Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-07-03
Has tho Sleeper Eakod2

. USSIA is a land of wonders that never
i y cease. 1t is too early yet and informa-
ton is too meager to permit estimate of
the force and dimensions Of the offensive on
the Galcian front. but that any considerable
offensive should have been attempted is
wonder enough in itself.
The world has been talking of Russia's
military collapse" Writing in the current
number of the American Review of Reviews
Frank H. Simonds. the most acute common
tator on the war this country has produced
says that 1.-The Russian army has been dis
organized to such an extent that it would be
vain to hope that it will win new victories
this year" Again, in the same article. Mr.
Simonds asserts ITO writer's on the mill
tary situation the Russian puzzle is simple
in the extreme. The revolution has put the
Russian army out of the reckoning for
long time"
These views. that Mr.. Simonds announces
with such positiveness and conviction, have
been in no sense peculiar to him, but have
been shared by practically every expert 1t
is too early to say that they are mistaken
views. for the offensive on the Stripa
initiated with such dash and boldness, may
yet prove to be mere fash In the pan 1t
has been from the Stripa and Stokhod front
that Austria Hungary has been Withdraw wing
troops to repel the Italians on the Carso, and
General Brussiloff, who knows that region
as he does the palm of his hand, may have
seen an opportunity to make a raid on a
large scale. 1t may be an effort to relieve
pressure In the italian and Franco Belgian
theaters OF war. 1t may have required for
its contamination about all the dependable
troops under the control Of the Russian COM
mander-in-chief. 1t may die down as sud-
denly as 1t flared into being.
But the announcements that come from
Petrograd made quietly and with no flourish
of trumpets, have another implication. Min
lister Of War Kerensky telegraphs Premier
Lyoff that 1.-The Russian revolutionary as
sumed the offensive on July L." and the Of
fetal statement chronicles. as the result Of
less than two days fighting. the capture of
koniuchy and of over 10000 officers and
men.
We must not place too much dependence
on this successive must not permit our
hopes to run away with our dscretion-but
the heart leaps with new exaltation. What
If we have all been mistaken?
1t is certain that the American mission to
Russia, headed by Elihu Root, has welded
tremendous influence. It's advent in Petro-
grad, the remarkable speeches made by Mr.
Root and other members of the mission the
Presidents message to the Russian people
we're accompanied by the swift decline of
the agitation for a separate peace Against
such peace every element Of the people
now has registered it's protest. The pro-
visional government. declaring for an early
general peace, has declared also for a vigor-
Gus prosecution Of the war. The appeals of
kerensky and the abundant evidences Of
his purpose to maintain discipline and to
use coercion where entreaty fails. have had
their effect on the morale of the Russian
forces.
AT least we may hope. and to hope will
be unfortunate only If it is accompanied by
an abatement of American resolution or of
American preparation to throw the whole
weight OF the nation into the scales of con-
fict. That must not be- Hoping for the
pest. we must prepare-as we have been
preparing-for the worst.