The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-04-02
RUSSIAS FUTURE
MUST DEPEND ON
SLAVIC ELEMENT
Are Real Citizens of
Russia and Patriots Says
Dr.. HrdIiCka, Writer for
Smithsonian Institute.

WASHINGTON, April Probably the
most widely discussed topic all over the
world today is the future Of Russia. viii
order and stable government emerge
from the present chaotic reign Of terror
and enable this vast nation to take its
rightful place among the peoples of the
earth? DR., Ales Hrdlicka, in a pam
phlet just published by the Smithsonian
institution, concludes from a thorough
study of the elements which make up
the enormous population Of Russia that
IN the end the Slavs or real Russians
must prevail and maintain the unity Of
the nation.
Races of Russia.
The subject Of the races of Russia,
says DR.. Hrdlicka. seems at first glance
very battling, yet II considered from the
viewpoint Of Anthropology, the problem
Is simplified and there are seen TO be
large areas Of racial uniformity. The
earliest known peOpling of Russia took
place during the later paleolithie epoch
and the following neolithic times, but a
much more important influx occurred
curing the latest neOlithic and the
bronze and iron periods, proceeding
from the great steppes of Asia. The
author traces the divisions and loca-
tons OF the various peoples who make
up the Russian population, from the
Taurt, down to the present time. He
notes the successive invasions of vari-
Gus part of Russia by the Goths, the
runs, the Krazars, and finally the last
and overwhelming Tartar Of "Mongol"
Invasion which covered all present
Russians were slaughtered in large
numbers or forced to flee and, and TO
this day a large part Of the population
OF Crimea Is more or less Tartar.
Real Russians Grow.
In the meantime, however, the real
Russians had continued to spread irre-
sistibly over European Russia and ST.
IBERIA. The modern Russian population
represents a physically strong and very
proliIic stock, freer as yet from de-
generative conditions than perhaps any
other of the large European groups The
total poulation of Russia counted at the
beginning Of the war was IT'S, 600, 900.
DR., Hrdlicka then considers the mon
Russian races Of European Russia, in
Guiding the Poles. Lithuanians, the
Tchouds and Firms, n the Flnno-
| Ugrtan tribes Of the interior, the Laps
and the Samoyeds, the Tartars, the
tribes Of the Caucasus, and finally the
immigrant Jews and Germans, OF which
last tlEEG were pTHCLIChllY G,UUu, uUU at
the beginning Of the war.
In summing up his studies, the author
says:
Leaving aside all details and local
ICED ethnic peculiarities, we find that
the racial problems of European as we'll
as OF Asiatic Russia, are relatively sinf=
pie. "a We find over a large portion
OF the vast territory a thin substratum
OF Finno-Ugrians who are of western
Asiatic origin and carry with them va
rytng traces of Monaghan admixture.
(2) The southern portions of Russia
from remote times constitute a broad
avenue for the movement Of Asiatic
peoples in a westerly direction. These
peoples are partly Of I~ranian, but in the
main Of Turko-Tartar derivation; and
the Turko -Tartars, like the Finno-
Ugrians, are mixed peoples, partly white
and partly Monaghan. Their influence,
both racial and cultural, on the country
ure persists even to the present day.
(a) Along the Baltic we find Finnish
tribes in the north and Lithuanians,
probably Of mixed Slavic and scandina-
Wan composition, farther southwark
and westward. (4) All the rest Of the
great region is Slav, Polish In the west,
Russian In the center and eastward.
1t Is eminently true that Russia is
essentially a SlaV country, which today
Is equally true Of Siberia and in a
large measure even Of the Caucasus. In
Central Asia the Russian element Is still
considerably exceeded by the Turko-
Tatars, From the ~anthropologfcaI
standpoint, the Russian stock Is wei
developed, Virile, resistant, and full oil
potential force, 1t may be said to be
the great human reserve of the Euro
pean population. II 1t has not advanced
In culture as much az the western and
southern European nations, the causes
II contemplated impartially are seen tc
have been not inherent or racial, but
geographic and circumstantial. II mus
not be forgotten that Russia by actlne
from its inception a the buffer be.
tween the rest OF Europe and Asia, an[
by becoming later the principal check
Of the Turk, has deserved the deer
gratitude of the more western and more
favorably situated nations.
What will be Russla's future? Per,
haps the anthropologist may attempt t
predict where others would hesitate.
THE Russian Slavs taken collectively
count today over 100, 900, 900, and the,
are increasing yearly by the excess o
births over deaths by 1,T00, 900. Thi
rate Of increase Is greater than that o
any other people In Europe excep
some Of the other branches Of Slavs
and with the mass Of the people belong
ing to the conservatives, slmple-live
rural population, can not be expecte
to become much reduced in the near tu
ture. Such a rate of increase OF thi
otherwise strong and able portion G
the white stock means a biological mo
mentum which In the end must preva
over all opposition, Russia can not bu
have a future commensurate with he
potential powers,
This paper will be distributed by tn
Smithsonian without charge to publ
libraries and other educational institu
tons.