The Washington herald., 1919-01-12

take a hand. But the State Depart
ment knows when discretion is the
better part Of valor. and says fiatly
that it is absolutely not its business to
interfere in a purely social and nom
official affair being run by a number
of persons of unquestioned social
standing, but of absolutely no official
satus at present, whatever may have
been their position in the past. So
the ball is getting all the advantage
of the advertising which the discus
sion has given it, without any evil
after effects.
OF course it is all rather unfortu-
nate-not for the ball-it isn't inter-
fering in the least with its success
but for society generally. 1t is max
ing bitterness and hard feeling. For
both factions have plenty of good
friends in town. Indeed, amonathose
who are most active in promoting the
ball. because they know how bitter
the need Is, there are those. like Mrs.
Fessenden Meserve, who while they
have every regard and sympathy for
Mime. George Bakhmetetf, and quite
understand her point of view, are yet
very good friends with the present
Russian Embassy. and would not for
the world hurt its feelings.
Mrs. MeSerVe. even more than Mrs.
Georse .Marye, knows how bitter the
need is The American refuge at
Petrograd for the children OF the war
zone was organized under the direC-
ton of Mrs. Marye when MIR. Marye
was American Ambassador in Russia
during the first year or so Of the war.
And after the Maryes came home Mrs.
Meserve succeeded Mrs. Marye as its
director She tells most narrowing
stories of the little children they are
trying to care for-little children who
were almost dead of starvation ana
cold, who had become separated from
their parents, who had seen all the
horrors of chaotic Russia-horrOrS
which frightened and froze them, even
though they did not understand how
horrible they were.
The ladies who were running the
American Refuge did their best for
them-when. as was generally the
case. their own homes seemed en-
tirely blotted out, and their parents
heaven alone knows what had hap
pened to them, The best that could
be done for the children in most cases
seemed to be to teach them to forget
and to feed them and Clothe them,
and make life not quite all misery and
suffering.
The Meserves themselves stayed In
Russia for nearly a year after the
revolution first broke. They were
there during that terrible second up
heaval of November a year agone,
when their hotel was more or less
continually under fire and they lived
like rats in a cellar. until they could
make their escape across Russia ana
Siberia and home by way of the Pa
cific 1t was not an easy or a pleasant
Journey. Their train was constantly
being held up and searched" for no
body quite knew what; their engine
was taken away every little while,
and they did not know whether they
would get another and be allowed to
continue their journey or not.
So when Mrs. Meserve asks for help
for the little children of that awful
red Russia she knows very we'll how
badly they need help. And she guar
antees that the help will really get
there if it is furnished. The proceeds
of the ball on Wednesday night are to
be banked with the National City
Bank, which will place the fund with
their agents at Stockholm, subject to
the draft of the American Refuge at
Petrograd. And, by the way. the
American Refuge at Petrograd" is
no longer at Petrograd. 1t has been
moved to Vologda-or Volna-where it
Is much more accessible to the outside