New-York tribune., 1918-03-12
The Russian Tragedy

Crnmont-Wlu reacn Inem OH lle lISe
anniversary of the Revolution. 1t will
live, we think, as one of the great human
documents of the war. 1t expresses IN
brief but immemorial manner the
heart feeling of one free people for
another.
A year ago to-day the Russian Revolu-
ton startled the world. Coming un-
heralded, it produced the effect of a vast
convulsion of nature. There was even
something preternatural and apocalyptic
about it-like the sudden fulflment of a
deep-hidden prophecy.
In the twnkling Of an eye the people
of a colossal empire transformed their
government, passing from the extreme of
absolutism to the opposite extreme of
unregulated freedom and democracy.
centuries in the hands of a Car passed
into the hands of proletariat with only
the vaguest experience in self-govern-
ment.
The world in general greeted the Revo-
luton rapturously. 1t was impressed with
the immensity of the change and with the
extraordinary ease with which it was ac-
complished. The Revolution was in itself
q miracle. Accepting it as such, the
friends of freedom and progress every
where-and they had never before been
so numerous-were in frame of mind to
put faith in another miracle-the invig-
oration of Russia's national life and the
perpetuation of Russian power by peo-
pie crude and unframed, but presumably
capable of exercising the liberties they
had at last claimed for themselves.
1t is pathetic now to look back on the
generous expectations of a year ago-eX-
pectations which are reechoed in the SYM
pathetic message which President Wilson
has just sent to the Congress of Soviets.
The world Except perhaps the Teutonc
part of it, sadly misjudged the Revolu
ton. The freedom which it bestowed on
the Russian people was not a freedom to
unite, to coordinate and to give triunn-
phant expression to their own traditions
and genius. II was a freedom to sink into
lethargy and disorganization, to war
among themselves, to renounce and
squander the Russian Inheritance The
seeds of national dissolution were in the
glittering box which the Revolution
opened.
The imperial regime was corrupt and
oppressive. 1t was unfaithful to the ma
tional interests and to Slav traditions.
But when the bonds with which it held
the empire together were dissolved the
whole structure crumbled. And for the
simple reason that the unwieldy pro-
letarian mass had neither the instinct
nor the skill to construct new ties of
unity.
The French Revolution inspired the
French people with fierce crusading
spirit. They poured forth from France
to overthrow the ancient autocratic order
in the rest Of Europe. The Russian Rev
olution, on the contrary, broke the fight
ing spirit Of the Russian nation. 1t sent
the soldiers from the trenches to the rear.
1t sought peace in order to redress at
home the old balance between the bour-
geose and the proletariat, between the
landholders and the landess Absorbed
in that quest, it left the frontiers unpro-
tected against an enemy far more dan
gerous and pitiless than Czarsm had
ever been. 1t invited spoliation and dis
memberment from without Having rid
itself Of the Romanoffs, it is now threat
ened with vast abridgement of its
boundaries and strangulation in the
clutch Of the HohenzolIerns.
The Duma government, which effected
the coup d'6tot, had good intentions. It
fell because it failed to grasp the real
meaning Of TIE Revolution. 1t had no
popular backing. Kcrensky, who sue
ceeded the Duma group saw that the
cnly means Of saving the Revolution from
itself was TO continue fighting for Rus
sian nationalisn and the integrity Of the
territory Of the republic But the pogon
OF internationalism had already eaten TOO
deep kcrcn8ky was an intcrnationalist
IN theory, although he shrank from sacri-
heinE .oiaVlsm ~ the fantastic dream Of
an mpcrialistic alliance between tha
Russian and the German and Austrian
proletariats. He talked both war and
pcacc, ard sought to hold on in office by
the mere force Of emotional oratory. He
fell becausc Lcnjnc and Trotzky, vino dis
placed him, we're more intense interna-
tjonalists than he was. In the pursuance
of their peacc-at-any-pric policy they
we're even wiling IN reconcile themselves
to q partitioned and Ynutilated Russia.
The frst year Of tne Revolution ends