New-York tribune., 1918-01-13

OW hardly snail outsiders lnLeT-
pret the Bolshevik revolution
- better than Russia's visionary
cynics and cynical Missionaries them
selves have done in literary forecast!
that neo-modern Russian,
who, in his novel, "Sanine," wrote
"finis" to human society, has given us
a cross section of Russian life which
is rich in new social and governmental
meanings.
The Russian dreamers, the reorgan-
izers of society, the sef-analyzers
those who leave off fagellating the
body polite only to fagcllate their own
bodies, the Missionaries, the Utopia
builders, the masters Of ideal state
craft, the doubters, the Knockers, and,
in great strength, the futile and in
efficient, are made to pass across Artzl-
BASKETS screen in the very image Of a
Bolshevik governmental carnival. :,
Artzbashef scorned the revolution.
Was this because he understood the
fatal capacity of Russians for the ESQ
teric contemplation of their splrltua!
navels? Listen to this prelude be-
tween Youri, the fervent revolutionary
Of the intelligenzia, and Semcnoff, the
consumptive:
"Did you read Bebel's last speech ?"
Yourii asked. He deplored the lack
of revolutionary spirit among the
masses.
Semenoff irritably fourished his
stick "What do | care for Bebel ?"
he stormed. ~ say that I am going
to die. What is Bebel to me? Just
a babber. who babbles about this
And then some other fool will babble
about that. 1t is all the same to me.
Jop,+ dc +o T,ll flio fn-y1 O,..
row."
Yourii made no answer. He felt
confused and hurt.
"You, for instance" continued Sem
enotf, you think it's very important,
all that goes on at the University,
and what Bebel says. But if you
knew that you were going to die you
would not in the least care what
Bebel or Netzsche or Tolstoy or any,
body else said. What do you sup
pose care for Bebel, or Tolstoy, or
a million other gibbering apes ?"
And before we raise the curtain upon
Artzibashef's drama of the eterna
Soviet let us take glimpse at Sanine
and his cousin, Novikotf, in their un.
conscious impersonations of Nietzsche
and of Tolstoy:
Sanlne was saying:
You are a man who, in order to
give the Russian Empire a constitu-
tion, would let himself be shut up
in Schlusselburg for the rest of his
life, losing all his rights and his lib
crty as we'll. After ALL what is
constitution to him? Strong and
healthy as l am, should | not come
to grief if l had not got my fixed
salary, and consequently cream in
my tea, my silk shirts, stand-up col
lars and all the rest of it?
II cannot see anything funny in it
at all. In the first case, it is the
question OF cause, an idea, whereas
IN the other'-- Novikotf replied.
There now.' said Sanine, inter
rupting. That's how you always
evade the point. | shall never be-
lieve' that the longing for a consti-
tuition is stronger in you than the
longing to make the most of your
own life
THAT is just question. Possibly
Sanine waved his hand irritablv.
''If somebody were to cut off your
finger you would feel it more than if
II were some other Russians finger.
That is a fact?"
"Or cynicisr," said Novikoff,
meaning to be sarcastic when he was
merely foolish.
POSSIBLY. But, all the same, it is
the truth. And now though in Rus
s1a and in many other states there
is no constitution nor the slightest
sign OF one. it is Your own unsatis-
factory life that worries you, not the
absence of constitution. And If
you say it isn't you are telling a lic."
What utter nonsense you're talk
mg. cried Novikotf, turning as red
as his silk shirt.
NH1.