The Washington herald., 1918-09-03

settlement of Russian problems.
Which leads us to believe that
Robins detection in 1915 was more
serious than at first realized, or at
least more seriously taken at the
White House.
Robins is not a socialist. Merely
because he believes In giving to the
common people some Of the rights he
believes are theirs inherently Is no
reason why he should be catalogued
as a radical and permitted to be
flayed In administration papers for
his utter out-of-jointness with all
things sensible and safe.
Robins understands Russia. He
knows what impulses move Russia
and he has told them tersely and
accurately for those who would make
Russia a better counry in which 10
live. Most of all he has told Russia $
condition so those who want Russia
to be unquestionably on the allies
side may know what to do there.
But his careful summaries of the Rus
sian situation have not been given
more than passing attention. Natur-
ally. they are not the summaries one
might look for IL he expects Russia to
remain actively in the conflict. But
they are the accurate summaries
which picture the truth of that much
disturbed and badly-misled country.
Russia is not as she should be. All
should know this. But apparently
there are those close to the admins
tration who want to make US believe
that Russia is all right under the sur
face, and that we can get her ac-
lively in the war equation il we but
move there with our propag ganda.
Robins sees the truth of Russia's
situation. He tells 1t as he sees 1t.
And If the truth is wanted by those
in power Robins has IT. But this
truth means that we are to be dis
appointed IL we expect Russia to
enter the conflict at once as active
Co-belligerents in our cause.
Robins was on the ground when
Lenine End Trotsky were dickering
with the Huns on the Brest-Litovsk
treaty. A document which is said
to be a State paper OF the utmost
dignity and of the highest import
ance to Russian-American relations
was struck off by them and for
warded to this country. 1t never
+ reached President Wilson. 1t was
SNollNu oOllAtN lltIc Dtl"ttH IHt
State Department and the mansion.
Whether 1t was because of the more
or less superficial reason that to
reply to IL would be to recognize
the imperialistic democrateers that
it was turned down is not known.
of course. There are those here
who wish they could be given some
| Information upon its contents-and
the reason for its complete sub
mersion. The matter may form the
theme of many an interesting dis
cussion in the future. That is why
we feel the people should be in
formed on 1t through the columns of
this paper. We hate to see any
thing of Importance hidden from
the American people. Most OF all
do we hate to see it hidden when
| a publication might disclose that
public affairs had not been con
Quoted as they should be.
For the laxity, of course, no on.
can blame the White House. The
President is known, so we hear, not
to have ever been permitted to look
over this document. He was given
no opportunity to Judge of its value
to the cause OF repaired Russian
American relations. 1t was as IL he
had no thought of Americas well
fare.
DR.. Fess of Ohio. who supplants
Congressman Woods as the head of
the Republican Congressional Com
mittee. will fill the bill He is a
student more than a politician, of
course, but has subjected the cleo
torate to microscopical tests from
which he has doubtless learned
much that will aid him in his new
task. DR.. Fess is not handicapped,
! as was his predecessor. by objec-
i tlonable votes which will form the
crux of this years campaign. He
has been a loyalist to conform to
! the Wilson requirements. His in
ter'at in winning the war cannot be
att" 'ked. He can wage a political
battle without having his motives
questioned. For this reason, and
for this reason alone, he was nee
essary to the Republican party. But
whether he will prove TO be success
full. in the interests Of the same
/ party, is quite another question,
We cannot answer it until Novem-
ber 7 or s.
senator Borah for the Republicans
and Senator Hitchcock for the Demo-
| Gratis gave their views in Sunday
| New York Times of the issue which
! J. Ham Lewis said in Partisan
| breakfast interview would be upper
! most in 1920-the question of our for
| eign alliances.
Senator Borah said in substance
! that Wilson would be the Democratic
candidate then and Roosevelt would
he the Republican candidate for Pres
| ldent. He thought their personalities
would be the chief issue-wilson be-
| cause he won the war and Roosevelt
because he compelled Wilson to win
! the war.
Senator Hitchcock said that the old
| parties would be revitalized through
the Republican desire to retain the
tariff as an issue. The Republicans
| would rally around 1t and the Demo
| Cr"'s would rally to resist IT, Then
| iher" would be a multitude of domes-
! tic issues brought on by the changed
/ domestic conditions which have come
| to us with the war.
Costa Rica's situation. with re-
| spect to the Tinoco regime. continues
to be anamalOus, so far as this ma
TONS course is concerned But
| whether it would be less anamalous
II we went ahead and recognized
revolutionary government is
| something upon which there has
! been no unanimity of opinion
| expressed in the Senate. The mat
ter viii come up some day when
| the Foreign Relations Committee
subcommittee gets the Gallinger reso-
| luton to its attention. Obviously.
there are arguments in favor of the
| present course and there are argu-
! ments against It. The chief diff
Guilty seems to be in obtaining cor
rect information. Any member who