New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-12-30
Russian Revolution
Has Dashed Hopes
of Liberty for
Millions of
People
Copyright l9l7-The Tribune Association

to see.
1t is a grim BIZ, of humor that the Rus
sian Revolution, which was to free men
and TO bring justice to mankind, has, as
one of its first consequences, dashed the
hopes for libsration Of many millions OF
men and women in Europe. Proclaiming
peace, the Russian extremists have unmis-
takably prolonged the war; protesting to
bring liberty, they have helped to confirm
the slavery of Poles, Czechs, Rumanians
and Serbs Of Austria, as well as on their
own frontiers.
The greatest dangers that now face the
world are not that Germany will win the
war. that she will enslaye Belgium or re-
duce France to the estate Of yassal.
These dangers are no longer real. What
is to be feared is that the growth Of war
WEAKNESS will bring with it rapid aban-
donment of all the idealistic aspirations
of the nations at war with Germany and
that the close of the war will see, not a
settlement, not a general liquidation, but
a perpetuation Of all the old problems
out of which the war came and out OF
which other wars seem bound TO come.
Armed Truce Becomes More Probable
The greatest single gain the war could
bring the defeat Of German ambitions IN
the West for the destruction of France
and Britain, is now assured, not only
for the moment but it would seem for the
future, because both Britain and France
are likeiyto be on their guard hereafter,
and Britain has now millions of trained
troops to send to the aid of the French
should another German attack be made
within the next decade. The Western con-
ditions of Europe are not TO be modified
in Germany's favor, and outside of Europe
the conditions have been greatly modified
to the disadvantage of Germany if only
by reason of the vast harvest Of hate and
contempt she has sown in bellgerent and
even in neutral nations.
) But only less to be desired is settle
ment which should give the subject races
: of Europe liberty And, to say the least,
the chances Of realizing this gain now
have been gravely reduced by Russia's de-
sertion. The possibility that the chief
contestants will presently come to peace
on the basis Of the situation before the
war, but with perpetuation of all the old
rancors and the old wrongs, has become
far more considerable as a consequence Of
the events of the past year.
This means that the conditions of 1914,
the armed truce and the continuance Of
nations in arms, are Enthusiastically becom-
ing more probable than they seemed even
last year. This is a more reasonable basis
for pessimism as 10 the future than the
present military outlook. Peace will not
leave Germany in France or Belgium, it
will not leave Germany master Of the
Continent or Of the world; decision on
these points was had at the Marine, at
Verdun and in the submarine war. These
issues may be marked as settled.
On the other hand, the collapse Of Rus
STA has left Germany still strong and
united, still holding to her military gospel
of blood and iron, TO the eastward looking
out upon disorganlzed races and enslayed
fragments. If Poland, Serbia, Rumania
are not TO be reconstructed as strong
states, possessing the necessary resources
to develop into fencible states, if Turkey
and the Balkans remain the battle-ground
of rival ambitions, if Russia becomes an
other and greatly larger "Sick Man Of
Europe" the forthcoming peace will be a
mockery after all. This is the danger
now. 1t can be avoided only if Allied
determination and German obstinacy CON-
bine TO proong the war to the point where
an exhausted Germany falls back 10 in
ternal ruin, as did France after the wars
of Louis XIV.
The question Of the independence Of
Western Europe has been settled, and it
was the main issue of the war. But The
second question raised by the war, that
Of the independence of Eastern and Bal
kan Europe, has not been settled, and to-
day there is grave danger that war weari-
ness may lead to compromise peace,
which, like that made at Vienna century
ago, will strive to perpetuate all the old
, conditions and succeed merely in preserv-
: ing all the old causes for war against
the coming of a new world conhagration.