The Washington times., 1917-04-27
The Mission to Russia

There has been much misappre-
hension concerning the American
mission to Russia, which is to have
at its head ex-senator Elihu Root.
1t is a mission very similar to those
now in the United States sent from
France and Great Britain whose pur-
pose is to secure the utmost measure
of cooperation between America and
her allies.
Those acquainted first-hand with
Russian conditions seem to have no
fear of separate peace. That dan
ger really passed with the overthrow
of the autocracy, which, under the
influence of German intrigue was
plotting separate peace. There
seemed for a time to be a renewal
of this danger through the influence
of Russian Socialists who were al
lowed by Germany to pass through
her territory to Russia. But here
again German diplomacy stamped
them as in reality emissaries of
Germany and put them in the cate
CORY of the deposed oligarchy as
traitors to the interests of Russia.
1t is believed that the Russian
army is unanimously for the continu-
ance of the war and is faithfully
supporting the revolutionary leaders.
The revolution itself was rather an
overthrow of a nominal government
and the formal transfer of power to
those who were the real governors
of Russia, as heads of the various
organizations in whose formation
Russian genius had been so markedly
displayed. Germany in its campaigns
against the eastern front is in this
dilemma To delay attack is to in
vite invasion by the armies of Rus
sia. To wage aggressive warfare is
to solidify the Russian people be-
yond hope Of the disuniting processes
which Germany has been too openly
urging.
The need of Russia which the
United States can supply is the plac-
ing of the republic upon a solid
financial basis, the furnishing of mu-
nitions of war and especially the re-
habilitation of the transportation
system which has broken down IN
der the mismanagement of an auto
cratic government. The Russian feet,
with a splendid personnel of officers
and men, will be able to give good
account of itself if attacked again
by the German feet. The leaders
of the Russian armies are trusted
by the soldiers as not belonging to
the German bureaucrats that have
so often betrayed them and left them
naked in the presence of their enc
mics.
There seems to be no chance what
ever of a counter revolution engi-
neered by the Russian autocracy.
Their one hope was the loyalty of
the army to the Gar and for many
months the advocates of the revolu-
ton had been conducting a quiet
propaganda among the. soldiery in
the interests, not of the revolution
as such, but of the salvation of the
country from Germany.
1t is worth while to recall also how
often at critical moments of the his
tory of this war, the allies have
saved each other. Russia saved
France from the final brunt with the
German army in the first weeks of
the march toward Paris, by her in
vasion of German territory. Italy
distracted the attention of Austria
from Russia and Russia later saved
Italy. Now the French and British
are occupying all of Germany's re-
sources by the general and continued
attack on the western front.
The new ally, the United States,
will play a decisive part in arming
Russia anew for the conflict.