Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-11-13
doctrines as the only means of saving
all the nations from bankruptcy and

He argues with ,Su1tlclent elOQuence
to convince himself, no doubt, but to
those of us who never have believed
in the idealism he preached and still
preaches-for he is the same old so
cialist he always was-his clinching
argument somehow fails to strike
home. Russia, he says. has raised the
red flag as the symbol for all the
world. Russia has adopted socialism
down to the last scintilla Of its newest
principles. Russia is going to light
the way for all the peoples of the
earth to promised land Of universal
brotherhood and equality.
This is the same Russia which today
presents the most pitiful picture OF
helpless wreckage to be found in the
world. This is the Russia where
anarchy is by way Of being the state
religion. This is the Russia which for
generations dreamed and plotted de-
struction but never gave moments
thought to reconstruction. This is the
Russia which, il there were any slight
est soundness to the theory OF the So
ciaIst, would have sprung like Phoenix
from the incendiary fires of revolution
to crush the German autocracy and
establish democracy where the Hohen-
zollerns reign.
This is the Russia which loves uni
versal equality so dearly that when the
revolution removed the rotten re-
straint Of the cars oppressive regime,
the whole army faced about. filed its
bayonets into burglars jimmies and
struck out for the horizon, Selling
lands and treasure in an orgy OF per
sonal greed and lawlessness, plumber,
rapine and destruction.
This is the Russia which loves lid
erty so well that it scorns to fight TO
protect its own. It's armies surprised
the world only a few months ago by
exhibiting an excess of offensive zeal,
and then duplicated the surprise by
succumbing to German trickery and
their own cupidity and disintegrating
in the most stupendous and disorderly
retreat historians ever were called
upon to chronicle.
This is the Russia which. with mil
lions Of soldiers fighting among them
selves, is waiting supinely for Ger
many to overrun its whole expanse,
saving meanwhile to the allies: i
have done my share of the fighting;
] am exhausted: you must carry my
burden; send me lot of money and
be sure to waken me in time for the
peace conference after you win the
war"
This is the Russia which is 50 busy
with its selfish quarrels for individual
advantage that none of its citizens
will trust his brothers to guard his
share of universal brotherhoods plum
der while he goes forth to repel lnva'
sion by the common enemy.
This is the Russia whose collapse
has driven Italy to the verge OF sur
render and created for Germany's enc
mics task SO grave that unless Amer.
lea and all the allies put forth the last
ounce of their strength the world Will
fall into the clutches Of the Prussian
monster. =
This is the Russia which today is
writing in the hands Of the extreme
anarchists while the latter, drunk with
their sudden power, are offering 10
surrender to Germany in separate
peace which can only mean a worse
autocracy than that which the March
revolution unseated.
This is the Russia that Russeli sets
before us for universal emulation.