New-York tribune., 1918-07-09
1t Is Six Months

From the eastern Front which is at
Washington, the news continues to be in
decisive.
The Supreme Allied War Council re-
ports to the American government that
it has agreed upon a policy of military
intervention in Russia
The American government is evolving
d Russian policy in which force shall be
the minor and mmaterial factor.
The Supreme Allied War Council can
not put its policy into effect without the
cooperation of the American government.
The American government cannot en-
tirely disregard the opinion of the Su.
preme Allied War Council By conces-
sions and definitions a compromise will
be arrived at, and then something will be
done in Russia. 1t may take only a few
days more. Democracies must be patient.
1t is six months since the Bolsheviki
at Brest-Litovsk delivered Russia to the
Germans and destroyed the Eastern
front in Europe.
1t is, roughly, let US say, four months
since the Allies awoke to the calamitous
the Hun, having got loose on the other
side Of the world might be able to post
pone his reconfinement for an indeter-
inmate time.
1t is at least three months since Eng
land, France and Italy began to press
the American government to sanction
practical course in Russia, unfortu-
nately called intervention.
1t is three weeks since we began to re-
ceive news from Washington that the Ad-
ministration's mind was moving toward
conclusion about Russia Each day tho
plan believed to be in process of crystalli-
zation has assumed some new shade or
infection. 1t has been one day scheme
of imponderable intervention by COM
mission with unlimited moral powers
and limited police protection. 1t has
been another day a denatured adapta-
tion of the practical solution insisted
upon by the Allies. Always the thought
of force, as such, has been taboo
Meanwhile, Germany has been actively
consolidating her Russian conquest by the
use of propaganda, money and force
Meanwhile, about 10000 Czecho-Slo-
vaks, who six months ago were prisoners
in Russia, unorganized and unarmed,
but resolved to join the Allies in France,
have fought their way to Vladivostok,
which they hold, with $500 miles of the
Transsiberian Railway, besides While
we have been debating the difficulties
of reaching Russia through the Pacific
door, the cho-Slovaks, intending only
to let themselves out, have seized the
door from within. They would swing it
open if the Allies were ready to enter.
Meanwhile, the Russians of the Kola
peninsula have seized the Arctic Ocean
door at the north, and are asking the
Allies to come in by that way.
Meanwhile Kerenskv has been in Lon
don and Paris, and will presently be in
this country, begging for intervention
TO save the revolution from the an
archy and Germanism of the Boil
shevlkl. But by a special irony which
mas seemed to govern this whole Russian
affair, the man whom the Allies treated
as symbol of chaos and were afraid
to support year ago is now denounced
as an instrument Of reaction.
Lett to our own faith in the prov
Dental nature of circumstances. we
should probably send another commits
sion to consult with the Russian people,
to ask what could be done, to report and
to take more time-a commission made M
to represent the social sympathies, a lit
tie Wall Street wisdom chastened. and
some practical business imagination. I'm
der strong persuasion by the Allies. W.,
shall probably find a way, within pre-
Nlous definitions, to do somewhat more
perhaps even to use a little force IN
any case, apparently. the policy to be
pursued In Russia will be finally deter
mined at Washington, because the Allies
cannot act without this country.
1t IS not properly the function of a
newspaper to insist upon any technique
or plan of procedure 1t has not in its
keeping the information that is neces-
sary to a final valuation and choice of
means. That is the business of the
political, industrial and military repre-
sentatives of the Allied governments.
But newspaper may insist, and The
Tribune does insist, that action shall be
taken according to certain clearly OBJ
vious principles. 1t must be prompt, it
must be definite, and it must have be-
hind it the whole physical, political and
moral force of the Allies
N1r 4