New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-07-06
Our Russian Guests

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thusiastc The oldest among the big re-
publics extends its greeting to the young
est. The relations between the United
States and Russia have never been any
thing but friendly. Russia was always
good neighbor of ours on this continent.
She stood by us in the Civil War; she gen
erously sold us Alaska. She has demon
strated again and again her desire to live
with us on terms of peace and concord.
That was under the departed imperial
regime Now she has established a new
claim on our sympathy. She has struck
off the chains of autocracy and set up
democratic government. She is going to
experiment with democracy in advanced
forms-and on a vast scale. Her venture
deeply interests us. And we have also IN
our own population a large element which
came here to escape the tyranny of the
Cars and which knows far better than
the rest of US do what free, democra-
tized, progressive Russia means.
The Russian mission could not have come
here at more happily selected moment
When its members reached the Pacific
Coast. and even after they had been re-
ceved in Washington, Americans were
still mystifed by the peace agitation
which seemed to be sweeping the govern
ment in Petrograd off its feet. The Petro-
grad branch of the Workmen's and Sol
diers' Council appeared to be the only
voice there speaking with authority, and
its insistence on treating with the German
Socialists for a peace based on the prin-
ciple of no annexations and no indemni-
ties was naturally interpreted here as
sign that the new forces in control in Rus
STA were anxious to make a separate
peace with Germany, and to make it re-
CARELESS of the interests of the other En-
tente powers.
Americans at that time were puzzled
and skeptical. They accepted with re-
serve the missions assurances that Russia
was determined to 90 on with the war and
to maintain full cooperation with the En-
tente. But now we know that the missions
announcements we're we'll founded. The
Petrograd branch Of the Workmen's and
Soldiers Council did not fairly repre-
sent the national body. The national coun-
Gil, when it assembled, voted to continue
the war. and the hopes of the peace propa-
gandists, based on a working arrangement
with the German proletariat, have quickly
faded out The German Socialist prole-
tariat has nothing to deliver. It's leaders
are tied up with Kaiserism, and they lack
the will, as well as the power, to take the
German government out of the hands of
the military autocracy as a necessary pre-
liminary to the restoration of peace in
Europe.
The Russian people have been unde-
ceived by the fiasco at Stockholm. Scheide-
mann, the puppet of Bethmann-Hollweg,
had nothing to offer the Russian delegates.
Whatever may be the plans of the Russian
Socialists for an international organiza-
ton Of the European proletariats after the
war, they see that the prime obstacle to
the success Of their programme is the per-
petuation Of the Kaiser's rule in Germany.
Germany and Austria must be democra-
tized before any European 'internationale'
worth talking about can be recreated.
Moreover Russia has now actually re-
entered the war. Her armies, under Brush
loft, have undertaken another drive against
Lemberg. They have broken the Austrian
lines and taken nearly 10000 prisoners.
They have ended the long period Of in
formal truce on the Eastern front and
have checked the transfer Of Austrian di-
visions from that front to the Isonzo and
the Trentino and Of German divisions TO
Belgium and France.
RrusiIof's stroke, whatver its actual
military results may turn out TO be, has
already had vast political and psyche
logical effect. II has revived the hopes Of
The Allies and correspondngly depressed
the enemy. Russia, long quiescent, IS
again a factor in the struggle. That fact
alone quickens Allied spirits everywhere.
France celebrated on July the appear
ance Of the forces Of the United States on
the Western battle line. We join our Rus
sian guests to-day in celebrating Russian
reparticipation in the war, as well as our
own first real plunge into it. II is an oc-
casion for mutual felcitations The Oldest
of the big republics apd the youngest