New-York tribune., 1918-12-17
Tunult of Words
Marks Close of
Russian Congress
Conference Leaders Walk
Out When Delegates Try
in Vain to Decide on IL
, Programme for Nation

The big policemen lolling at the en-
trance to Beethoven Hall grnned more
derisively than ever yesterday. 1t was
as the fat one observed to the one with
the hatchet face, "some circus" And
the one with the hatchet face nodded
and ventured some caustic reflections
as to the capacities of unified Rus
SLAMS"
And all the while an aged delegate
sitting unnoticed in a far corner of the
hall, was wringing his hands and muir
muring in agonized accents: My coun-
try! Oh my country"
Before him twin streams of dele
gates to the second annual convention
of the Federation Of Russian Organiza-
tions in America were making their
way to the door. Around the chair
mans table a dishevelled little group
was bandying accusations and counter
accusations in accents that grew con-
tinually moro wrathful.
Ever since O'Clock it had been thus
And the upshot of it all was that at
go the gathering, which had as
sembled to unity all Russians in this
country in a concerted anti -Bolshevik
programme and to forward definite
proposals to the great peace confer
ence broke UP without having adopted
single resolution or having concurred
on single principle.
Try to End Argument
"How can Russia be saved if we go
on like this?" demanded one speaker
after another. "This is living cx-
ample of why the Bolsheviki continue
to rule our land. Let US resolve our
differences. Let US remember the mo-
righteousness Of the issues we have
come here to face
But try how they would-and did
factional complications would arise.
Epithets would be hurled And so the
indignant stampede toward the door
went on.
Originally it was resolution by
vention. The land for the peasants
the factories for the workers was its
burden. Some one from the so-called
right objected. That was nothing less
than Bolshevism, he insisted.
Krofsky, mechanic, lowered up in
indignation. my whole heart and
soul,' he cried, "is in the movement
to restore the Constituent Assembly,
But if we do not begin our entire pro
gramme by stating that we stand for
giving the land~to The peasants and
the factories to the workers, then we
are no better than reactionaries. If
that is Bolshevism, then write me
down a Bolshevik"
Many Minds--No Results
But we are getting nothing done"
said A A Boublikotf former commits
sloner OF railroads, and the man who
placed Gar Nicholas under arrest.
One of the departing delegates
we getting nothing done ?" he de-
manded. Because from the start
little group Of radicals has tried to
steamroll this convention"
At length Krofsky again came for
ward This time his suggestion was to
adopt resolution expressing sympa-
thy with the aims and ideals Of the
Jewish Congress now in progress in
Philadelphia By sheer lung power
he forced the question to a vote.
But by that time half the Mensheviki
had departed. Nearly all the Social
Democrats were gone. General Oberu
chef himself had quit in despair. Out
of the original 200 delegates only for
tyfour remained
But although admitting the proceed
ing was not regular, they put the vote.
And the resolution was carried and
will be duly forwarded to PHILADELPHIA.
BoublkoR pleaded for a reorganiza-
ton and the calling Of another con-
vention.
Those who remained shrugged. "very
we'll, If you can arrange it," said they,
and in their turn moved gradually
toward the door.
And in the far corner, alone, the
aged delegate continued to wiring his
hands, crying over and over: "My coun-
try. Oh, my country!"