The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-02-13
AN APPEAL 70 THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
BY CATHERINE BRESHKOvSKAYE,
fThc Grandmother Of the Russian Rcvoluuon.sl


terial aid.
OF what nature should this aid be
What are the immediate needs of
the Russian peopleY Our greatest,
deepest most Immediate recd 10 the
creation Of conditions under which
r'''. -x,s.->I. .,~.t1av ..~,t b. ..Al. y.ss
eonvoks an All. K1nnssfan '4e5huitu4nt
Assembly. Russia will never be. quie,
and satisfied until her representatives,
freely chosen by the entire population.
will establish q constitution for tho
state, will lay the foundation Tor Z
stable, democratic government, in
surtng laws that accord with the Wtl
and desires of the Russian people. The
demand for . cons.ituent assembly
was one of the main aspirations Of
the Russian revolution. 1t was ON the
eve OF Its realization when the Bal
shevist revolt, in Novembcf. 1917,
tore out Of the hands Of the people
the beautiful possibility to make laws
for themselves, 70 trace the path for
their future. to construct new life In
|Accordance with the interests OF the
fnassee. to strengthen peace and tn
sure the common welfare. The con-
tutent assembly, elected by the entire
Russian people on the basis Of univer-
sal, direct, equal and sacret suffrage,
was dispersed by the Bolshevist with
bayoneta.
An Opportunity Lost
A year ago our allies, together with
the devoted and proven friends OF
the Russian people, could have Great
ed the conditions necessary for the
conyocation Of q constituent asse mbly.
The opportunity was lost, and our
masses, simple minded, naive and
credulous, tired out by their past
misfortunes, became prey to the
base and repacious instincts of sell
fish, ambitious and merciless people.
Under the circumstances. Russia faces
a long and cruel struggle with all the
evil which has entered her life. She
has to suffer all the pains Inevitable
in the conditions of - people clear
ing its way to better future. Many
opposing forces bar this way; they
check the normal course of events
and make the people suffer and suf
fer more In their struggle to get the
right issue out Of the insurm0untAhle
chaos.
Rnssia Lives - and Suffers
There is no doubt that Russia will
be able to find the right path, but
her pains. her bloody mafferings will
be known only to the millions OF Rus
sian mothers and the millions Of our
other innocent martyrs, our orphans.
Flooded with tears and blood, Russia
means and cries out to the world. She
In living body, and her torturcs can
not be looked upon cold bloodedly rs
an extraordinary ncver-before wit
messed experiment in social 0volu-
ton. She 10 alive. and every pore Of
her body Is shielded blood The Ill :
ness that was not stopped In time.
fear, may be prolonged for years.
Only through insistent, and incessant
work and efforts can Russia be
brought to the normal conditions, to
the position In which she found her
self two years ago. after the glorious
of March, 1917. In those
days there WAS real freedom in Rus
STA, and it seemed that our young
country had every possibility for
peaceful evolution and the free build
ing of her future. may assert.
without Boosting, that the March rev.
olution, perhaps the most beautiful!
and the most rational revolution In
the world, was brought about. among
other factors, through the efforts OF
the party OF Socialists Revolu tionists
whose program for more than one
half century presents q basis for set
Element which wal satisfy the de-
mands and aspirations Of the over
whelming majority OF the Russian
people.
Sympathy and Deeds
But, unfortunately, our people.
young and inexperienced, could not at
once find the true path. and. IL aban-
doned by their friends. they may not
find it for a long time. I. Is your
duty. good friends to aid them by
"a L.
Especially by deeds. for our people,
long deceived in their hopes. will give
credit only to those who really and
practically give them proof OF their
sympathy. to those who aid them to
elevate and educate the new Russia n
generations, the millions of Russian
orphans deprived of shelter and the
most elementary means of education.
Russia is exhausted through tbs
war and the terrible civil strife. Her
industries are disorganized, her means
LOT transportation are destroyed, her
educational system Is at a stand still
Without industry. means OF transpor-
tatfon and education, Russia faces
conditions the horror of which can
not be expressed.
undertook 1t as my task to presen,
to the American people the tragedy
of the people OF Russia, in order thai
the American democracy might rem.
der us the immediate help necessar,
for reestablishing democratic order
for convocation Of the constituent
assembly ana creating condition,
whereby peaceful progress may b.
possible in Russia. Recalling, with
gratitude, the true friendship which
the people OF this country have shown
me during my exile In Siberia, ap.
peal to the people OF the Unitet
States to help my suffering people
the people Of Russia.
JUDGE RHEA SUCCEEDS
COL. III. III. DOWNING