and generous people, poi
soned the new freedom by their violenc'
and treacheries. Every sort of capri
T hui,
bled to the surface
Not Real ANARCHY.
Now this. as observers here under
stand the situation. is not anarchy 81
much as it is proof that the Russial
people. unaccustomed TO organization
and self lf-discipiine. have not yet beei
able 10 organize themselves and hav
not yet seen the necessity of dis
cipline But there is ground for belle
that the lessons are being learned an,
that the near future Will see an i'm
provement In general tranquility, les
violence in the cities, less looting on tn
big estates, u severer attitude towar'
known criminals. larger dispositio
TO bow to delegated authority Unques
tionably the presence OF Elihu Root an
the American commission, together wit
the efforts OF the Brlflsh cOnmlsslOl
will go far toward steadying Russia.
At its commencement the new Gov
ernment was powerless because II foun
no support In an unorganized population
which did not understand the require
ments of the situation and which ha
been swayed wildly by the primar
: destructive impulses that revolutio
always ongenders. II was weakened ais
by lack OF newspapers OF restrained bu
democratic ideals, newspapers whic
: might nave encouraged and influence
the inexperienced people, The old organ
of the dispossessed autocracy had Ron
and there was nothing to take thei
place.
: The old regime fell so suddenly tha
the revolutionary forces, 30 eager
Q punish and destroy old institution
dangerous 10 liberty. had no legitimat
object against which to direct ,thei
E energies. Led by returned exiles schoole
r in theoretical socialism ard utterly lacl
n ing In practical political experience tn
D revolutionary forces. seeking instint
y lively to combat something, turned the
strength TO q certain extent against tn
h new Government itself, The Petrocra
!. Council of Worlymen's ard Soldier
o Delegates considered itself more ad,
e ausp expression than the Governmer
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