The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-03-09
"Russia's Agony" and
"RevOlutiOn Aspects"
By DOROTHY SCARBOROUGH.


an American edition, the book having IN
short tune gone through several previous
rrintings in England. Mr.. Wilton has
lived among the Russians from bis early
boyhood and has had intimate aequaint-
ancc with many of the persons promI-
nent in governmental affairs there, revo-
lutionary and otherwise. lie Is Russian
correspondent for the London Tunes.
Hence he is qualified to speak more de-
pcndabIy of the Russian situation than IL
the ease with various writers vino have
merely spent few months in the country,
ignorant alike of the language and the
aims of the people.
This book is a serious and sympathetic
study of the chaos which is Russia, as well
rs Of the complex causes producing the
present conditions. The writer discusses IN
diligently the rise and fall Of autocracy,
explaining why western progress, with ITS
problems of industrialism, education and
social relationships, together with the
military disasters in Manchuria, Poland
and Japan. meant the doom Of absolute
power lie analyses bureaucracy, with
its tyrannic complications of the okhrana,
or governmental spy system, and all the
vicious circle of unlimited power and IFS
abuse.
Mr.. Wilton's accounts of the rise Of the
Soviet. the spread of Bolshevism and the
various stages by which governments
changed and crumbled are interesting
and seem more authentic than do various
others that have appeared. The readers
brain whirls at the maze of revolution and
counter revolution, and VIC struggle 10 un-
derstand Bolshevism, which even here is
not made comprehensive to the nOn-Rus-
sian reader. OF the new Russia the au-
thor says:
~ new Russia is springing up amid the
ruins of the old. The days of Lenin and
destruction draw to close. Do not be
lieve outward appearances and aspects.
Russia is not dead. Her agony, still upon
her, il not the agony of death but the
agony of n living, breathing organism
struggling u find expression, wrestling
against the fiend Of Bolshevism that has
grippcd her when she was weakest.
"A few words must he said about our
selves. II Germany captures the Russian
market IT will not matter much to her
what she may lose in the west. She could
then rccoup herself for any such losses
within few years and be in n position
10 resume her campaign for world mas
terry with all The odds in her favor. 1t is
by no means certain that she can sucreed
in capturing Russia since her own over
throw but she will certainly try TO do so
unless the Russians surrender their
birthright-an Improbable event, as have
shown-and the Allies fail TO make use of
their opportunities. For this purpose we
must cultivate the Russians--not exploit
them as the Germans do-with fair pol
icy of give and take, and must develop
living contact with the people,
Robert Crozier Long, correspondent in
Russia l19l0 of the Associated Press in
America, in Russian Rcrolution Aspects
saws of his purpose in writing the volume:
"The aim of this book is not TO give a
history or Interpretation of the revolu-
ton in Russia but 10 record in narrative
form the more striking events seen by
newspaper correspondent long familiar
with the country, people and language
. As far as | know, was the only
foreigner who witnessed some of the oc-
currences and visited some of the places
collected directly and therefore not TO he
omitted was so great that for the causes,
the inner course and the future prospects
of the revolution there has been little
space"
Mr.. Long devotcs a chapter to discuss
ing autocracy and its evils in relation to
the overthrow of the Romanoffs lie gives