The Washington herald., 1921-03-22
Lenine's Sommersauk.

THE New York Herald has registered one of
those scoops which comes to great news
papers once in decade or longer 1t in
some way got from Moscow the first account of
Lenine's strategic verbal retreat from Communism
back to Capitalism. There is no cause to doubt the
authenticity of the Heralds report of what is the
most startling and significant event since the neaee
treaty. -
In speech to the Tenth Communist Conpr. g,
Lenine declared that world revolution had nroved
hopeless and no one could now be so mad as to
expect IT. Therefore, it necessary for Russia
to change. He announced a complete somersault
saying 1t was necessary to make agreements with
bourgeois governments, invite foreign capital to
Russia, grant concessions and revert to the private
ownership of property.
In other words, it was the direct admission of
tne total failure of Communism the rule of the pro-
ietariat, and that all the hell through which he had
'oreeo hussa to wailow had proved but colossal
ana useless sacrifice. Murder, misery, war; starya-
tion, conhscation save-drving, looting had proved
OF no avail as against natural laws.
Yet this TRANSPORTATION of Lenine was NOT in
stantaneous As long two years or more. in
announcer address he admitted that his government
could not succeed without using the bourgeoisie.
ne sad ne must have in finance, banking industrial
management, transportation and other factors, men
OF especial talent experience and training
he said 1t didn't matter how much this cost
wnat SPECIAL pay such men must have as they were
essential In this later statement he has now gone
but the rest of the way, forced to do so by deveo
ing conditions. 1t is beyond reasonable doubt that
the greater Russia, consisting of its peasantry, had
gone as far as it would with his Communist .exper;
ment He long ago failed to overthrow the Zem-
stvos' those cooperative organizations which Rus
sia had developed beyond any other country.
he laced revolution, not armed, for he has been
careful that only his armies should have arms. and
only then-when engaged in active service But it
was revolution all the fatal in its refusal to
produce, to obey his ORDERS to respect his authority
or yield to his will There also were no more bor-
der states to loot and his armies were CRYING for
peace to an extent which made them undependable.
He only won at Kronstadt through the instrument
of treachery.
Another indication of what was coming was
his willingness to complete a treaty with Poland
favorable to that country and calling for the paw
ment of 100000 gold rubles within year. Only
realization that his rule the old basis of a mill
tary dictatorship was at end could have induced
him to make jug-handle treaty pushing Poland's
boundary further into Russia than the Versailles
treaty. In this, the French Humankind Hun
garian entente played its part.
Too much, however, should not be exnected
from this hnaHif hnal-reversal Lenine's iocuI,r
or cynical comment: 81 fear have become respect
able" shows the pose. He has not changed his
spots. only his cloak. Instead of military dicta-
torship which failed he hopes by sacrificing his face
to save his neck. He has but changed to an eco
nomic dictatorship.
There remains to be seen what he has to offer
for foreign trade to what extent foreign capital will
trust itself 10 his tender mercies and what guar
anty it will feel it have from him as to conces-
sions VIII he also recognize the obligation of
soregn credits advanced during the Cars rule and
up to his own coup d'etat?
Having trade agreements made and making
with Great Britain, Germany, Italy, Japan and other
countries, these may extend to France her credits
are recognized, and to the United States But what
has Lenine on which to base immediate credits? 1t
is immediate relief the situation demands.
If all reports from supposedly dependable
sources are true, he has little gold and few COM
modities His word is valueless He now controls
the Communist Congress, but how long will this
continue? He has succeeded in again amazing the
world this time by coup detat directed against
himself and his own theories. But that will not
restore transportation start the wheels of industry
employ labor, restore cities bring order out Of
chaos, or by magic find stores of materials which
are not Words are not an AIaddip,s I,,,o