Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1920-02-13
Continued rom last week.


During the past two years 30 mush
has been written about Russian and
fBolshevism, and the opinions that
have been expressed have been so
diversified that they tended to con-
fuse rather than to enlighten the
minds Of those who have studied
them with the view of learning the
facts In the case.
We have all heard many stories
regarding the astrocities Of the Boil
.ehevists, which stories are no doubt
true. Evidence available here is
quite convincing that they are true.
But recently heard a man OF high
military rank make the statement
that he could produce evidence show
ing that Kolchak's army is guilty OF.
every offense that has been charged,
against the Bolsheviks, with the ex-
ception of the naturalization Of .wo-
men. The conduct of the soldiers
in both armies has frequently shock
the consiences Of civilized people
everywhere. But before we condemn
the Russians, we should make an an
alysis Of their peculiar temperaments
and accord due credit for their many
fine traits, along with the bad that
any such analysis might reveal. A
Russian general, who is now Non his
way to the United States, recently
said that all Russians are .anarch-
lists at heart; that they have no re-
ispect for law. Yet 1t seems that these
people are not by nature cruel. They
love their own people intensely. They
are the strange product of the cruel
ties and suppress ions of ages. 1t was
Bakunin who cried I'VE need some
thing different; we need storm and
life, world that is lawless and there
fore free!' 1t iB recorded that even
he was full of tenderness for his own
folk. President Masaryk, of Czecho-
Siovakia, has just finished a book,
entitled, "The Spirit of Russia"
which, in the words of Hugh Byas,
editor of the Japan Advertiser, gives
the English-reading peoples a more
complete and more scientific study
of the Russian mind than has here
tofore been available" President
Masaryk, according to Mr.. Byas, has
directed many years of study toward
''gaining an understanding of Rus
sia from the inside through the in
stFumentality of Russian literature" !"
and he realizes more than the ordin-
iary American OF Englishman can
realize the inter connection between
literature and politics Of Russia-on
inter-connection made inevitable by
the exclusion Of all but a small min
ority Of Russians from the govern
ment Of their own country. Liter
ary art" says Mr.. Byas, "' FINISHED
the Russians with their vehicle of
expression par excellence and for the
information on their political thots
which in other countries we would
find in speeches, writings and biog-
raphies OF statesmen, we have to turn
to their imaginative literature. To
the student of politics and philoso-
ply there is no literature of such abb
sorbing interest as the Russian.
This Is partly as result of political
conditions under the old regime
when the political censorship forced
men of ideas to clothe them in i'm
aginative form. partly the innate pas
sion Of the educated Russians foI
big ideas :. Russians poets are fond
or referring to the Russian sea which
stretches far and wide and embraces
many peoples in Its mighty sweep. Or
such a sea storms may break and tht
waves that arise swell all before
them. B0lshevism is merely one
such wave, which, becauseof the i'm
mense expanse df the Russian sea. .hal
come with q force that has startled
the outside world. But. like al
waves, 1t will before long subside, ant
a new enthusiasm will arise to dis
turb the quit OF Russian life. Tn,
majority Of these snoulders of pres
ent-day Russia, as revealed by Mas
aryk, are like men-children condemn
ed by to protracted infancy In age
from spell with matured faculties
but without iife's experience. in ,
world that Ii CT own mp. They are q
once Hamlets and DON Quixotes. Con
demning indiscriminately . histori
past (which. they have not patience b
understand, they hail with faith a fu
ture which they do not know. Sat
asated with the sagnostic teaching
qf the west, with no aequaintanc
axith historical precedents or prae
r Sieal politics. tired with a settles
faith In the power and mission O
Russia, and snlarting with . sens
of imposed impotence. these purpose
ful leaders Of tsvolntion pass, as
we're. I'm procession before us throug