Weekly Caledonian. (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1919-1920, 1919-02-19

| Russians that have opposed the de-
liberate madness of the Leninites and
Trotzkyites we must not aid. What
is the sacred character of these sons
of murder that they must not be at
tackled? When great nation is held
helpless by an extreme minority, aid
ed by foreign mercenaries, why must
we not, why must not all the friends
of order and civilization, "inter-
vene?" 1t may be too late now, but
last April it was not too late.
Was it the I. W. w., was it chastc
consideration of conscientious objec-
tors and What not, that kept us back?
We saw the blacklist murder, the
most deliberate permanent intentional
loot and rapine, the willed destruction
of all the intelligent and all the
thrifty, planned and done. But we
were restrained from doing anything
about it. There are sympathizers
with the Bolshevist type of revolu-
ton, apparently, that love its doings,
and the conglomerated soapboxes of
the world demand that Russia, ex-
plotted by intelligent madmen, shall
be left alone.
That intolerable cruelties and such
widespread works of destruction as
never before the world has
seen should go on, uncheck-
ed, uncontrolled, in Russia, is
revolving to our sense of humanity,
but we shouldn't interfere with "self-
determination" or some other sacred
symbol Of universal disaster. We must
"keep our hands off"
The Bolsheviki could have been put
down, easily put down, six months
ago. We preferred to be kind to
them. Not alone for harried Russia,
but for civilization itself, attacked on
the eastern border, and subtly OF saw
agely assailed in every country by
the partisans of anarchy OF class Sill
premacy, must this work of disor-
ganization be put down. 1t means the
downfall of endurable economic and
social life. Are we to be so tender
to this company of scoundrels that
is running Russia and the rest of the
world? They intervene with strikes
and other weapons of German pro-
paganda. We mustn't. Let them de- i
stroy their own country and stretch
fatal hands to other countries. We
must fold our hands.
Russia is not the only nation in
volved in this series of calamities, but
let Russia have what her people want
government, agra
rian reform-whatever all-Russia
needs she will be sure of from out
side. From the Lenine- Tratzky gang
she will get nothing. The hopes of
the Russian peasants, the immense
majority of the Russian people, the
hopes of the free world, irritated and
by a pretense of peace
that coddles permanent hatred, de-
pend upon the action to be taken or
not to be taken in Russia.
These are conditions of the past, of
he present. What of the future?
The nations at Paris had a plan.
They invited all the Government
groups of Russia to a conference.
The invitation is declined, the plan
fails. Our readers will recall that we
mad not looked for its success, could
not feel that it was justified, unless
he conference at Paris had know
edge of the impending collapse of
he Bolsheviki OF of some other fav-
bring circumstances which might pro-
Mise good results from an exchange
Of views. 1t appears that there was
no information of that kind, the in
vitation was prompted by hope alone.
Was there an alternative plan? Will
the Supreme Council now come to
some other decision respecting Rus
STA? 1t should have some plan in view,
unless it is resolved to leave Russia
to "stew in its own juice" course
which no one could pretend would be
in keeping with the high professions
Of justice and humanity proclaimed at
Paris. After defeating Germany, it