The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-11-14
~ WILLIAM e. WALLING

, OF William &. "A11lNa
In a previous articles Mr.. Walling
discussed degrees OF pro-Bolshevism
and spoke OF the influence Of sym.
pathizers making a show OF criticism
OF some aspects Of Bolshevism as be-
ing more dangerous than that OF out
and-out near.Bolshevists. He analysed
at length the position Of Raymond
Robbins, who favored an economic
alliance" with Lenine, as being Of this
dangerous character. Raymond Rob-
bins merits attention because he is the
most Influential Of the friends Of the
sovtets-and because he Is typical Of
a dozen others who are putting out the
same arguments on the same slender
basis Of fact. His group is undoubted.
ly the most valuable to the Bolsheviki,
II we expect the dominating factions
of the Socialist and Labor parties of
Europe-only the extreme left wings
OF which are out-and-out communists.
But there is another group in England
and America that is rendering impor-
tant assistance to soviets: that is,
those who propose a policy Of benev-
client neutrality.
Especially in academic and literary
circles there Is a considerable number
who not only find about as much to
say for the soviets as against them.
but 90 further and decry all strong or
effective opposition. Leading sc!en-
tific publications have adopted an at
titude that gives the strange levi
dence" OF the pro-Bolshevists as much
space as their most scrupulous and
competent critics, thus causing the
uniformed to remain in doubt as to
their position. The Annals OF Ameri-
can Academy and the Political Science
Review give an amount of space to
these apologists that is equivalent to
liberal contribution to the pro-Bolshe-
visit agitation. A writer typical Of
many OF this kind is R. NJ. Story, Phi.
d., whose main thesis IS that the Boil
sheviks and the soviets are two DIFF.
ferent th1ngs-an idle statement in
view OF the fact that the soviets were
placed In power by the Bolsheviki and
that Leuiue publicly defends and prac.
tees the exclusion from the soviets of
all elements that endanger Bolshevik
.control-the 100000 Bolsheviki being
the masters OF an organization which
embraces several million members.
Renounces But Then Defends.
Like Robbins. Story renounces
Bolshevism briefly and defends it at
length. He says. 1T mocks interna-
tional obligations and revels in in
trigue. With audacious impertinence
1t seeks to override existing democ-
rac!es. and voices its claim to world
dominion" But he takes away all
practical value from this denunciation
first by applying equally strong Ian
guage to the anti.Bolshevists and then
by praising the Bolshevik soviets.
"Unutterable infamies" have been
commttted-by both sides So tho
entire reign Of terror, though institut-
ed by Lenine, and by Lenine alone. is
disposed Of. The educated Russian
Socialists and liberals, victims Of the
terror, who have been calling for help,
are all Jumped together with the
worthless refugees of the old regime,
as the "soulless vulture creatures, who
from their emigre Ravens outside OF
Russia, have been calling the world
to rescue their prey for them" The
entire opposition to the soviets, voiced
by half dozen parties, nearly all
democrats or revolutionists, is re.
ferred to as the misery and wailings
OF former oppressors."
The Bolshevists, we are told, saved
the social and economic character OF
the revolution from the moderate So.
clalists. The Russians do not want
democracy as America and the rest
OF the world have evolved It; their de.
sire is for the soviets! The average
Russian peasant and workingman
trusts the soveits, but would no,
trust constitutional assembly,! How
Story came to know tho opinion Of
the average resident of this great
empire in a few months he does not
say. But what is certain Is that il
is less than two years since all Rus
STA expressed its confidence in a con
stitutional assembly in the only rea
election the country has ever had.
Apology for Soviets.
Story is concerned to find an apol
ogy for the fact that the soviets are
but creatures and tools of the Bo!she
vic party-as they were intended tt
be when the Bolsheviks endowed then
with sovereignty and gave them the
political power. He by no means de
MES the glazing fact OF minority con
troll, but feels justified in assuring u:
it is only momentarily. For the
moment the party in power may ever
resort to the suppression of minoritie:
in the soviet" He admits further
Executive usurpation, legislative per
version and the substitution Of In
QUESTION and terrorism for judicia
procedure, and that even the soviets
weird 'principlos' are not safe from
this iron party dictatorship and an
archie violence. Wanton violations o
soviet principles have been serious
In order TO gain time and the appear
ance Of unity the ruthless suppression
Of minorities. and every immoralit,
known to statecraft have been en-
p!oyed."
Is this not enough Of an Indictment
1t troubles our witness little. Though
the sovicts have been under the rigit
control Of the Bolshevik party from
the moment they were given suprem,
power. we are assured they offer i'm
mediate, effective and constant oppor
tunty for party change" and tina
there is and can be no assured ten
Of ,.Al lar,o