New-York tribune., 1921-04-03
ties Memoirs Throw Light on Causes of Russian Collapse

peasants and to enact at least a little
protective legislation for thu factory
workers. His warnings went unbeed-
ed, and the Bolshevik revolution WINS
the result. Because the Car and the
Russian ruling class refused 10 give
up anything in 1909 they lost everv-
thing in 1917.
M. lswolsky's work at once supple
ments and criticizes tho Memo,r. of
Count Witte. The author was Minis
ter of Foreign Affairs of the Russian
empire from 1905 until 1910, and sub.
seauently occupied the post Of Arbas.
sador to France M. Iswolskv gives
the following description of Count
Witte:
Description Of Count witte
The most striking points in his
personal appearance were his great
height and massive shoulders. He
stood half head taller than most
other men, even in Russia, where men
are generally Of high stature. and his
whole frame suggested yomethine that
might have been shaped by the rude
blows of an ak. His features would
nave had character were it not for a
maltormation, almost fracture, of
the nose, which gave him certain re-
semblance to the portraits of Michael
Angelo; His bearing was rough. and
apparently so by intention; perhaps he
affected brusque manner to hide the
embarrassment which he felt at court.
and in the high society of the capital
mllieu to which he never became
! accustomed. But in spite of his rather
shabby appearance and the awkward
ness OF his manners he produced. or
the whole, great impression of force
and originality"
Analyzing Whites career, M. Iswol-
SKY admits his great services, but
takes issue with him on several points.
He feels that Whites construction of
the Chinese Eastern Railway ultimately
brought on the clash between Russia
and Japan. He also disagrees with
Wltte's theory that Russia's indus
tries should be expanded and stimu-
lated by every possible means. The
author believes that this policy helped
to create in the cities revolutionary
working class which constituted dis
tlnct menace to orderly government.
The Bjorkoe Treaty
Quite the liveliest posthumous dis
pute between "itte and Iswolsky grows
out OF the interpretations placed upon
the Bjorkoe treaty. This was an
agreement imposed upon the weak !
minded Gar by the Kaiser In 1905. |
providing for an offensive and de-
tensive alliance among Russia, Ger
many and France. Witte insists that
this treaty concluded without the |
knowledge of the French Foreign Of |
flee, constituted a deliberate act of |
treachery to France and an actual of
fensive and defensive alliance between
Russia and Germany against the west
tern European powers.
M. Iswolsky, who Is always more T,
lenient in his judgment of the Gear,
contends that the treaty was dependent
for its validity upon the consent Of
France, and that Nicholas, in conclud- I
ing it, was guilty of bad diplomacy, but
not of treachery. Eventually the OBJ
noxious compact was scrapped, largely
as result of the unremitting efforts |
of Count Lamsdorf, the Russian Min
lister of Foreign Affairs, who was hor-
rihed to learn of the engagement which |
his sovereign had entered into behind
his back. The Bjorkoe treaty, an in
trigue designed to separate Russia |
from France, is doubtless the basis
for the cx-Kaiser's ridiculous claim
that he originated the idea of a league
of nations.
NJ. Iswolsky discusses the 1905 revo-
luton, analyzing the political compli-
cations which followed the convocation
Of the First Duma in considerable de-
tail. He was, he tells us, considered
a dangerous liberal in court circles,
but as he expresses unbounded admra-
tion for M. Stolypin his loyalty to the
monarchy seems unquestioned.
M. Iswolsky does not possess Count
Whites exhaustive knowledge of the
workings of the Russian administrative
machinery, but he contributes some
valuable info Hhation about the factors
which shaped Russia's foreign policy
and led to the creation of the Trirle
Entente.