The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1920-03-19
ATHLETICS
BAR TO B0LSHEv|su

That school and college athletics II
america act IS bulwark against the
which Bolshevisnn brought
upon Russia Is the novel opinion 9xs
pressed by DIR. Edward Egbert, Tors
merry chief surgeon OF the Americas
Red Cross in Russia. who for manr
years mas been keen student OF Hus-
sian affairs -
1T Egoert is executive secretary ~
.he american central COMMITTEES foi
Russian relief. which was formed ii
ala non Bolshevik refugees and has N.
Ionai Headquarters In the Hotel Buck
lngham, New York Describing thas
real Progress in Russia's ducatfOn.
achieved during the decades previous
20 the overthrow of Nicholas IL. Or.
Eeoert points to the lack OF those fac
tors which give mental pose and chsr-
aeter to American students.
exclusive Of Finland. there wero.
s s.., Students enrolled In the ten Rus--
sian universities In 1919, compare1
win $4,000 enrolled In 5e3 similar in-e
sntutions in the United States. which
mas population only one-half a
great says DR.. Egbert. "Tucludinr
SCHOOLS or every sort in Russia, 5000
ooo Students were enrolled, more than
schools.
During the twenty years Of M
reign og Nicholas IL. prior to war.
educational facilities were improved
perhaps 100 per cent, which fs the rea-
son the younger generation has takAn
the lead in recent Affairs. The greater
proportion of the plain people, while
possessing the wisdom which comes
w sr maturity, have no education.
me youths with their inexperiAncN5
audacity. responsibility and lack III;
conservatism, who have schooling but
little mental training. have ansuuned
positions OF responsibility. This IL one
OF the causes of Russia's rapid COLI
lapse.
IAN education was carefully cAn-
soreo- Certain books were forbfdden
and only those who could afford post
graduate instruction in more liberaI
countries such as France could really
round out their education. Theirs IL
another very striking difference be-
tween American and Russian school
and university life. While our boys
ana young men are engaged In the sew
erai athletic sports which tend to d.
veiop not only healthy bodies ana
minds. but also q spirit of loyalty.
teamwork. fair play ana personal sar-
rince for collective glory. Russian stu
dents have had no such muscle ana
| character building relaxations.
Youths craving for excitement and
Danger took the form OF secret revolu.
uonary societies which held lengthy
meetings and debates in the stifiin4 A.
| mosphere OF the cellar or Ia closely
curtained rooms. Such activities. dur-
ing their formative years, DEVELOPED IL
many OF them the form Of a singls-
track brain. the egotism and the thirst
Tor personal power. while they encour-
aged every opportunity for arguments
ton and dispute. which Is 50 marked
In the personality OF Leon Trotzky ana
his iIk 4
TN telling his own history. Trotsky
states that beginning at the age 81
fourteen he has been an ardent fnto--
national revolutionist. The Bolsheyfk
intellectnais- of which he 10 typical.
are mostly men who since childhood
have been close students Of only one
subject. tending to make them dog
! NAUTICAL. fanaticA1 and unconvincfhlo.
To them the world IL but n lAboratory
Tor working out their extreme theories.
| no matter what the cost OF the expert
| mentation may be. or what political
| associations and obligations they may
! have to form in order to gain ana "a
retain their power"