Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-06-22
coRkYIs RIGHT.

One or the most Valuable D1ts VI III
formation to come out of Russia in re-
cent months is the Maxim Gorky inter
view which The Courier published yes.
terday. Not only does 1t bear the stamp
of authority but 1t squares with the
opinion many Americans have held re-
garding Russia and Russians. 1t dit:
fers greatly from the optimistic decia
rations that have been coming out OF
that vast land of which the rest OF the
world knows so little.
Incidentally. Gorky shows an admir-.
able brand of independence and GER
tain force of character when he tells
the people whose champion he has
been for so many years that they are
manufactured and greatly in need OF
education. He tells them, too. in erect.
that until they acquire knowledge OF
the manner in which they should live
their individual lives they will not be
capable of successful and use1ul
composite existence.
Russia's painful backwardness IN
scientific and technical knowledge as
Gorkv says, is responsible for most OF
the evils which are costing Russia's
allies so heavily Just now. 1t is mat
ter of common knowledge that agricul'
tural implements in some Of Russ1a's
interior provinces are of the primitive
sort which are curios In every other
AGRICULTURAL country on the face OF the
globe with the possible exception OF
darkest Africa and some sections OF
China.
Within the past few years certain
modern machinery has been imported
into Russia from America and from
European countries, but its use has
been restricted to certain sections,
while in others the methods used are
the same that were employed a hun
dred years ago.
This condition Is true not only OF
agriculture but Of medicine. surgery
and sanitation. Russia Is benighted,
Gorky says, and it Is only when some
such authority speaks that the outside
world can picture the extent to which
the nations ignorance goes.
1t is not a pleasant prospect to con.
template. 1t is not possible that the
revolution OF sentiment which would.
in time, be the outcome Of the scien-
tific education at which Gorky aims,
could be brought about In sufficient.
ly short time to enable Russia to re-
sumo her proper place among the fight.
ing nations which are opposing Ger
many's campaign for world rule.
But with the questions of the war
aside and the future Of Russia as a
democracy considered without regard
to the rOssible outcome Of the con.
flict with Germany. Gorky's DECLARE
lions are of particular interest in
America.
Elihu Root and his American COM
missioners are in Russia to help estab-
lish a workable plan Of democratic
government. No doubt they have dis
covered or will discover the condition
which Gorkv discloses IF his diasno-
sis OF Russia's present Ills Is correct,
the Americans have their work cut out
for them.
1t is a big task to remake nation,
to substitute learning for ignorance.
progress and ambition for fatalism,
practical ideas for visionary ideals, or
der for anarchy and independence for
the dangerous helplessness Of the I'm
tutored mind.
If only Russia's. future were at
stake. America could watch Mr. Roots
experiments with somewhat detach-
ed interest. With the progress OF that
country exerting SO great an influence
on the future Of this nation and the
whole world, the interest is tinged
with an excusab'e selfishness and an
oyermastering wish that some miracu-
Ious short cut might be found to wis
dom for the Russian peasant millions.
The encoura ging note in Gorky's
statement is his assertion that the peo-
pie themselves. at least to some en-
tent, realize their shortcomings and
are willing to be taught.