The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1922-02-24
WHY NOT RECOGNIZE RUSSIA?
PEOPLE OF UNITED STATES ARE TAXED S2OOOO,OOO TO
FEED HER STARVING CHILDREN, BUT HER
GOVERNMENT GOES IGNORED
BY William E. BOrah,
United States Senator from Idaho.
(From LaFollette's Magazine.)

is the de facto government, doing
business, transacting business, anC
governing the affairs of the par
ticular country which it assumes tC
govern. If we should have done our
part two and a half years ago to-
ward Russia, in my humble opinion
the condition in Russia would be in.
finitely better today than it is. In
my opinion, we could have pursued
policy which would have enabled
Russia to buy instead of being forced
to beg.
Feeding Unrecognized People
Who are we feeding with this $780,
100000 of money? We are feeding
the bolsheviks, so called. We are
feeding people whom we would not
recognize. We are taking care of
the children of the bolsheviks, the
children of those whom two years
ago we were willing to see starve
and denied even medicine to aid them
in their illness.
If we can tax the taxpayer of this
country and take money out of the
pockets of the people of this coun-
try to feed the people of Russia,
their families, and their children,
upon what possible theory can we
say to the taxpayer that we can not
afford to recognize the de facto
government of Russia?
Aye, but they say that Russia is
an economic vacuum. When will
it be better under the treatment
which it is receiving from the AL
lies? They say further that Russia
has nothing to give us, nothing to
trade, nothing to exchange. Very
well; perhaps she has not | do
not know. However, | do know that
the recognition of the government
which is striving to establish itself
inRussia and which has maintained
itself for four years would help to
stabilize conditions in Russia, would
help to establish a system in Russia
under which the people could live
and do business. Our course has
helped to spread bolshevism.
Why, Mr.. President, if we go back
to the time of the French Revolution
and reread the history of those days
and the speeches of Pitt and Fox, we
find precisely the same policy pur-
sued toward the French and the
French Revolution that we have
pursued toward Russia. Mr.. Pitt
said, in effect, we can not recognize
the French Revolution or the leaders
of that revolution. 1t is an armed
system. 1t is system at war with
all established government. 1t is a
system at war with law and order
To recognize it is to put a premium
upon it; to recognize and encourage
1t is to put a premium upon it, and
therefore we can not do so.
Paths of French People
But it was over the bloody paths
which the French people trod that
they finally arrived at the place
where they have stable and a sue
cessful free and modern republic
Pitt was answered by the succession
of events. Washington, however
wiser, more just, and with broader
vision, recognized the new Govern
ment, the Revolutionary Government
of France. 1t illustrated the differ.
ence between narrow politicians, time
servers, and statesmen able to com
prehend the future.
| venture the opinion today, that
whatever government comes finally
to be the permanent form of govern.
ment in Russia will have developed
| step by step from the bolshevik gov.
| eminent which was begun by the
revolution. | do not agree with
much that Mr.. Lenin advocates, bu1
| regard him as one of the two OF
three great intellects uncovered by
| the Great War