New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-23
No Revolutionary
Supported Plan

A separate peace movement under
the old regime was so clearly reac-
tionary policy that no clear thinking
Russian revolutionary would support it.
Nevertheless, the separate peace move
ment inaugurated by the reactionaries
was soon after the revolution resumed
by the extremists Of the Left because
these extremists are not less anxious
to eliminate the French and English
influence from Russian politics than
the reactionaries were. =,
Both extreme wings pursued. and
still continue to pursue. the same pol
icy, but for different reasons. To the
minds of the dark forces in Russia,
English and French liberalism appears
to be the great political evil of modern
times: the socialistic extremists, or
the so-called Bolsheviki, believe that
England and France stand for capital
ism and that should these capitalistic
countries be permitted to gain influence
in Russia the Russians would also soon
be turned into q capitalistic people.
One should bear in mind that the
bulk of the Russian people, uneducated
and illiterate, does not know anything
about the real motives and aims'of the
present war, and that, even if explained
to them, they are unable to grasp the
meaning of the war. The Russian
peasantry of the interior has not even
heard of Germany or Austria-Hungary,
or, if it has heard Of these countries,
they seem to il so far away that 1t
wonders how these countries can be
source of danger to Russia.
The peasant fights because under the
old regime he was forced to do so, and
because he is in the habit Of obeylng
the laws Of his country without ques-
tioning their wisdom.
II is to these ignorant masses Of
peasant soldiers that both extreme
wings, advocating a separate peace, ap-
peal; how powerful the effect on these
soldiers is can be seen from the pres
ent decentralization Of the army. We
read in official Russian dispatches that
division so-and-so or regiment .so-and-
so has deserted its position or has fed
before the enemy without putting up
a fight. One sees clearly that sepa-
rate peace movement in Russia is either
ultra re dictionary or anaIchistic in its
motives and that it draws its main
strength from the utter ignorance Of
the peasant soldiery.
ANY other government facing similar
conditions would have concluded sep
arate peace long ago. but the Russian
government cannot do so. and in all
probability will not even attempt TO do
so, unless she collapses because for
eign aid is denied 10 her.
To the present Russian government
the war has not the same meaning that
it had to the old regime. The repre-
sentatives of new Russia have made 1t
clear that the war Russia is now wag-
ing is not war of conquest, not
war of Imperialism, but a war Of de-
fence and one against autocracy. Since
the I'D regime displayed so much dis
ability in the war as to enable the for
eign foe to invade large sections OF
Russian territory and to conquer the
most fertile provinces, revolutionary
new Russia is in honor bound to drive
the foe back and rectify the omissions
and crimes of the old regime, 50 that
the Russian leaders can in all sincerity
maintain that, since Germany will not
retire from the conquered parts Of Rus
STA, the Russian army, by continuing to
struggle, is only conducting defensive
war