Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-04-23
AN EMBASSY TO RUSSIA

Preadsnt Wilson has for some time been consfder9ne
The plan Of sending to Russia q commission Of eminent
Americans 70 confer With the Russian provisional gov
srnnsnt with . view to rendering 10 thatA government
al the assistance possible in the work Of organizing on
a permanent basis representative govesnmsnt In Russia.
The subject has been under confederation by the cabd-
net, ana It 10 reported that q favorable decision on the
plan has practically been reached.
So far a. the facts are know 1t Appears that there are
few WAYS in which the United States can be Of greater
service to tho world than in sending such . commission
to Russia just at this time. Tho rise Of tho Russian de-
moe'aev II one Of ths most important events Of our time
II. under tho authority Of the democracy, there IL created
in Russia a government which 10 thoroughly representa-
tive. and which at the same time 10 permanent ana order
b. . magnificent victory will have been scored for popular
such . government Russia needs all the assistance that
can BE- given her.
Out Of our experience Of nearly a century and q half
We should be able TO contribute something Of value to thu
new Russian political thought. We can be Of assistance
in. pointing the way to needed industrial development.
And We can be of immediate and practical assistance in
supplying funds for that development. All Of these things
are important.
But perhaps de most immediate, and, for the time.
the most important result that would dow from tho visit
Of such a commission would DO In aiding the provisional
government to tide over the difficulties with which it 10
now beset. and which It will continue to encounter dur
ing the transttory period. Russia Is now msnaced by
two great dangers. One 10 in tho reaotionary forces which
constituted tho dethroned oliSafohy, and which may be
expected to omit no opportunity to undermine the now
government In order that, under some form or other, 1t
may be restored to power. The other danger lies in the
NSA W Nv 0AV "u1Su AE16
mantfests itself when rigid restraints are suddenly re-
moved. For either Of these tendencies to dominate now
would be fatal to the immediate success Of free govern
msnt. and would retard the movement for many years.
There can DO no doubt that the sending of an Aneri-
can embassy on this proposed mission would hold IN
check for = time both these destructive elements. The
knowledge that eminent men from one Of the eldest re-
pablios in the world were in conference with the Russian
psovsoaal sovsRnmsnt for the purpose Of aiding, by
tnfo1nadsn, suggestion and advice. and with the pros
poet Of further substantial aid in the form Of funds for
development, would almost certainly lead the great body
of the Russian people to await tho issue, and to oppose
either a return to any form Of autocracy or a plunge in
the direction Of anarchy until something concrete had
been presented for consideration. And this period Of
waiting would give opportunity for sober, constructive
thought,
There is something inspiring in observing how the
spirit of freedom lows throughout the world. a verttable
river Of life. vitaliztng whatever it touches. We cannpt
trace it to its source. for its sources are myriad. Nor
can we identify 1t perfectly a. 1t passes, For In its vol
ume are mingled the outpourinSs Of a MILAN Springs.
But here and there we may trace Its course oyer great
distances. We can see how the spirit Of freedom was
given recognition under the benign Alfred; how it's prin-
ctplss were reduced to form when the barons wrested
the Great Charter from tho reluctant John; how Hamp-
den and Cromwell fostered it: How tho Pilgrims carried
1t aero1 the seas: and how, having grown in volume and
strength. some part Of its essence 10 to be carried back
across the Atlantic to aid In giving permanent and prac-
toal expression to the same spirit which has asserted
itself In distant land.