The Washington herald., 1918-06-14

Russia is very much to the fore
just now, and it would not surprise
US if more than one solution came
from officials with respect to max
ing that country an active ally for
our cause.
The reasons for believing that
this is impossible are basic. how
ever. and there can be no getting
around them. They are stubborn
things, quite as stubborn as the
people themselves are at this mo-
ment in that country, and We have
quoted them before.
First. the people of Russia are in
no war mind. They want peace
and they have obtained peace. to
some extent, from the course they
have been pursuing. What problem
they have laid up for themselves in
the future they profess not to see
at this time. They are content to
rest. II they believe the future
holds dire things in store for them
they show no concern over it-that
il, the mass of the people shows no
concern.
The peace inclinations of the
Russians was the wedge whereby
German drove her plans to a head.
and was able to do things with the
Russians which surprised many OF
our own people o this nation and
which panied them beyond measure.
The only course which we offered
Russia was to stay in the war. a
course which involved much moro
discomfort than the Russians cared
to visit upon themselves at this
time. They saw the olive branch
on one hand and the sword on the
other-and they took the green bit
We had no argument allurinG
enough to tempt them away from
it. They only thing we had was
money-and the men to whom il
! was offered and given. presumably,
were those whose names are now on
no Russian tongue.
Those on the hill who profess tU
see a course which can be followed
summarize it in this way Russia
is worse than chaos. No good can
come from intervention now-be-
sides how would we intervent!
Leave it alone"
And it is said Justice Brandeis OF
the Supreme Court, whose mind is
on matters of this nature just now
does not know OF advice which
would be obviously more profitable
to Uncle Sam at this very moment
Mr.. Brisbane, from contact with
farming affairs in the West-no
doubt from motoring out from Chi
cago in his car to nearby, waving
fields of grain-suggests that the
government buy tractors for the
farming regions of the nation and
that men to operate them be sup
piled by the government through
some distributing agency.
Bless his heart, any number OF
the armers of the West have trac-
tors, and many more Of them are
we'll able to buy them And they
are being used with profit, too.
Really, the situation is so encour-
aging in this respect that we must
call II more promising than any
other phase of the agricultural sit
uation. Mr.. Brisbane will learn
more of these things as he motors
farther into the interior. The
farmers are taking to the tractor
quite as readily as they should take
to it-and as for buying them out
right with public money there is
no need of, it. Give the farmer en-
couragement in other directions and
he will not need to be the recipient
of any aims of this kind. There
are a number of ways in which
Uncle Sam can show his thought
fulness for his farm folks and those
ways are now open. If these efforts
are sincere there need be no gifts
We commend to Mr.. Brisbane's at
tention some of the adverse things
he has said with respect to the
farmer. Presents of many tractors
would not make Up for some OF
those statements. by any means.
Mr.. Hurley's statements about the
tonnage for 1918 are now. fortu-
nately. based on facts. His more op-
timistic statements, given out some
time ago. wherein he promised twice
as much tonnage this year as he
now finds himself able to deliver
were. unfortunately. not based on
facts. ....s
All of which shows that when we
come down to earth we can get
along much better than when we
soar in the clouds and lay ourselves
open to attack from many unpleas-
ant sources. The tendency now for
Americas war machine to work
without talk and in deeds is encour-
aging. 1t means that we have a
full appreciation of the magnitud,
of our task and that we will &c
about II with earnestness and sin
certify and honesty to accomplish 1t