Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-02-07

even tuaH Tue SultcN cIatco III I've
An American or an Ensiishman visit.
ing the country finds himself without
adequate standards for judging Rus.
sia. He instinctively compares her
institutions and her people with the
people and institutions Of his own
country. He rarely makes allowance
for the difference in the historical
eras to which his country and Russia
belong.
And those who have visited the coun.
try since the revolution of 1917 have.
for the most part, gone with romantic
theory about the significance Of a dem.
ocratic revolt against despotism and
have reported little beside what they
found TO Justify their pr"conceived
ideas,
They hare overlooked the tact that
neither the Bolshertsts nor any
other human porer could move the
hands of the Russian political CLOCK
tor1card hundred yed's IN t.neniy.
tour hours.
THIS does not mean that what they
i write is unintercsting. Take, for
example, Through the Russian Rev
olutiou'' (Boni & Liveright). in which
Albert Rhys Williams has written bis
experiences from June, 1907, till after
the Bolshevists had seized the Govern.
mcnt. II is dramatic story filled
with thrilling incident after thrilling
incident. But Mr.. Williams is SO.
cialst in hearty sympathy with every
thing the Bolshevists were trying tc
do. He finds himself deeply moved by
the efforts Of people to throw on the
yoke of oppression. Their leaders are
saints and martyrs in his eyes. He die
not take with him the necessary his
torical and psychological background OF
which to project the picture of what ht
saw. Such value as his book has lie'
in its recording of the impressions ant
experiences Of a sentimental enthusias
during one of the great moments in thu
history Of the world. He cannot SCI
what was clear to an English physical,
Of whose book ! shall speak presently
This man was in Russia in 1920 wit
the British labor delegation. He foun,
men in high Office who had suffered un
der the old regime. Their bodies wer
crippled by their suffering and thei
| souls were warped.
To crpcct justice and equity from
the narped soul is as futile a. to
erpect to gather figs from thistles.
nR. L. HADEN GUEST is the ply
II sician to whom I have just re
ferrcd. lie is a member of the Fabia
Society, of London, d society of mod
crate Socialists, who believe in the evo
lutionary rather than the revolutionar
methods Of remodeling society, and
has been active in medical relief wor
in the poorer districts of London. Con
sequently he is sympathetic with wha
the Russian revolutionists announced a
their general purposes. In The Strug
gle for Power in Europe" George II
Doran Company he has reported tn
results of his observations with th
! British Labor Commission. not onl
! in Russia, but in the Central Euro
pean States. He had excellent oppor
tunities for observation and for learn
ing what were the purposes and meth
cds of the men in power. He report
that democracy is unknown in Russi,
The county Is in tho hands Of the Com
munst party. That party Is a clio:
corporation, to which new members al
admitted only after six months proba
ton. Applicants for membership ma
be, and are summarly rejected If the
are not satisfactory to the men in cor
troll. The party itself is governed /
an executive committee which excrcis
autocratic power.