Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-02-21
THURSDAY. FEBRUARY II, 1918
What Of the Future OF Russia?

What OF the Future oil RUSSIA
The puzzle of the Great War problem
IN it's eastern territory, today, is the
future of Russia What will come from
The turmoil in which that vast and
populous aggregation of people Is now
involved? How Will 1t emerge from the
conflict when once reason restores Its
SWAY, and the minds of the people, now
engaged in savage and destructive war,
are turned to the paths OF peace? What
Of Russia then?
Russia entered upon the Great War
with high motives She could not con-
lent IN see Serbia ovcrawed by Austria,
IN the mere pretcxt Of the assassination
III an Austrian Prince. And so she dc
Jared that if Serbia was oppressed,
Russia would come TO her assistance
The kaiser and his cohorts gladly accepted
fhis righteous resolve by Russia as 3
,hallengc 10 hattie, and entered upon
hat fatcful march across neutral LuScm-
nlrc and Belgium which plunged all
Europe into the horrid vortex of war.
For awhile Russia ably maintained her
place IN the Great War All along the
,~stcrn front her large armies, under the
,s,mmand of the Grand Duke Nicholas
he one commander OF the war who has
emerged with military reputation un-
scathed. despite the defeats for which ne
Was not responsible made rapid and
surprising advances, and taxed the re-
sources Of Germany TO stem his attacks.
He easily defeated Austrian armies and
even staggered the great Won Hindenburg
by his military manpuvTes. And he
was defeated in the end only by treachery
IN the monarchy al home, by German
intrigues which denied TO him, at critical
points, the reinforcements and munitions
and supplies without which he could not
maintain his otherwise victorious cam
paigiS Nicholas proved himself great
soldier. Defeated in the end IN his
campaign purposes, he yet wlthstood the
tremendous German assaults, and al
though compelled TO retreat, did SO with
armies intact and defeated all German
cndcavors 10 encompass his forces and
compel their surrender.
Then came the amazing collapse OF
the Russian Empire and the substitution
oi an assumed Republic in It's place
I'm. kcrcnzky attained command, and
thor. was nronsse Of good results. Then
came. hi~ failure and thc reign Of the
Bnl,hr,ikI with Lcnlne and Trotzky III
m. >addle What then? Utter collapse.
ne = virtual surrender to German control
The, nave even consented 10 peace terms
accompanied by promise Of payment OF
.arg, indemnity
But II l. not apparent that Lcninc and
Trotzkv can now make good their terms
o' >,Irrcndcr So Germany. Germany h&s
.r>uucd INC offensive against Russia,
md Ins!st, upon the retention of Poland.
lIthuanla and other territorial grabs
i, among the conditions OF surrender.
IT,, position Of ia, Peoples Republic OF
Ikrlna. that large and valuable part of
tbt former Russian Empire, IS made
umtenable b., the later developments.
Il ls hard To discern what Is left OF the
former vast and powerful Russian En-
pure, or what Ienine and Trotzky may
have - their disposal IN their final abiect
surrender 10 Germany, with promise OF
indemnify They have now no govern
ment they NAV call their own. Conditions
m Russia are closely akin 10 anarchistical,
aIth revolution and rapine III evidence IN
ali directions, and nothing that can be
called a central authority TO form a decent
semblance 10 government and administra-
ton, with purpose TO arrange matters
for satisfactory termination Of the
present upheaval
What task the historians of the future
Will have in setting down, in plain Sc
quence, the things that have occurred
IN Russia during the past year. Who will
be able TO evolve pain and revealing
story?