The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-01-12

crat. BY William Adams Brown, jr.
New Haven: Yale University Press
Mr.. Brown spent q year and
half in Russia at the most critical
period in her history. and had ample
opportunity to study at first hand
the beginnings of the relentless
class warfare which has rent that
unhappy country. In his opinion,
failure OF the allies to render ef-
fectiye military aid to the anti
Bolshevik forces in the summer OF
1918. and a lack of cohesion among
the forces opposed to Bolsbeyism
made the defeat of the Bolsheviki
impossible.
Continuance of RoIshevik nower
over a Deriod of wears has resulted
in the opinion Of the author. in a
number OF the upper classes ,oin-
ing the ranks of.the Rolsheyiki he
cause that was the ONLY way in
which thew could play a part in the
affairs of their country. In spite
of this leaven OF men OF moderate
and temperate views Mr.. Brown
saws Russia IL stiIl at war within
herself And the struggle Is MAX
ing itself felt. directly or indirect
ly. in eyery country of Europe. and
in the United States.
Mr. Rrowp Sums the matter IN
as a struggle hetween three great
forces. each very complex. each an
unenna, COMMUNICATION of good and
had and each demanding close
study These three factors are the
Masses. the Rolsheviki and the In
tellipentzia
He .devotes several chapters to
description of these various classes,
gathered from contact and associa-
ton with them in their homes. at
public gatherings, and at their
work. He finds that there is small
sympathy, for instance, between the
peasants and the returning soldiers.
who have been under the sway OF
Bolshevist orators. That there is
no unity between the various strata
which make up the class of Intelli-
gentzia, due to the fact that only
those with court or bureaucratic
connections had any part in politi-
cal affairs under the regime of the
Cars, and that many persons of
education and intelligence, who were
opposed to absolutism, are still re-
garded with suspicion by the Boil
sheyiki and are allowed no part in
government. These are truly people
without a country.
Mr. brown deNOteS TWO chapters
to accounts of his first-hand expert
ences with the Bolshviki. He
visited a factory, taken over by the
workers. which was standing idle.
Questioning revealed that the
workers had voted themselves
large increase in wages and were
living ION their capital" When
asked il this were not bad eco
nomics. one worker replied: "Oh,
YES, but the whole country Is living
on its capital"
The basic trouble. as Mr., Brown
sees il. is in the widespread and
appalling ignorance of the masses
of the popuIation. and their philos-
opby of fstaIism due to centuries
of virtual slavery. Until this con-
dition il remedied. there would ap-
near To he little hone that a de-
mocracv can succeed in Russia.
The revolutions of October. 1917. and
February of the wear following re-
suited merelv in a change of mas.
ters and not OF conditions. Years
of preparation along educational lines
are n necessary foundation for a demo-
cratic state,
After the land was seized and
divided among the peasantry, it
would appear the Bolsheyiki had
nothing more to offer the masses
of Russia, and therefore ceased to
represent the people. Thus another
autocratic and arbitrary power rose
in the place Of the defunct rule of