New-York tribune., 1922-03-19
The Great Problem, in Restoring Russia:
The Education Of q Huge, Primitive Mass
What People Need Most
Are Confidence, Energy
and Religious
Faith

| that he epreads the cholera. 70
must be that he poisons the poor ioo0~
jks by order of the government" SO
they burn The hospital, sabot the labor
atory. insult, beat and often kill the
doctor
The working classes are, by the way,
hardly better educated than the rural
population. The following anecdote
told by Elihu Root in apropos. The
eminent etatcsman happened to be in
Petrograd on the eventful day in 1917
when the republic was proclaimed in
Russia. He noticed several workmen
grouped on one Of the Quays of the
Neva and asked them: "WelI, are you
satisfied? a republic has been pro-
claimed"
eve don't believe IT," tao aorkFaen
replied
"Whut!" Mr.. Root exclaimed. "You
don't believe IT? But the news is off,
ciai. 1t has been posted on oil the
walls.' NO." the workmen continued,
"there is still policeman on the
bridge over yondcr. Therefore, we as
yet have no repaoiic. Who're there's
republic there arc 10 policemen"
A rather extraordinary conception Of
republic and such as Il Russian
worker only may haze Imagine u
French, British Or American workman
making . similar reply,
Before the revolution the only bond
that held the Russian people together
was the bond Of religion Religion was
the mainstay Of Che Russian soul. Re-
Iigion took the place Of country, educa-
tion, government, administration, even
justice.
This religious araor mas been prac-
tically destroyed, along with the rest
Of the edifce There is hardly any
religion LEFT in Russia. Even on the
eve Of tho revolution religion had vir-
tpally disappeared. On one side, the
corruption of The upper stratum had
affected al the nigh clergy; on the
other socialism in the lower etratum
had sapped The power Of the lesser
clergy.
In his memoirs NJ Maurice paleo-
logue had cast d remarkable light on
this subject. He recalls mornina. in
March, 1915, when NJ. Kokovtsow,
former Premier, q patriot and an hon
est man, came to the French Embassy
and told him in his deep voice, "Tho
religious forces Of this 9ountry cannot
resist much longer the abominable con-
ditiona under which they are obliged to
exist. The Church and the high clergy
are almost entirely subsorvient to
Rasputin. y IS As i some malignant
disease had entered their systems; like
some cancer that viii soon eat ont ail
the vital organs Of the Churci
Doctrine of Reds Eeads
Slavis Priest Astray
"Whcn think Of the ignobls msr-
chandisiAg that is practised at times in
the bureau OF the Holy Synod I can
cry with shame. But there 4
looms up for the religious future Of
Russia-and l am talking o. the very
near future-another peril thet to me
does not seem less redoubtable: the
progress OF revolutionary proparanda
among the lower clergy, chiefly among
the young priests. You know how de-
piorable The condition Of our priests is
ooth materially and morally. The
sYatcheniA Of our rural parishes prac-
flc@lly lives in the very darkest misery. +
winch only too often causes MIN to lose !
all dignity, all shame, all respect for
MS robe and his functions. The ueas-
ants look down on him because OF his I
lazlnes5 and drunkenness; and besides.
5ney ceaselessly squabble with him
over the prices charged for sacrame1y 1yeal !
Offices Aside from this they never
mss an occasion 20 insult ana even
peat him. You can't imagine the
amount Of rancor and suffering That
can accumulate in the breast os ?
PRIEST Our socialists have
adfoltly exploited this pitiable situa-
zion OF our lesser clergy For the pas4
t"eiYe years they have been CARVING
on an active propaganda among the
rUral priests, particularly ansony the
young. They recruit in this nanner
not only soldiers for the army Of an
aFchy' but also the apostles and lead
ers' who naturally exercise their power
over the ignorant and superstitious
masses"
Prophetic words that were but too
tragically realized year later.
1t is only after reading the like
that we can begin TO understand the
depth OF The abyss into which unbaDnv
Russia has fallen. And 1t is after
reading that we ask ourselves anxious
~ Can Russia come back?n
There is no doubt that the entire
world must come to her aid--it is tbs
DUTY OF humanity and it is TO the com
mon interest Of mankind to do so. But
as NJ. Aristide BRAND remarked in she
lines quoted at the beginning of ,bja
article, it seems that the world has
merely taken into consideration ihe
material difficulties. Who will cbaree
hlmseH with the moral? Who will I'M
Qoft2ka Tho o1ucofion ~ =