Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-08-31
THE PLIGHT OF RUSSIA.

The crisis in Russia offers one OF
many proofs Of the inability OF tne So
cialists to do more than destroy. Con
structive policies are not in their Inc,
though destruction, with them, Is py
way of becoming fine art.
Kerensky was called TO succeeu
Prince Lvoff because the former was
unable to establish iron rule. me pro-
German propagandists were carrying
things with high hand. The rene
Pade Lenine was living at the palace
Of the former cars favorite dancer,
with a few kindred spirits, and from
its balconies was indulging in violent
harangue against the provisional!
government and ostensibly in favor OF
4 socialistic communism. In fact, ne
was in the pay OF Germany and was
parroting the destructive doctrine that
had been taught him by his masters
But Prince Lvoff was afraid to sup
press him and his kind. SO Kerensky
was called. Like Lvoff, he was a
socialist, an idealist, dreamer, whose
Thoughts and aims were laudable in
theory but impracticable because, IKE
the socialistic doctrine on which they
were based, they ignore the human
enuation and the fact that every man
ia either honest or dishonest, false or
true, worthy or unworthy.
Such men, In America. are fond OF
quoting that phrase from the declara-
tion of Independence, GAIL men are ere
ated equal" but they read it: "All men
are equal" That is an example OF the
basic weakness of socialism, whether
II be in Russia or America.
And SO, Kerensky, with his following
which included false and true, honest
and dishonest, worthy and unworthy,
set about the almost impossible task
of creating government where chaos
ruled. Before him he set that funda-
mentally false motto: "All men are
equal" And because his foundation
was weak his half-finished structure Is
threatening to fall about his ears.
rhe congress OF soldiers and work
mems delegates demanded voice In
the government even while Prince
Iyoff was premier. Their earliest
actions with regard to the army had to
do with the resembling of many OF the
rules on which military discipline and
therefore military strength are based.
Now the Russian people are demand
ing a reckoning. Kerensky has prom
ised a reign of blood and iron, but he
has not kept his promise. He has
threatened the enemies of organized
government, but he has not carried, out
his threats. The result, General Kor-
niloff says, is that conditions are grow
ing worse instead Of better. The
armies are retreating, Petrograd is
threatened by the invading Ger
mans, and there is a shortage OF rail-
road facilities and OF munitions ana
other supplies for the fighting forces.
Korniloff, in a stirring speech be-
fore the Moscow conference, demand
ed restoration of the stern discipline
which existed when the cars ruled
Russia. He would punish desertion
and cowardice in the army with imme-
date death. He would restore the Of
ficers to the places of authority and
respect they formerly possessed. He
would rejuvenate the munition fac
tories and the facilities for supplying
the army. He would rule like a car
until the people of Russia should be
educated sufficiently to rule them
selves.
Korniloff is of cossack parentage.
Excessive restrictions and conventions
are distasteful to his nature, but he
knows their uses and their virtues. He
Is not deceived by false ideals and the
cries. He faces facts-ugly though
they may be-with fearless and frank
advice for meeting them.
And Russia hesitates between the
practical and the impractical, between
constructive policies and destructive
policies, between socialistic mis-rule
and practical government with head
which demands loyalty first, promising
loyalty and justice in return.
All but the extremists-the revolt
tionaries who have nothing to lose by
national upheaval and hope to gain
through theft and seizure-are oppos-
ing the Korniloff view. Kerensky still
retains an opportunity to redeem him.
self and justify the high hopes and
faith which the Russians and the rest
Of the world reposed in him. But he
must put aside socialism if he is to
win. He must look facts and condi-
tons squarely in the face.
Can he do it? The condition of the
unfortunate country illustrates very
plainly that men whose only study of
government has been to destroy it are
helpless when it comes to building up
government That is socialism in its
naked form.
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