New-York tribune., 1922-01-29
RUSSIAN LIFR,
GROWS ASlATIc
fc0ntamusd from page fouy,

regret at the passing Of the old ora.-
feeling does not, however seem ~
The fundamental consideration Of ni,..-
such people out of hundred is To ys+ "4'
to eat, to wear and to live on Wiz ~
basic needs staring one in the far.
thoughts and conversation must mood.
voted largely to them Next 70 tba. W
tive Importance comes wonder wbss,.-
faint revival of the old life means tb.. a. '
will again become, not as tbe,
"fairly decent" as one wonaao exnro..,, WI
found also disposition not to . hla~- :.
Soviet government absolutely far .sa ,,1'
straits, but to charge the war o,;4. - ''sN
sponsibility. before the war, s rs1 sy"'
common phrase than before the revou.;.- ,v'' :"
Before came to Russia had ro.oI.'..,
old upper classes as being more or lss. - ,n'
p'sl'lon Oh population under the rule o, ,n
army of occupation, with feelings and r...
tlons, say, something like those Of n. D.,
gians while the Germans held the coun.x.
The image was distorted; perhaps the fat.rss
in the Russian character accounts for g..
Some Of the old bourgeois elernents ara .o;."
back TO their trading and commercial ac,;v;
ties, although the greater part Of tbes. A.. :.
the hands Of people who viii in time copstitr..
new middle class. Others are living a. =.
they can, by hook or crook. But they do ny
seem TO me particularly to Wish violent ov.,
throw Of the Bosheviks Perhaps it wouId |
more accurate to say that they don't like Il. |
Bolsheviks, but don't see who is To r,nl,.
them, and shat they are Wiling to tolerate d.
Bolshevks if the latter people will bet,u
themselves
There is universal desire For peace and
distaste for further military activity o. N,
sort Exhaustion and apathy dictate this A.
tltude to some extent.
"Moreover, what would be the use?" said O.,
educated Russian to me, "the Communist nan,
is the only strong organization in the count-.
It is true that there are enough n-Commu,
lists to overwhelm the Bolsheviks numericsuy
but with all the odds of organization, trainir
and equipment against US, the price would
a ghastly one And we are tired. hungry s,i
cold. Do you know what war wearinm
means?
WGll, we nave UdQ StNSll ears OF WAr, ne
four. And we are tired First the Germans
killed US and then we killed each other. We
are tired of killing
But suppoes that we tried to drive out the
Bolsheviks. How do we know that any out
side nations would aid us? How do we know
that we could set up strong government and
that the foreigners who might help US wouN
not want to rule US?
"You see, we haven't much faith left in any
thing" he ended with a sad smile. 1--WE ~
just waiting. If the Bolshevik government
collapses of its own weight, well and good
although | am not sure that want the little
bit of organization that we have left to 80. L
it doesn't collapse it must change, radically
along the lines of this summers development
and then it Will be more acceptable to US
Of absolute, bitter, urelenting hatred c
the Soviet government and all its ways ans
works there seems less in Moscow than thss
is among the refugees in Riga or in PsI
Opinions in Moscow are naturally softenedT
the fact that there, at least the BoshsNn
authority is definite and unnistakable "Deas
hunde' (''these dogs'), said German-speat
ing hotel waiter to me in Riga, referring 70
the Soviet emissaries there, but the epne
was more stinging than any l have heard
Moscow.
1t is curious but unmistakable fact @e
Russias virtual isolation since tho war ns
tended to soften the opposition OF tho nseDe
gentsia to the Soviet rule. 1t has snord0o 'n'
Soviet public;sts an invaluable weapon
"What can YOU expect?" they naSe
drummed into the people. 1--WE "ahs -.
port food and clothing for you, but 1ns is''
of the world will no. let US. Surely you ~.
not blame us for things which are really QUO
to the blockade"
And the argument, fallacious sn'usu
seems to the Western mind, has no' Dos.
without effect. The fact that conditions n''
not greatly improved since the concas"r
trade agreements with Great BRITAIN
many, Norway, Sweden, Italy ana Nu''s s.s
does not answer il adequately l" '''V ,,.
place, these are very new deveiopn'e.'S ...,
Soviets point out "Wait until 1hey "S''
given time to show results IN
If thew are to show results, Of COURSE
be necessary to allow private enIerp,i'.
foreign trade. II, as seems likely ei"' :.
scheduled to cone before very long, ~n
ford all opportunity for The BolSheviA s0''''
ment to say -, the
"Wen you see what .happeas S's'
blockade is hfted' ...ey
The world has forgotten US ,h.t
iournalisr said to me. II can lncefs'a' the
while Boshevk propaganda vas alssu ,er
overthrow OF existing governments w .,,ss