The Clayton news. (Clayton, N.M.) 19??-1954, 1917-12-15
RUSSIES DETECTION NOT As
SERIOUS AS FIRST BELIEVED
mPERED FOR SUPPLIES HERSELF
HACKING FOOD AND MUNITIONS SHE
.sANNOT GIVE AID TO ENEMY EVEN
~ SHE MAKES PEACE + +

4 before the ever changing kadelio- /
scope Of Russian events as revealed
from day to day. prediction must fall
ter and grow pale. Never has revolu
tion been brought about under such cir
cumstances. or involved such possibil-
tiles Of worldwide consequence. On
ihese grounds alone the daily chroni-
rle of Russia's conflict would possess
extraordinary interest for all peoples
II all nations. But today with the
world plunged into it's greatest inter-
national struggle, the battles of Pero-
grad and Moscow claim our attention
even more urgently for another rea-
son What effect will the Russian rev
solution have upon the war is the ques-
tion which rises instinctively to every
lip. OF whatever nationality?
When we attempt to consider the rev
oiution from this point of view, the
-hrst thing which we must realize is
that we are at once separating our
selves from the revolutionists by a
tremendous gap. The Russian as a
class regards the war as an incident
Of the revolution, rather than the other
way about; he is interested in making
sure that the war rshall not interfere
with his revolution, rather than his
revolution shall not compromise the
war Alike. because of this and because
of the physical condition of Russia, we
must face the bald fact that this ma
tion is out of the war so far as effect
i've participation is concerned. To be
sure events may so turn out that Rus
sla can and will maintain her lines,
making it necessary for Germany IN
la Al.
front; but such maintenance cannot
become a burden to Germany, or ma
terially effect her strength on other
fronts 1t will be as it has been, n
mere formality
Russia is through. The allies must
hight out the war without her This
there would be no doubt of their ability
TO do. were it not for the fear, ever
present and freely expressed in many
quarters, that from the position of an
enemy to- Germany, Russia will switch
about completely to that of an active
or passive friend
Such a situation. looked at in the
abstract, would of course be fun of peril
TO us and our allies. Our plan of cam
paign is to wear Germany down. We
expect to beat her by n process Of attri-
tion affecting her man power. her food
supply, and her stocks OF raw material.
II she is to have afriend or even a
benevolent neutral upon her eastern
bOrder-a border which. unlike her
western one, We can control neither by
land nor by sea--if she Is to draw free
Y upon this great neighbor for food
and metals and non -combatant labor.
this attritlon will make it's effects felt
slowly IL at all.
All this is gloomy enough; but when
we come down 10 concrete analysis,
We find that after all there is little
warrant for pessimlsm. We have an
ancient adage which recItes the impos-
siDility ot extracting blood from n
stone 30 long as we speak in generaI
terms Russia as a source of sunnlies
i9E germany appears formidable in
'Fedi Dut when we descend to details
Nnu partcularize as to Just what sum
phes the Boche is to get from Russia
ana now he is going to get them. we
discern a great light.
Is 1t food that is to be supplied by
the new republic? We think NOT rhs
summer Just past has not been n saa.
son or hard labor I'm Russia: her worl,.
ers nave been working in the SAM
way that her fighters have been dpht.
IhB-with fine phrases All men Of nj
i"O'iohS nave been too busy with tall
Nhs to pay any attention to the sordil
"details OF work. Even now, the Bolsba.
WIKI cry for bread; and whence is Il
70 come. Already the food situation /,
hoscoW and Petrograd is reported n,
desperate Hungry already. Russia viii
ss huhsrler before she is fed; and IN,
thousht OF Germany drawing susten
Heee from her is a ludicrous one.
But. persists the calamity hovle,
think OF all the other resources OF rus
sial Germany can come in and hel
herself to coal and iron and petroleum
and platinum and copper and all tn
other things of which she has sue
need. Again we beg TO diner. Unit
coal ana oil and metals are able I
take legs unto themselves and wal
from the Urals and the Caspian TO III
Rhine, Germany will do nothing If IN
sort. It takes railroads TO move a
these things-railroads with tracks an
rolling stock and above all, LOGON,
tlyea IN good shape. The fact III,
Russia Is crying for 1900 engines
save her from ruin is but faint me,
sure of her transportation condition
Materials of which there has bee
most urgent need have lain for a.,