The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-12-06
UNITED STATES AND RUSSIA.
Former May Exert Powerful Influence
in Latter's Problems.


There should be no question as to the
attitude of our government toward the
peace negotiations which begin to.mor-
row at Dorpat. Peace in eastern Eu-
rope is an American interest, and the
consideration which nearly year ago
led President Wilson TO propose nego-
tiations at Prinkipo have incomparably
more force to-day. The adherents of
Kolchak and Denekine begged years.
grace, asserting that if supported
through 1919 they could capture Mos
COW and Petrograd, overthrow the So
Wet republic, and set up new govern
ment. But the year of grace has al
most elapsed, neither Moscow nor Pet
rograd has fallen, Yudenitch and Kol-
chak are beaten, Denekinc ifs hard
pressed, the British have abandoned
Archangel, the Baltic states are max
ing peace, and the soviet armies after a
defense which a hostile British critic
calls magnificent" are stronger and
more strongly backed by the Russian
people than at any time since hostil-
tiles. began.
Intervention, in short, has proved a
disastrous failure except as it may
have served, contrary to the purpose of
the allies, to consolidate Russian pa
triotism on the side of the bolshevilSi
against foreign invaders. How far it
has accomplished this is strikingly
shown by the attitude of the Moscow
patriarch, Tikhon, who has excommu-
nicated the bolsheviki on religious
grounds, yet gives his support to resist
ance against armed intervention. When
Socialist like Kerensky and the head
of the Russian church agree ON this
point to persist in intervention would
be folly. To succeed it would have to
be backed by forces incomparably
greater than the allies have employed
hitherto, and no responsible statesman
is proposing so costly a new ventare,
1t follows that the time has come to
abandon a policy the failure OF which
all admit, and to consider nationally
what can be made of the situation
which actually exists.
1t is hopeful that Russia which is
defensiyely stronger than at any time
since the crumbling of the cars armiss
is apparently ready TO make non
imparialistic peace, granting full free
dom to Finland, the Baltic states, Po-
land and other subject nations, and
STIMULATING only for President Wilson'S
principle of free access to the sea. Esen
this is opposed by certain CONNER pal
interests on the Baltic which had hoped
to make a good thing of controt of
Russia's exports and imports, but UNI
less the allies block the negotiations
selfish interests are not likely to pre-
vail against the general need for peace.
Peter the Great and the czsrs since his
time have fought savage wars Of con
quest to reach the open sea; Lenine
fortunately takes the anti-imperialistic
view that what matters for a land
locked nation is simply freedom OF
transit. One need not agree with any
of his other theories to recognize that
this attitude greatly simplifes the
problem OF peace; if it had been gen
orally adopted throughout Europe
many of the present troubles would
never have arisen.
However the peace conference may
result, the question Of recognizing the
bolsheyiki does not at present present
itself so far as the allies are con
cerned; it is technical and subordi-
nate question which should never have
been put forward as the principal is.
sue. If under peace conditions the Rus
sian people should assent to the con.
tinuation of the present government
the question of recognizing it might
come up, but in desisting from inter,
vention and supporting peace the allies
would not be binding themselves tc
diplomatic recognition. On the other
hand, it should be possible without
meddling with Russian politics TO make
it plain that more broadly represen.
! lative government would more easily
win such recognition. This week and
the weeks to come will be Of a critiea
character and it may be hoped that the
United States government, which has
so special an interest in the settlement
of the Russian question, will find way
TO use its influence in favor of peace IN
eastern Europe and of a more demo
cratic regime in Russia.-SpringfelC
Republican.