Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-03-06

The Russian revolution is likely to
be the cause Of the writing of as many
books as the French revolution. The
full. authentic history of it in all its
phases cannot be written for many
years. In the meantime almost every
writing man who has been in Russia at
any time within the last three years
has written book about what has been
happening.
That bolshevism is of interest to the
whole world Is evident to the most
casual reader of the newspapers. John
Spargo. u Socialist who has withdrawn
from the extreme wing of his party, has
just written of Russia as an American
Problem" He elaboratcs the thesis
that America is vitality interested in the
economic and political rehabilitation of
Russia. The relation of Russia to the
rest Of the world will depend largely,
in his opinion, on whether American,
German or japanese capital is used to
develop its resources. OF course he
would like to see American capital
placed at the disposal Of the Russians.
nomic intervention of the United States.
In "The Psychology Of Bolshcvism," 4"
Mr.. Spargo says that the Bolshevists
are the victims Of hysterical hyper
esthesia." "Their thought processes
are spasmodic and violently emo
tional." "Their type of mind has been
the subject Of much extensive observa-
tion and study, particularly in connec-
tion with religious forms of hysteria.
Mr.. Spargo elaborates these statements
in his examination Of the subject.
Arthur Bullard, In "The Russian
Pendulum" has Smuch to say about
Lenine, the originator of bolshevism,
which justifies Spargo's views. Mr..
Bullard was the secretary Of the
Friends of Russian Freedom at one
time, and in that capacity met Lenine
in Switzerland in 1905. After we en-
tered the war he was stationed in ST.
IBERIA by the American committee on
public information and learned much of
what was going on. Leninc. he says,
is a man Of fixed ideas. He has thought
out a system of social organization based
on the theories of Marx, Blanqui and
Nietzschc and he is now applying 1t
with relentless logic. He has divided
society into arbitrary classes subject
to the emotions which he has assigned
to them and he finds it difficult to I'D
nit that men and women are a complex
of various conflicting emotions. He
objects, both in theory and practice, to
majority rule because Ine WdJOrlly
never knows what is good for it," He
pins his faith on ''the enlightened mill
tant minority" "the elite of the prole-
tariat." He insists that the. majority
would be benefited by what the minority
does for it, but that it is not able
to initiate anything. So he wants rev
olution for the people rather than by
them. All those who stand in the way
are to be destroyed as the shortest way
for setting up the kind of institutions
which "the elite of the proletariat
thinks best. Mr.. Billiards. book is more
than n study of Leninc. 1t is n brief
resume of the swing OF the Russian
pendulum from autocracy through de-
mocracy to bolshevism.
Albert Rhys Williams, Socialist,
has written u tribute to Lenine.. whom
he regards as a great social rcformer.
His Book, 'Lenin: the Man and
His Work. :" is an enthusiastic and
discriminating eulogy Of the revolu-
tionary leader. II one reads it with
the knowledge of the authors predilec-
tions one will not be grievously mislcd.
The book contains also the impressions
of Colonel Raymond Robins and Arthur
Ransome.
The conditions that Immediately pre-
ceded the Bolshevist revolution are set
forth in "The Prelude to Bolshevism,
by A. f. Kerensky, the premier who