Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-05-04
eoor AND RUSSIA.

ROOT AND RUSSIA.
A feeling akin to that which comes
when one Is conscious OF having aone :
Y his best in a difficult situation went
through the entire country when Presi'
dent Wilson announced the appoint
n ment Of Elihu Root as chairman OF tne
hAmerican commission to Russia. MT
URoot is accepting task OF g1gantlc
~ inheritance, and no one knows more
thoroughly than does he the weish'
az the demand that will be MADE on
\ him and his associates.
4 For wears and for generations tne
Il Tinted States must accept Responsible
N itv before the rest of the world Tor the
fate Of the democracy which was oorn
hut recently in Russia under the req
y nas az revolution. After the end OF
h the world war this responsibility Will
/ continue. Until the end of the war. re,
rardless Of the assurances from well
n meaning officials Of the new govern
u mont. ii Is of major importance to TINS
country and its allies that the United
n states use every means possible 10
hoId together the many factors ano
\ actions which are concerned IN the
WORLDS ucWcSl SNP~A
| cratic government.
ror q is an experiment, the outcome
4 ~ which would be shrouded in doubt
I oyen without the aggravation OF the
vraat war and the Prussian influence.
The task of establishing a gov
eminent "for the people, by the
people and Of the people, wnich
IN Vas undertaken almost century
SA md = half aao by our forefathers
IN and carried to a successful issue
All was great enough. to be sure nus
Il cannot compare with the Joo
ES the Russian revoluelon'sts nave
WI undertaken.
3a The spirit which made the American
Il, democracy possible was the expression,
II NJ revolt against the oppression OF
European kings. II found vent IN Tue
migration of whole colonies OF inde.
11gndent men and women from lanos
"a where their religious rights We're CT
cumscribed. and they crossed the Az
Atlantic to find new homes where they
fAmight worship as they pleased.
w This same spirit strengthened tnem
4 10 rebel against oppressive taxauoh
Aand unfair government. 1t 1mpeiieo
kthem to launch democracy ana 10
Twin through long war which estab-
lighed their government among tne
(worlds nations. They were pickeo
(men and women. none better quailhed
for the task could have been found mad
Sythe planet been searched.
A With the passing of the years, the
opportunity for religious freedom.
economic independence, adventure and
fortune have drawn to America men
and women from every portion or the
Irlobe. Coming from their old homes
10 the new they have plunged into the
melting pot along our eastern sea-
hoard and have emerged with changed
views, enlarged visions, widened hori
IONS and broadened understanding
III They have mingled with the De
Gscendants Of those emigrants who
tcame to Plymouth Rock and Pennsyf
vyania and Maryland and Virginia lons
tago, and whose strength of character
xand marvellous enterprise have LEFT
Their impress on the native American
If today.
Meanwhile the original federation OF
Yates has grown and as the tide OF
4 Utilization and progress moved west
ward It was the native easterner, with
me Unborn spirit Of the original colon
list. who settled farther and farther
efrom the Atlantic and finally ventured
pacross rivers, plains and mountain
ranges to the coast and islands of the
tPacific.
America always will be able to
assirriIate It's foreien-born chill
dren and teach them It's ways OF
government, for the founders Of
this democracy bequeathed their
IA Indomitable spirit with their
names and their flaa.
But Russia presents an entirely
different condition. There the at
tempt Is being made to establish
democratic government without
the aid Of a melting pot. The prob
lem 10 almost as great as the COL
onists would have faced had they
proposed q democratic govern
ment embracing the many tribes
Of native indians who inhabited
the America continent when they
arrived.
IN Physically, Russia. with It's Asati,
possessions is as large as all OF NORTH
America. The huge population OF this
vast expanse includes many peoples
with characteristics differing as widely
hs do the climates Of Odessa auc
Archangel.
Monaghan and Caucasian mingle
wet do not mingle, In this strange land
languages are almost as numerous a!
he tribes Religions include those o
,fhe Greek and Roman Catholics
Professionals. Mohammedans and Jews
Two hundred million people mus
he brought together under the flag o
she new republic. Ignorance, preju
dice. reaction. the Prussian influence
all these must be overcome. Blu
Greatest Of all the obstacles is the lacl
s,f a spirit of progress to weld thu
many different forces together.
In the last analysis, the success o
he Russian experiment in government
viii depend on the people themselves