The Arvada enterprise., 1920-05-06
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 eoishs.
visn 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
ish chronicler, tells the story. Kiev Is
the mother Of Russian cities. In the
ninth century Slavs and Firms lived in
II tribal state in the forest region near
Lake linen. between Lake Ladoga and
the upper waters of the Dnieper river.
Bands of military adventures from
the land Of Rus. which is supposed to
tribute from the tribes. In the year
$50 the tribes threw off the yoke Of
the NOrsemen and drove them out Of
the country. 1t was Russia's first revo-
luton. so the old chronicler relates.
and II 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. It Is told that
after three years Of tribal war they
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. Sineus and
Truvor. accepted the call and founded
a dynasty. from which many of the
Russian princes Of the present day
claim descent.
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. 1t Il gen.
orally believed that they were the
hardy Norsemen. who In the ninth GEN.
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.
Noveorsd Flrst Capital.
Prince Rurik 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
tail. blonde Norsemen. who composed
the famous Varangian bodyguard Of
the Byzantine emperors, Travelled from
Scandinavia to Constantinople. Rus
sia's first capital was Novgorod.
Theae new rulers from the land Of
Rus bought with them the spirit Of
adv lture 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 Constants.
nople with fleet. secured as q consort
for Vladimir l. one Of their princes. a
sister of the Byzantine emperor.
adopted Christianity for themselves
aud their subjects, learned to hold in
check the n,anadlc hOrdes OF the
steppe. and formed matrimonial al
liances with the reigning families Of
Poland. Hungary. Norway and France.
They became great power In eastern
Europe.
They had great appetite for con-
mas, I'M, thew I.ctad tho nower "a
organize The Territory thew conouer.d
tn. ,o,,,,c,, rutvra ~ tho rov, .t.ta
was DESTROYED when the nr,nces NJ the
Rur,l dynasty divided the stnte into a
number NJ indcpendcnt nr,ncin.lit,e.
For n time these were weakly and
,oose,v held toretbcr nv the pat,,,
archni authority NJ IN. senior mem,
her n, the family m. grand nr,nc.
who ruled in Kiev FAMILY on,rrols
bccame freouent These nrince. wer.
strong men They wanted mower rhev
.trovc IN ENLARGE their terr,tor,e. =,
the cxpense Of theIr rIyal. The trodI.
tIonaI authority of the grand nr,nce
declined. Yaroslay the Cr.nt WINS the
las, of the grand princes. With his
d.nth in 1854. family feuds mu,,IplIed
md dIsIn,crration set In During tho
next TO wears. from 1854 to 1924
Ru,sin was sp,It into over sixty nr,n.
cipalitIcs. Disputes over the question