The New York herald., 1921-05-23
Some Bolsheyiki Stick to
Old Theories, Refusing to
Admit Failure.
CRITICS ARE ANSWERED
lloyd George Finds Radical
Experiment of the Soviets
Has Beon Shelved.
ny CAPT. FRANCIS M'CULLAGH,

Special Correspondence TO THE NEW YcRK
HERALD.
REvAL, April 30.-The difficulty of
dealing with Lenine's complete change
of policy at the Tenth Communist Con-
gress is increased by the fact that
neither the BolshcvilSi nor the non
Bolsheviki will admit that any change
has taken place. The Bolsheviki do
not want to admit it because any such
admission would be tantamount to a
confession that their previous policy
was wrong, and that for three years
they had deluged Russia in blood in
order to carry out an experiment
which they now recognize to be based
on error.
The Bolshevist mission in Reval is
very reluctant to admit that Lenine
has fundamentally altered his policy
One of the members of that mission
has written to me March 2D saying:
Il personally would define it not as
change but rather as new develop
ment.' At any rate, whatever
it be, it is very important thing, and
only a man who. like William English
Wa1ling, does not know Russia nor
understand Russian problems, can un-
dertake to minimize the significance of
it,
While the Bolsheviki thus naturally
deny that any change has taken place,
the White Russians take. as a rule, the
same line. They could not do other
wise, as if they admitted that Com
munism had ceased to exist in Russia
they would also have to admit that
Lenine might evolve into a tolerable
ruler, that international trade with
Russia would begin again under his
auspices, and that they themselves
would be left in the cold.
Personal interests Govern.
Both Europe and America are filled
with these anti-Bolshevik Russians,
many OF whom simply look on the Rus
sian question from the standpoint of
their own personal interests. 1t is
really battle between the "outs' and
"ins." And the Russian Socialists who
are "out" would be just as likely to try
crazy experiments once they got in"
Meanwhile, 1t is obviously their cue to
dscredit everything Lenine does, wheth-
er It is right or wrong. In fact, they
would rather he did wrong things than
right things, for, II he persisted In the
mad policy with which he began his
"reign" and did some new mad thing
every day. the probability that he would
be murdered or expelled from Russia or
attacked by foreign Powers would be
greater, while. on the other hand, IL he
exhibited some COMMON sense there
would be a chance of his holding on and
of his exiled Russian rivals being left
permanently in exile. Nothing would
be more to the disadvantage of Messrs.
kerensky, Savinkov, Chernov and others
than the abolition of Communism by
Lenine. and II he did abolish it and
anathematlze it they would deny that
ne had done so.
Both the Bolsheviki and the anti-Boi-
shevild maintain, therefore, that COM
nunism still remains, but the duty OF
an impartial press correspondent is. I
take it, to judge for himself; and I
Judge that Lenine has abandoned his
Communist theories to such an extent
that Moscow can no longer be consid-
cred the seat OF Communist Govern
ment. My opinion. | notice. is shared
by the Prime Minister OF England. who
has at his disposal an enormously ex-
pensive and almost perfect system OF
finding out what is really happening in
Russia, and who is only interested in
getting at the facts. Now Mr.. Lloyd
George has made a trade agreement
with Russia and has announced in Par
lament that. in his opinion. Lenine has
renounced Communism | think he is
likely to be better informed and more
impartial than group OF escaped So
Observation-Disclosures in New York who
are not in close touch with Russia and
who are prejudiced by the fact that
Lenine's conversion TO common sense
and the consolidation OF his rule would
mean their own permanent exclusion
from office.
Law Breaches LeRnIixcd.
They urge that Lenine has only legal
lied breaches of the Communist laws
which have been going on all the time.
This L. true. There tCds Illicit selling
and buying. even in the Sukhorovssy
market in Moscow, right under Lenine's
nose. and Lenine shut his eyes TO this.
regarding IL as a temporary irregularity
to which he would put an end later. But
his legislation of 1t makes all the differ
ence, iust as the legislation Of spirit
smuggling In the United States would
mean that the United States is no longer