The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1918-01-29
Russia Points the Way
To a Larger Freedom

Thompson OF the Red Cross.
Thompson of the Rocky Mountain
Club Hoover Fund for Relief III
Belgium.
Thompson of the Federal Reserve
Bank.
Thompson of the Inspiration Cop
per Company.
Thompson of Montana.
Thompson of New York.
Thompson OF the Rocky Mountain
Club.
Colonel William 3. Thompson, OF
the numerous connections indicated
above, returned to the United
States recently from Russia, where
as head of the American Red Cross
Mission, he spent four months try
ing to be of service to the Russian
people A very successful figure IN
Wall Street, he learned much about
the rights of man and the instincts
of democracy, and on his return to
his native country he said, in the
course of an interview:
Russia is not anarchistic. Rus
STA is not lawless. The despised Boil
sheviki are not and never have been
pro-German, and the attitude of the
American press in failing to under
stand them has tended to aid the
Kaiser's cause. The fact is that Rus
STA has been under the leadership fol
several months of the most radical
socialist group but this fact is Meth
er unnatural nor a thing to provoke
despair. 1t simply means that Rus
STA is pointing the way toward
new order of society throughout the
complete equality and what | be-
Neve to be a purer democracy than
the world has ever known before
The Russian people have made ire
mendous sacrifices for this ideal, but
they have been happy in their suffer
ing and would not exchange then
new-found freedom for the condi-
tons that obtain anywhere else OIL
earth.
Il sincerely believe that Russia is
pointing the way to general peace
just as she is pointing the way &c
great and sweeping world changes. II
is not in Russia alone that the old
order is passing. There is lot OF
the old order in America, and that
is going too. We might just as well
open our eyes to it-aH of us. The
time has come everywhere when af-
fairs must be handled for the bene-
fit of the many-never again for the
comparatively few, and what L call
legislation by proxy must cease.
Il am glad ii is SO. When l sat
and watched those democratic con-
claves in Russia l felt that l would
welcome a similar scene in the Unit
ed States. Some cultured professor
or some great captain of industry
now in Congress might be answered
by some locomotive fireman in hob
nail boots; and often Hobnails would
have a shade the best of the oratory.
I'd like to see lot of workingmen
in the United States Senate-not
merely attorneys for wOrkingmen,
but men whose rough hands or rough
and ready ways show that they are
actually doing the worlds work,
Then I'd like to see real employers
side by side with them instead of
their paid attorneys. believe we'd
come to better understanding
President Wilson has shown that
he appreciates the full situation. His
message to Congress is one upon
which the common people of all ma
lions can come to common under
standing. 1t should be received by
the workers of Germany with the
same enthusiasm that it was receiv
ed in Petrograd and it is not beyond
expectations that it may prove
death blow to German Imperialism.
Shortly after his return home
from Russia Colonel Thompson was
given a dinner by the Rocky Noun
tain Club, of which he has for many
years been vice-president. The
menu was submitted in advance to
Herbert Hoover, Food Administra-
tor. who approved it and wrote as
follows:
Il am very glad to say to the
Rocky Mountain Club. and through
that unique organization to all my
Western friends, that they can get
up just as good dinners as they ever
served and still keep within the
lines of food conservation which the
exigency of war makes necessary to
lay down.
Il congratulate the Rocky Noun
tain Club upon its hearty co-opera
ton in setting good example, and
ask for the work of the Food Ad-
ministration the same splendid sup
port that has been so characteristic
of engineers and Westerners throu-
ghout this war