The New York herald., 1921-05-29

consin was touring Russia
when the revolution was accomplished
In addition to the material gathered
at first hand throughout the country
he spent months collecting and veri-
flying other material from Russian
sources for the book. His studies in
social history had prepared him to un-
derstand the facts thus gathered in
all their bearings md to interpret
them in direct, vigorous, memorable
language.
The period covered extends from
March, 1917. to January, 1918. The
book deals with the formation and
overthrow of the provisional Govern
ment and gives the reader a sound
basis for any study of the lat7r deyel-
opmehts. Prof. Ross will doubtless go
on with this himself in another book.
This volume seems to be about as
guiltless of special pleading in the bad
sense, that is, arranging or coloring
the facts t. suit a theory, as possible.
For example, on the one hand the au-
thor %cquits the two chief figures of
the charge of having made peace with
Germany with any ulterior motive.
He writes:
"Henceforth, it is only outside of
Russia that intelligent men believe
that the Bolshevik leaders are German
agents. In many conversations | held
with Russian bourgeoisie in the au-
tumn and winter of 1917 these charges
We're often mentioned by them, but
wherI | asked the questions, DO yoa
believe that Lenine and Trotzky are
German agents. | never once OBJ
tanned an affirmative reply
And he declares that without Lenine
and Trotzky Russia would have
dropped out of the war and the peas
ants would have seized the great es-
tates.
But he holds that the party now in
power did not play fair with their fei-
lows in the revolution who were for
"a free and sovereign constituent as
sembly such as al had shouted for
Bolsheviks even louder than the rest,
up to a few weeks before" Referring
to Lenines sarcastic comments on the
attitude of the other wing of the rev.
olution, Prof Ross writes;
Utterly unfair are these insinua-
tions that the Constituent Assembly
would have shown itself class bound.
For the property rights of the landed
gentry il evinced no more tenderness
than the Bolsheviks themselves ).
Probably no constitution making body
ever met which contained more heroic
stuff. Had ii not been brutally vio
lated there is every reason TO believe
that Russia would soon have made
wonderful strides in democracy and
popular well being"
THE behavior of the Russian prole-
tariat toward the Constituent Assem-
bly,. that open door to freedom and jus
tice, Is like that of man who for
years has been shut up IN dun
geon. Having obtained possession Of
explosives. he patiently drills holes IN
one of the blocks of stone that stand
between him and liberty and packs
them with dynamite in the hope OF
blowing a hole in the wall Suddenly
the earth quakes and 10, the door of
his dungeon stands ajar. Gazing at
ii with dull uncomprehending eyes.
ne completes his tamping. sets off the
dynamite charge, and. wounded and
half dead from the blast. he drags
himself through the breach in the wall
to freedom.
But he might have stepped forth
unscathed through the open door
The larger part OF the book is his
tory Of the earlier phases. Here Is one
explanation Of the present economic
ruin:
The Russian bourgeois and aris-
tocracy, though educated. charming
and as delightful people around din
ner table as one could wish TO meet,
courteous and generous, did not have
the genius for engineering or for eco
nomic management They had a ge-
Mus, and a virile one, but it turned
rather toward the ballet and the opera,
painting and music. literature, eXpan-
sive ideas Of life and thought. They
could talk for hours. interestingly and
informingly. OF the PHILOSOPHERS Of the
world. the language Of the world they
had ait their tongues tip. Being very
rich. having a large surplus of finan-
cial resources, they hired the nearest
effective person to be overseer Of the
estate. and the nearest person was in
almost every instance a German or an
Austrian, who had been instructed rs
II Russian resources needs and con-
der secret Government subsidy for the
very definite purpose Of penetration
of the Russian land. These consti-
tuted the brains at the top of the Rus
sian economic system. As soon as the
war broke they abandoned their tasks,
many ~ them returning TO Vienna and
Berlin expecting TO come ar 7 on the
heels or a victorious army and own
what they had previously managed,
While others submerged TO become se-
cret information agents Of the German
general staff. These economic minis
ters of the Russian world sabotaged
as they went. There are certain well
authenticated instances Of their set
ting nre TO oil fields, letting water into
coal mines. &c. Hence within fort
night after the declaration Of war
there hogan q paralysis at the ton Of
the economic system in Russia
Another factor explaining the cruin-
bling away of Russia's military power
was the wide diffusion OF the defeat
fst' doctrine This doctrine had two