The states-graphic. (Brownsville, Tenn.) 1???-1984, 1917-10-19
.TOlSTOI AND THE
RUSSIAN SOLDIERS

In all the discussions concerning the
recent refusal of the Russian soldiers
has been said of their own convictio
to continue fighting, singularly little
has been said of their own convictions
in the matter. Making due allowances
for the German propaganda which has
doubtless been instituted among them
and for their natural inference that
there is no longer any need to carry o..
the cars war and for their eagerness
to get back to the land which they be-
lieve is at last to be given to those
who actually till it, may not religious
scruples also be a factor in their mo-
mentous decision?
Was Tolstoi the mouthpiece of a
great moral change taking place in the
life of the Russian peasants or did he
speak merely for himself when he
unequivocally stated that thousands Of
them were ready, upon religious
grounds, to o warfare? | re-
call an evening, years ago, when l sat
in the garden at Yasnava Polyana that
Tolstoi outlined a possible situation
very similar to this one, and begged US
to remember that the Russian peasant
did not change his nature when he she'd
his blouse and put on the cars coat.
Ten years ago | wrote the following
sentences: "Tolstoi at least is ready
to predict that in the affairs of nation
al disarmament, it may easily be true
that the Russian peasants will take
the first step. Their armed rebellion
may be easily overcome by armed
troops, but what can be done with their
permanent patience, their insatiable
hunger for holiness! All idealism has
It's prudential aspects. = '
: In this day of Maxim guns and
high explosives the old method of re-
volt would be impossible to an agricul-
tural people, but the nonresident
strike against military service lies di-
rectly in line with the temperament
and capacity Of the Russian peasant.
That the government cannot put the
whole population in prison and if it
could, it would still be without mate
rial for an army and without money
for its support is an almost i~rrefutz
able argument. We see here at least
the beginnings of a sentiment that
shall, if sufficiently developed, make
war impossible to an entire people, a
conviction of sin manifesting itself
throughout a nation" =
During the decade following the
writing Of these words the Russian
duma was established as the immedi-
ate result of the universal strike, and
TIE religious dogma of nonresistanee
gradually came to have its pragmatic
sanction. 1t is hard to determine
whether the Russian soldiers who ars
now refusing to fight, have merely be.
come so discouraged by their three
years Of futile warfare and SO cheer
by tRae the same tSsadls
these fighting men in Galicia fnd sin
ing IN their own hearts the same 6ocl
news which the early ~revolutio
took to Tolstoi lying in his grave il tls
forest OF Zakaz-"Love to neighb5fs
nay the greatest love Of all love, love
to enemies, is being accomplished
Certainly the Russian revolt In
from the beginning overlapped all M
tlonal boundaries and comprehended
IN Its program peace and freedom for
the entire world. 1t has been carried
on by simple men who have had so
little participation in national life that
they are unconscious of the whole ten
or OF recent political history which has
placed excessive emphasis upon the MAJ
ton as the limit of sympathy and Of
friendly obligations on the part of the
citizen and at the same time has mag
nlf1ed the opposing interests and rival
rles between nations. On the other.
hand, because they possess the Rus
SLAMS inveterate habit of abstract di-
cuslon they have long debated between
themselves the teaching of a religion
which ignores national boundaries and
claims the world for its feld.-Jane
Adams, in New Republic.