The Washington herald., 1920-11-21


Soviet government as the de-facto govern
ment OF Russia. though he believes it )
should mot be recognized politically and
technically as world state. He believes
that economic and industrial help should
be given amply and directly, and that after
a way has been found out of the economic,
difficulties the allies and Russia will be able
to solve the political difficulties.
=. When asked for his opinion on Russian
problems, President Masaryk modestiy dis
claimed having any special knowledge of
present conditions. in Russia, though he
admitted that during the years of 1917 and
1918 when he was in Russia, he had made
: thorough and careful study of the Rus
sian affairs. 1t is undoubtedly true that
by virtue of this long and intimate contact
with Russian affairs, President Masaryk is,
among European statesmen, the outstand-
ing authority on that country. Il have
always felt" said the President, ''that inter-
allied politics in Russia have been series
of serious hlunders, which have repeatedly
shown how completely the allies have
failed to understand the country with
which they were dealing. 1t is my own
opinion that the Soviet government should
have been recognized long ago, not politi-
caliy and technically as world state, but
as the de facto government of Russia,
which it certainly is. By this time the
allies should have acquired an economic
influence on the peasants, talked with
them directly through commercial rela-
tons, which is the only way to impress
them since they do not read"
President Masaryk does not believe that
the. peasants are Bolshevists. In this con-
nection he recalled conversation between
Czech officer and Russian peasant. In
the course of the conversation the officer
asked. "Are the peasants all Bolsheviks
now" NO." replied the peasant; "we do
not need to be now" In explanation of
this rather cryptic remark DIR. Masaryk
stated that as soon as the peasants had
received from the Soviet regime all the
land they wanted, they stopped thinking
about Communism and did not mix in
| politics. Since the peasants are practically
self-supporting, they are not greatly con-
cerned about their rulers and merely toll
! crate the Bolshevist regime, and in this
way negatively support it. Although the
I peasants are the only real force in Russia,
| they are wholly disorganized and therefore
exert but little influence in Russian affairs.
Regarding the various santi-Soviet revo-
buttons President Masaryk said: Il have
never believed in the possibility of success
of the White armies and l have never un-
derstood that lack of perspicacity on the
! part of the allies who have persevered in
backing one adventurer after another in a
hopeless project. 1t was unwise to sup
port Kolchak, Udenich, and Denikine and
! Wrangel, who will fail like the others. All
such attempts only furnish the Bolsheviks
with material for propaganda and enable
them to explain their obvious failures in
government by the excuse that all their
energies must go into military effort to
protect Russian soil and Russian ideals
| from foreign capitalistic oppressors. l was
so convinced of the wisdom of the policy
of no Intervention whatever that in 1917,
when / had an army of 10000 men in kiev,
| l ordered them to leave Russia and go to
+. France to fight the Germans rather than
permit them TO engage in any anti-Soviet
campaign. Czech troops have practically
never openly fought Bolshevism as po-
litical or social institution. All the fights
reported have been only skirmishes due to
local troubles"
As for the menace of Bofshevist propa-
ganda abroad the President said that he
hesitated to acknowledge that Bolshevisn
in its original forms is serious menace to
the world at large and human civilization
He admitted, however, that the Soviets
were able propagandists.
"As l have intimated," President Ma
saryk continued, "it is futile to fight the
Soviets openly. They should be recognized
and an, economic propaganda used to in
fuence the Russian people and to outweigh
Bolshevist propaganda abroad Russia, il
i its economic collapse, is fertile field fol
this propaganda, which can be carried OF
effectively only on commercial occasions
In attempting to, purchase locomotives ant
| other manufactured goods from America
Lenine is virtually admitting that Com
munist Russia cannot exist without thu
goods of capitalistic countries. | believ'
At Il r.