Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-06-08
AMERICA THE HOPE OF RUSSIA
We Must BE Prepared TO Help Her When
She Asks Il and Not Before


%helpfulness. Every project for the relief
Of the Russians will be judged here
according as it meets with the approval
of the Russian people.
Various suggestions have been made
looking to reinvigorating the Russian
armies and reattacking Germany on her
eastern front. It has been proposed that
Japan, either alone or in conjunction with
the Entente Allies. should invade Siberia
and it has also been proposed that an
army Of two hundred thousand Ameri-
cans be landed at Archangel to cooperate
with a Russian army. But these sugges-
tons are not satisfactory. A Russian
expert has demanded in the London
Times that a group of representatives of
the Entente Allies gather at some con-
%venient point and agree on what is to be
done to prevent Germany from control
ling Russia after the war. There is no
agreement now.
Yet it ought not to oe difficult to agree
on the fundamental principles which
should guide all Of the Entente Allies in
their treatment of the Russian question.
The attitude Of us all should he that of
readiness to help when Russia is ready to
be helped.
She is not yet ready. She has had
enough of fighting for the present. 1t
would be a waste of time and energy to
devise plans based on the assumption
that the Russians can be induced in the
near future to take up arms against
Germany. The men in control Of the
Government would resent any armed
Intervention. They would be supported
by skillful German propagandists who
would charge that the "imperialists"
were trying to displace the represent
atives Of the people" and restore the
imperialist party to power. The fact
that the charge would he ridiculous
would not prevent it from being believed.
The fact that the real liberals of Russia
are powerless at the present time does
not make the task easier. They cannot
be induced to assume control through any
outside pressure.
1t may be discouraging to admit it, but
Russia must endure her own troubles
until the real Russians awake to their
duties and responsibilities. She must
solve her own problems in her own way.
And we must wait with such patience as
we may the awakening of the people.
But in spite of appearances to the con-
trary, Germany is playing our game.
Her methods will Illustrate themselves,
for they are based on the theory of
tyranny against which the Russians
rcbelled when they deposed the Roman
offs. The German soldiers and the Ger
man civil officials are sowing the seeds
Of revolt wherever they go. The farmers
in the Ukraine are concesling their grain
and the German soldiers dare not go
about that district alone. They have to
travel in groups in order to be prepared
to resist attack. They have slaughtered
innocent women and children as they did
in Belgium. They nave levied ransom on
cities and have conducted themselves in a
manner TO arouse the bitterest hostility
among the people.
Now, this sort of thing calRot be
tOlcf dLcu lpIs. VIC w " led bhaI lhV
Entente Allies cannot tolerate it. They
can do nothing to prevent it, for they are
fully occupied on the western front. But
the real Russia will assert. herself. Then
she may be in a mood to ask for help.
When the request comes we must be
ready to respond. Political advice may
be sought. We in America can give that
without arousing any suspicion of selfish
interests. We have solved some of the
problems Of democracy and the lesson of
our experience would be valuable to
Russia. Food and money may be asked
for. We have both and can spare them.
Men to reilabili ate their railroads and
their industries may be needed. Ameri-
cans are expert in industry and in rail-
road building.
America is in a position to decide what
shall be done for Russia and when it is to
be done. The Entente Allies are begin
ming to understand our relation to the
situation. 1t was our unwillingness to
indorse the project for a Japanese inva-
sion of Siberia that checked that wild
project. And if we mistake not, it will
be the unwillirgness of President Wilson
TO consent to any forcible intervention
in. European Russia that will prevent
such a stupendous blunder.
We are the friends of democracy and
we must impress upon all the Russians
that we ave ready to work with them in
any plan which will perfect their system
of popular government and Gust selfish
foreign influence from control in their
affairs. But the invitation to help must
come from those who want to be helped.