The Washington herald., 1920-11-16
The WrangeI DebaeIe.

Ice deiest Of Cen. Wrangel, the retreat of his
iofees out Of the Crniea, the conflicts between the
'.seek AID the Russian forces in Asia Minor. and
Ae esptaiahon o; Armenia and possibly Georgia
|,o ihe toshevIs. together with the frank accept
|anee By the Turkish Nationalists not only of the
military I'D Su; the political creed Of the Russia of
'hs Seur. 'ca'- ihe outlook gloomy for European
''a'ss;ItH Even more Immediately tragic and por-
isn'eas 5 ihe condition OF the euiigres of the older
Sas$an regime. :he nationals OF the allied powers
|ano aneTesn rcEef workers, who are trying to ge.
GUT OF the way Of The onrushing hordes.
Whether WrangePs defeat could have been
svo,ded by more aggressive and unqualified support
|ey France and Great Britain, the grim fact remains
mat he has gone the way of less wise and concia-
|'oy defenders OF the conservative and moderate
groups OF Russians; and the question now seems to
De- not what are the allies going to do with Russia,
out what is she going to do with them? For while
most immediate untoward consequences NAV be in
what has been called the Near East and in nations
mar have been sliced off Russia in Europe, the
shadow Of defeat for Russia's antagonists hangs
|over Central Asia and even inNChina where inter
|eshng recent developments in Pekin indicate that
Chinas government is inclined to look with some
'asoT on an understanding with the Siberian re-
public
To date II has been possible for the allies to
fid IN financing and equipping with munitions of
operated m
|the north and in the south against the Bolshevik
government. But there has not been a day since
fhe arn,istiee was signed when any one of them
could put an army Of any weight alongside of the
Forces hghting the Moscow government They
trouid and they have loaned officers and guns and
material But they could not deliver men, The
peril OF their policy always has conferred in this
act 1t IS the checkmate now, as the grim future
faced
Expert opinion to what can and what should
DC done now differs; but the concrete situation will
ftrengthen the group that has insisted on removal
of the blockade, resumption of trade with Russia.
fnd admission that Russians of all groups must
gure in reconstruction from within If there could
DC any certainty that political recognition of the
victorious Moscow government would close its ac-
ivities throughout the world as direct and indi-
rect force making for Communism there would be
keener disposition to raise the blockade and enter
INTO commercial relations. No such assurance exists
The State Departments analysis of the situation
within Russia is less pessimistc than the judg-
nents OF European powers. 1t has defined an
american policy that may have to be adjusted
Pomewhat in the light of events, but less so than
fhe program of France. Our observers in Russia
report signs of trouble for Lenine and his dictator
fhip. His terrorism Of the peasantry has bred the
Inevitable revolt He may win military victories
ht the time that he is losing his hold on the
masses of the rural regions.
But whether this is so or not Washington no
ess- than Paris or London, is doing some deep
thinking now. So also is the body of men assem-
bled at Geneva. They meet to compose the inter-
stona political situation, but surging below it is
vast combat Of classes that has its own strategy,
6 own aims, and its own implicit ultimate changes
II society. The Russia Of Lenine condemns the
eague utterly.