Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-11-18
Dealing With the Russian Problem

n NE OF the most serious problems with
~ which the United States and the allied
governments will have to deal is that of re-
establishing order in Russia and saving its
population from starvation. The difficulty
OF the problem finds emphasis in the revised
text of the armistice terms. in which the most
important change respecting it is that the
form provides that German troops in
the territory which belonged To Russia be-
fore the war shall withdraw within the from
tiers OF Germany las soon as the allies. TAX
ing into account the internal situation, OF
those territories, shall decide that the time
for this has come"
This modification, together with the change
in the sixteenth article giving the allies free
access TO the territories evacuated by the
Germans on their eastern frontier. lin order
to convey supplies to the population of those
territories and for the purpose OF maintain
ing order, apparently means that the allies
are fearful that if German troops are taken
away from Russia immediately excuses will
occur which may lead to unrestrained an
archy. That reign of terror already exists
under Bolshevk rule is well known; but given
the freer hand that the withdrawal of Ger
man troops would invite, it is foreseen that
the terrors of such rule would be greatly
aggravated and an orgy of indiscriminate as
sassination follow. Indeed. a Copenhagen
dispatch states that reliable information has
been received from Moscow that the Bolshe-
Tlk authorities have formally adopted all
assassination program by which all anti
Bolshevik leaders both in Russia and
throughout Europe TO be killed
Hence, the allied undertaking TO restore
order in Russia and save its population from
famine is a huge one. With the control
the Bolsheyiki have established over the most
popuous sections OF the country it is GER
tain that large military forces will have to
be dispatched there to overcome their power
before the humane program OF feeding the
starving people can make much headw
TO succeed in this undertaking, the allies
will have to abandon any thought that Boil
shevik rule is even remotely free express
sion Of the Russian will as to governing
authority and adopt the most drastic meas
ures for its overthrow and extirpation. This
means force, force without stint or limit,
until that purpose has been achieved
Once this conspiracy against the Russian
people has been overcome, every one con-
nected with it as leaders, from Lenine and
Trotzky all down the line, should be hunted
down outlaws against society and, when
taken, should be put 10 death for heir crimes
SO long as of these criminals is left
alive TO plot and agitate, he will be menace
not alone to Russia, but TO civilization every
where. In the in oXicaton OF their new free
dom, there is danger OF the peoples released
from oppression by the overthrow of the
established governments of the central en-
pires absorbing the poison OF Bolshevikism
and reVerting from sane to licensed liberty
unless rigid measures be taken to prevent the
spread of the poisonous contagion. The case
OF Russia is desperate, and temporzing with
the situation will be waste Of effort.