New-York tribune., 1918-01-24
Bolshevki kaiser's
Worst Foes, Says
Colonel Thompson
Returned Red Cross Leader
Denies Russia Will Sign
Separate Pact

Colonel William B. Thompson, who
since his recent return from Red Cross
work in Russia has undertaken to win
public sentiment In America over to
the side Of the Bolsheviki, told men,
bers Of the Rocky Mountain Club at
Delmonico's last night that they still
must reckon the newest of republics q
mighty pro-Ally factor in the war.
"Mark we'll my words" he wound up,
"if the present programme Of the Boil
sheviki-the common people of Russia
is not successful in aiding the COM
mon people of Austria and Germany to
break down their autocracies, the Rus
sian soldiers will be fighting again!"
On his hearers, many Of whom are
millionaircs over and over again, and
all of whom have played big parts in
the development of the West, Colonel
Thonlpson's plea made profound i'm
preston.
Il am afraid the American people are
slow to realize one of the greatest facts
OF the war at this time" said Colonel
Thompson.
"The Bolsheviki are tremendous
factor in bringing the Central Powers
OF Europe around to the basis of rea-
scnable and lasting peace. The newspa-
pers that are denouncing the Bolsheviki
just now are printing columns about a
revolution in Austrla-Hungary, a rcvo-
luton based upon an immediate peace
with no anneNations and no indemnl-
ties. This revolution was inspired by
the Bolsheviki. The most damaging
enemy Germany autocracy has is the
Russian democracy alongside of it,
preaching to the German common peo-
pie and the German soldiers the same
doctrine of democratic peace.
"Russia is democracy which comes
as near being representative Of the soil
where. 1t has mud on its boots, hair
on its face and the love OF freedom
in its heart.
"When | say the Bolsfeviki want
peace / do not mean q separate peace.
Democratic Russia, in my opinion, will
never make a separate peace with
autocratic Germany. The present gov
ernment has not ordered the soldiers
away from the trenches. On the con-
trary it is filling the places of de-
serters with men drafted from the Red
Guard.
at was the Russian democracy
should be no annexations and no in
IDENTITIES, the cry that there should be
no secret treaties, the principle of self
determination by small nationalities.
"Attempts have been made to stop
all supplies going to Russia from the
United States. Advice was given for
all Allied representatives to withdraw.
If this advice had been followed it
would have tended to push Russia into
the arms OF Germany. That would
ravn meant that the German General
Staff in time would dominate Russia,
that Asia would be Germanized and
that Germany would realize on the
Pacific ambitions similar to those
which she entertained on the Atlantic.
Capital kercnsky's Undoing
81 urge strongly that We do not re-
lax our efforts TO help the Russians.
What ! saw in Russia has impressed
my mind with the necessity for CO.
operation between employer and en-
ploye. Kcrcnsky tried to unite capital
and labor III government, and be-
cause capital was arrogant he tell.
Now the government is all labor
Lo.onei Thompson was preceded by
Thomas W. Lamont, Of j. 7. Morgan
& Co, who predicted that when a com
plete history of war is written the
colonel, due to his activities il his six
months in Russia, Will be given credit
for having accomplished much more
than can now be measured.
Other speakers were the Rev. Percy
Stickney Grant and Job +. Hedges.