Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-09-14
The Crisis in Russia.

Russia has reached an internal crisis that may
lead either to recovery ruin. For months the
democracy has drifted Intellectual and we'll
nigh rudderless. 1t cannot continue thus. 1t must
develop decision and governing strength. go the
disastrous way of things weak and faltering in
tempestuous world.
Inspiring patriot though he is, Kerensky thus
far has not proved equal his country's needs.
Perhaps the present emergency will constrain him
to those iron methods which the times demand but
which heretofore, in spite of his great authority,
he has hesitated to employ. If so. there must be
sharp break in his political associations. While
he is too clear and too broad thinker to share
the vagares of the wild Socialists his earlier
nectiOns were with the extremists and he has al
lowed them to bend his course at critical points;
in the matter of army discipline, for example
The rampant Socialists took it into their heads
that the government of the army and the prosecu-
ton OF the should be conducted on the town
meeting plan: the soldiers should be allowed to
vote as to whether they would enter a particular
battle campaign; marks of respect which the
men commonly showed their officers should be dis
continued as ''undemocratic;" and the death pen
atty for cases of treason and cowardice should be
abolished. With follies and laxities of this sort
countenanced, it is not to be wondered that entire
regiments of the Russian army in Galicia fed be-
fore the enemy and that INSTRUMENTATION became
so frequent to make impossible anything like a
acknowledging defense much less a sustained ad-
vance.
Hardly less demoralIzing than the Socialists
interference with the army is their boiserous ap-
peal to class prejudice. To their OF think
ing. II is far important to smite the prosper
Gus amongst their own countrymen than to drive
out the invader and help the world from
brutal militarism. Utterly ignoring the vast issue
between free Russia and despotic Germany. they
seek to array the "landless resolutes" against
whatever semblance of real government the sober
leaders OF the hour manage to maintain. Had 1t
not been for the churlishness and monstrous stu
pidity Of Russian Socialism, Germany would now
be staggering to defeat on all fronts. 1t is the
Petrograd agitators whom the Kaiser has to thank
for his temporary salvation. and 1t is not unthink
able that many of them have their purses we'll
lined with his gold.
While 1t has been Kerensky's idea to deal pal
IiativeIy with Red Flag Socialism and its conse-
quent evils other Russian patriots have urged a
forcefuI policy as the only Of mastering the
nations true genius to action and of saving 1t
from virtual anarchy. Statesmen like Milyukoff
and Rodzianko withdrew from the provisional Gov
eminent months ago because they felt that too
much was being conceded to headIong theorists and
not enough being done for Russia's vital needs.
The issue is now brought to crisis by General
Kornilofs bold stroke. 1t is the hope OF Russia's
friends that out of this perilous extremity will
come truly masterful spirit. II may be that
Kerensky himself. realizing the need of the I'M
gIoved iron hand will make himself dictator in
fact as we'll as in name Some dominant person
aty there must be- if Russia is to be saved for the
cause of effective democracy.
General Mccain says the country has no ma
tional air legally, but Dixie is such by right of