New-York tribune., 1918-04-07
By Marie de Perrot, B. es l..

r HOULD we allow despair to master
us because deep shadows have
gathered round Russia, darkening
the glorious dawn Of the young repuo-
lie? Rather let US remember that she
was crushed for centuries by the mer-
ciless rule of the despots and cannot be
judged by the standard Of happier
nations. She is still in the throes Of
her birth, and great things, though not
always accomplished slowly, require
time to be strongly established. Let us
look back into her past and there find
the explanation Of much that seems in
comprehensive at first sight.
Above all, let US be just toward her,
remember the superb cxaltation with
which her men went into the war: They
were not more soldiers marching tow.
ard the battle, but neophytes ready for
every sacrifice. Among the Allies their
enthusiasm can only be compared to
that of France What should we have
done without Russia in 1914, at the
time Of the barbarians' invasion, if the
East had not sapped the strength Of the
tide which would otherwise have dew
astated France and compromised,
perhaps irremediably, the worlds free
dom? To the thoughtful it will always
be a wonder that, betrayed by auto,-
racy, she held out as she did until
1916.
1t is not because great things longed
for, anticipated, paid for by every kline
of sacrifice, are at last but imperfectly
accomplished, that we must doubt the
impulse itself. Many noble Russian
women have sown the seeds whose fruit
has been the revolution.
Women Laid
The Foundation
1t is not impossible that at this very
hour a woman may arise and seconc
Joan of Arc lead Russia to peace anc
happiness. The women who have accom-
plishcd the miracle Of a free Russia
we're not great and powerful; not a
Catherine II, of German birth, whom
history calls the Great and the Semira
mis- of the North, whose wars, reforms
and the protection she gave to scholars
and diplomats counterbalance in the
opinion of some her violence, despotsn
and depravity.
A German, too, the exCzaritza Alex
andra Feodorovna, has caused-unwit-
tingly, no doubt-thc fall of the dynas
ty. Catherine II murdered her own hus
band in order to mount the throne, anc
through the desire for power the Rus
sian cmpresses have accomplished
atrocities unspeakable. But for Rus
sia's greatness, for her liberty, for the
breaking Of her fetters and ultimate
happiness, obscure women have worked
or at least those who to accomplish
their mission had set aside all QUITE
advantages and caste distinction.
like to remember one of them who
as she said herself at the trial, "sprane
from the people" but who had the true
aristocrat's courage and the revolu
tionary's soul, ready to undergo any
thing so that Russia might be free.
met Zinaida Konopliannikova at Odesss
in 1896, where she was engaged by m!
friend Anna Avramoff to teach the chill
dren on her estates to read and write
for of the 1o5,O00,O00 peasants 81 pc
cent can neither read nor write. Theil
vocabulary, as I have tested for my
self, scarcely comprises one hundred
words.
There was nothing in Mile. Konopli'
annikova which distinguished her from
others, though l remember laughingly
asking my friend what had made he,
engage a girl with eyes which mus
pierce the chldren's very SOUL, they
were so black and ardent, set in thai
pale face; not pretty cxactly-Rrssiar
women seldom are-but strangely at
tractive. 1t was the moment when ny
friends Anna and Olga Avramoff were
beginning to enter deeply into social
revolutionary questions, but nothing
indicated to them that the shy, re
served gchoolmistress thew saw 40 con