The Washington herald., 1918-07-06

rOA PAST oSNNA al VI NAc
leaders of Congress have known the
substance Of what Mr.. Browne wrote
so illuminatingly in the Star OF July
Fourth. And 1t is their opinion that
the statement of Russia's case, as
made so lucidly by Mr.. Browne. Is
absolutely accurate.
Americans who want to know of
Russia should go on the assumption
FIRST, that at least l30.000,O000 to
$50. .O0o. 900 OF her people at this moment
are better satisfied with their condi-
tion-which is Infinitely better to
them than Il ever has been-than
any condition which was ever paint
ed for them by heads of the warning
nations.
Americans should know that in a
country where SO large a proportion
of the people are in accord with the
prevailing policy 1t would be most
vexatious task to try to get them to
change their ideals.
Russia is free of the taxgatherers
now. II Is a new experience and 30
delightful It is the accomplishment
of an Elysian dream, the bringing
into life of all the things the Russians
had sordidly imagined existed only In
dreams. They want no change. They
resent the thought Of making a
change. Is 1t any wonder then that
we meet little announcement from
the people themselves when we sug-
gest some form Of intervention to
save them from themselves?
The hold Of the priesthood upon the
affairs Of Russia is firm-just as we
would expect 1t to be in a nation So
ignorant as Russia The priests. how
ever, are shrewd enough to adop-
courses which tally well with the in
herent desires Of the people and while
they never allow their leadership to
be questioned they are careful to out
line plans which makes it impossible
for the people to follow other leaders.
Germany. of course, cannot go
farther than we can in making an
ally Of Russia. She may bring her to
a weak sort of domination and may
accept an economic allegiance but a
military alliance Is quite out Of the
question. But once Germany imposes
upon Russia a serfdom as oppressive
as the Romanoff serfdom-and that
time may come-Russia will have to
throw 1t of as she did the Romanofr
yoke. And we doubt II she will hesi-
tate to do so.
Members OF Congress who have
sought the truth do not know. to
speak rather frankly of the attitude
they maintain, just what should be
done in Russia. For the present
though they are convinced that the
only safe course Is to do nothing.
And they hold rather rigidly to the
idea that this course of inaction might
be far more beneficial in the long run
than course of action which the
Russians would regard rather OBJ
stinately as unwarranted interference
with their internal affairs.
viscount Ishii spoke very we'll in
his Fourth Of July effort. He right
fully condemned those pro-German
influences which would bring about
an alliance between his nation and
the Huns. And he commercially
asserted that japan would go on
down the path of life hand in hand
with US IL We but allowed her to
do so.
But he did not quite offset the
intimation given some time ago by
Baron Terauchi. the Japanese pre-
mier, that the time might be ripe
some day for Japan and Germany to
form an alliance. II he could dispell
the notion that the baron may be
speaking ex cathedra we would feel
a great deal better than we do. We
know with what horror we would
look upon our own Secretary Lam
sing II he were to be SO indiscreet
as to say. during the pendency of
q war in which Japan might be
actively concerned, that chances of
O union between our nation and ia
pans enemy might not be at all re-
mote. We would either acquiesce
in what he said-and thereby belle
our words-or else we would eject
him Immediately for wrongfuily
stating our position.
We think the Baron Terauchi
should have little call down ad-
ministered to him. He has II COM
ing; but perhaps he needs no other
call down than the one inferenti-
ally administered to him yester-
day by the viscounts Connecticut
speech. II might be well for US
to consider II in this benehcent
light--yes, upon mature reflection
we believe we shalt do so. Does It
suit you to do the same. gentle
reader?
Control Of the press wires Of the
country might hs 2 aspgsreus funs.