The Raymer enterprise., 1920-05-20
Shall Chaos or Reconstruction
in Europe Follow the Great
World War;
RUSSIA ALWAYS UNDER YOKE
Easy to Understand Why the Unhappy
People Have Turned to eolshe.
sism In Their Cropping for
Freedom.
Article XVI.
By FRANK coMeRFoRo.

By FRANK coMERFoRo.
The history of Russia begins with a
legend. Nestor of Kiev, an old monk
tsh chronicler. tells the story. Klev is
the mother Of Russian cities. In the
ninth century Slays and Firms lived In
q tribal state In the forest region near
Lake linen. between Lake Ladoga and
the upper waters Of the Dnleper river.
Bands Of military adventures from
the land Of Rus. which Is supposed to
have been a part Of Sweden. exacted
tribute from the tribes. In the year
$50 the tribes threw of the yoke Of
the Norsemen and drove them out Of
the country. 1t was Russia's frst revo-
luton. 50 the old chronicler relates,
and It was successful. Freed from the
tyranny Of the tribute takers the tribes
began to quarrel among themselves.
Their land was large and fertile. but
civil war destroyed order. Then as
now. order was the first essential to
peace and happiness. II Is told that
after three years of tribal war they
confessed their inability to manage
their own affairs and they sent mis-
sion to Rus to invite their old masters
to come and rule over them.
According to the legend, three broth
ers. princes Of Rus. Rurik, Slneus and
Truvor. accepted the call and founded
q dynasty. from which many Of the
Russian princes Of the present day
claim descent. t.----ssSgAsr- 80 Tss4v
While much discussion has been pro
voked as to the identity Of the war.
riors from the land Of Rus. the found
ers Of the Russian empire, It Is gen
orally believed that they were the
hardy Norsemen. who in the ninth cen
fury roamed through various countries
Of Europe. These rowing bands In.
vaded and conquered territory and
lived as the dominant military caste
until they were gradually absorbed by
the native population.
Noveorod First Capital.
Prince Rurlk built his capital on the
banks Of the River volkhov, which
with Lake linen formed part Of the
great waterway connecting the Baltic
and Black seas. BY this route, the
tall blonde Norsemen. who composed
the famous varangian bodyguard Of
the Byzantine emperors. Travelled from
Scandinavia to Constantinople. Rus
sias first capital was Novgorod.
These new rulers from the land OF
Rus brought with them the spirit Of
adventure Of the Norsemen. They
were not contented TO rule the tribes
who had invited them. They set out
to conquer the surrounding country In
all directions, and before two hundred
years had passed they had invaded
Byzantine territory, established them.
selves at Kiev. threatened CONSTANT
nople with feet. secured as consort
for Vladimir l, one Of their princes. a
sister Of the Byzantine emperor,
adopted Christianity for themselves
and their subjects, learned to hold In
cheek the nomadlc hordes Of the
steppe. and formed matrimonial al
liances with the reignlng families OF
Poland, Hungary, Norway and France.
They became a great power In eastern
Europe.
They had great appetite for con.
quest. but they lacked the power to
organize the territory they conquered.
The political future Of the new state
was destroyed when the princes Of the
Rurik dynasty divided the state into a
number Of Independent principalitIes.
For a time these were weakly and
loosely held together BY the patri-
archal authority Of the senior men,
ber Of the family. the grand prince.
who ruled In Kiev. Family quarrels
became frequent. These princes were
strong men. They wanted power. They
strove to enlarge their territories at
the expense Of their rivals. The tradi-
tional authority Of the grand prince
declined. Yaroslav the Great was the
last Of the grand princes. With his
death In 1854. family feuds multiplied
and dIsintegration set In. During the
next ITO years. from 1854 to 1924.
Russia was split into over sixty prin-
cipallties. Disputes over the question
Of succession led to eighty-three civil
wars.
Ruined BY Internal Struggle.
During these interminable struggles
Of rival princes, Kiev. which had been
70 long the residence Of the grand
prince, was repeatedly taken by storm,
and ruthlessly pillaged. Finally the
whole valley Of the Dnleper fell prey
to the. marching tribes Of the steppe.