The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1917-06-07
RUSSIA

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civilization face the fact today tha
they have been deceived, or are self
deceived, in supposing that the new
Russian republic would have no seri-
GUS difficulty in sustaining itself al
home and continuing its resistance to
Germany. We all joyfully welcomed
the Russian republic, and, because II
had no blood thirst, assumed that il
had the quiet support OF all its
people. But at this moment certain
destructive forces whose existence We
should have recognized from the start
seem TO be in full operation. The
provisional government is powerless.
The seizure Of the fortress city OF
kronstadt by the extreme radical fac
ton, which from that point Of vantage
defes the government, is an alarming
indication Of total breakup. II is
quite possible that the mob there, with
fanatical student at its head, will
never be able TO hold the place. No
matter; the armed mob resistance
must come TO head somewhere else.
The danger is not Kronstadt. 1t is
anarchy. 1t is the apparent demon
stration that the one strong man OF
the provisional government is unable
to lead the country,
What about the enemy in this stu
alton? 1t will be observed that the
Germans make no military advance
upon the distracted and demoralized
country Why should they? Anarchy
the triumph Of the disorderly and Nj
hilistic element, the element which is
opposed to all organized government,
plays the German game better than an
invading army could play it. Ger
many is doing very well in Russia. 1t
has already forced a diplomat like
Baron Rosen to call out to the Entente
Allies to make peace with Germany.
Russia's detection has broken up the
general Allied offensive, which was to
center in the Caucasus. And in Rus
sian affairs, the Soldiers and Work
mems Council, with its demand for
peace on Germanys terms. Germany
is penetrating Russia with its pur-
poses, which just now are made to
harmonic very admirably with the
revolution. Beyond all doubt, Ger
many is working to force separate
peace with Russia on terms which Will
not only enable the German people to
get hold of Russian food supplies, re-
victualling the country, but will make
the German Imperial Government,
through its agents among the Russian
radicals, the strongest force in Russia,
replacing with its dominating lntiu-
ence that of the Soldiers and Work
mems Council. That influence may
either advance to Petrograd and annex
great portions of the country, or else
reinstate the Romanoff autocracy the
ally of Germany and Austria.
Such is the danger which Western
Europe and civilization face in the
present anarchy in Russia. What ele-
ments of hope are there in the situa-
ton? One straw which the Allies IN
the west and the friends of order un-
der liberal institutions in Russia are
now clutching at is the influence OF
Kercnsky, evidently the strongest man
in the provisional government In the
Russian psychology there is tremcn-
dous reserve of force and patience
The Russian peasant is a stolid and
conservative person. Up to this mo-
ment, the sober peasant and middle
classes have not yet asserted them
selves in Russia. The hare-brained
Nihilists, students, agitators have, in
default of organized action OF the real
people, forced their way to the top
II is they who, in their hatred OF all
government, are doing the Germans
work by destroying government al
Petrograd. Will it be possible FOL
Kerensky or some one else to get the
force Of this great lower and middle
class into operation, and to organize
and save the nation, leading it with
new might against the invader! We
may hope so, but the task OF reorgan'
izing any country which has lapsed in
to disorder is a tremendous one. 1t If
good deal like quoting down hur.
ricane and employing it to prope
ships.
The second hope Of the world lies II
the American influence upon the Rus
sian republican element. Mr.. Roo'
and his party have arrived at some
Russian port. 1t may be Vladivostock
in which case it will take a long time
for it to reach Petrograd. The chance
of the American commission to ac.
complish its task lies in the appeal tc
common sense, joined with the offer OF
financial assistance. Russians OF al