Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-10-03
FRIDAY EVENING. OCTOBER 5. 1919.
RUSSIAN PUBLIC OPINION

We arc told that the people want this. that or the
othAr thing: and two persons who are urging directly
opposite courses Of action viii often bs found claiming
the support Of . practically unanimous public opinion for
courses which are utterly opposed. Naturally in such q
eass both claimants cannot be right. Is 1t possible for
either Of them to b raght7 Is there such q thing as pub
Nc opinion, and II 20, how does It come about
Thsre has been a good deal said Of late about what
ts people Of Russia want On the one side We are as
sursd that the Russian people want the sort OF govern
ment that IS represented BY tina Soviet movement which
II beinE promoted by the Besheviki. On tho other hand
We as assured that this system At government u utterly
repusnant to the people Of Russia who are determined
to overthrow II 1T the first opportunity. What II the
truth? What do the Russtan people want7 Can It be
said l~tuthfully that they want anything
Is Desire is governed largely by information and ex-
peraAneo. One cannot desire that OF whose very existence
hs Is ignorant A people cannot have rational opinions
on the subject Of government. for instance, unless they
knew something OF what sovernnent\ta, Nor can there
be said to be q public opinion unless the members of the
public body have both some knowisdgs Of the subject At
issue and means Of communicating their beliefs and I'M
1essatons to each other. ~
Russia is . vast country through which its Ito, 0oo.-
coo people are thtny scattered. There are represented
many races, many languages. many ~restEions In the cit
les there are handfus Of people who arc educated. some
Of them very highly educated. But the great mass Is
wholly Iltteeate. The country has few railroads and few
telegraph lines Its people-the great mass Of them
have been governed from time inmemorial under various
forms Of paternalisrn benefioenty or Indignantly admin
istered as chance placed particular individuals in au-
thortty. Most Of the Russian people do not know that
there is or can be any other form Of government. Their
experfence in self government has hsen confined to the
handling of their little village affairs. and in these mat
tiers every step taken might At any time be contaminated
by the ezar or his agents.
II the Russians were a reading people It might be
possible for them to have gained soma intelligent ooncep-
ton OF a different system Of sovernnent from books and
newspapers. But they cannot read, therefore they ere un-
informed. They have the natural desire Of all human
beings for peace and comfort, but the fdea which, in a
more or less loose way, seems to be entertained in many
quarters that the Russians as a mass are able to dtsttn-
Eutsh between governmental forms and principles, and to
have q real desire for one more than another could he
correct only IT it were possible for the human mind. With
out instruction and without experience. to solve intricate
problems out Of its own oonsctouueaI
Before there can be q real pubic opinion IN Russia
there must be enlightenment, and It cannot be expected
that even under the most favorable circumstances. that
dense mass Of black ignorance will become enl1shteued In
a day.