Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-24

tary intervention is possible and besides
affirm that there Is not single state
or even a single statesman at present
who would contemplate such disas-
trouS issue. We have but to look In
the nearest past to find that the move
ment OF anti bolshevik forces gathered
in the white armies failed principally
because they we're supported by foreign
powers The presence of foreign
troops on Russian soil exalted Rus
sian patriotism and 1 know OF many
cases when former officers of the i'm
perial army offered voluntarily their
services to the bolShevik government,
because they felt that the Russian rev.
alution, as bad as it was, still repre-
sented an internal phase of Russian
life and that foreigners had nothing to
do with it. should not mix into It, Thus
patriotism had arisen that has helped
the bolShevikS To win the civil war.
Therefore, changes in present Russia
can come only from the inside. led by
persons who are constantly in touch
with the Russian people. We. emigres
residing abroad will be able to 90
nothing in changing the state of got-
eminent in Russia. But We shall be
invaluable when the work of reconstruc-
ton begins. Then We shall bring into
the common chest the fruit of our ex-
perience, of our knowledge. of our skill,
acquired abroad among nations from
which We could learn many things and
did actually learn. But to be able to
do SO We must keep our national face.
We must preserve that what makes us
a distinct race and a distinct nation.
And for that purpose We must be helped
by generous nations which must I'M
derStand that in the end it will mean
much more for them than a mere &C
QUESTION of so many new citizens.
This particular country can do much
for us. even much more than 1t has
done SO long. I know that the tradi-
tional and very vital policy of the United
States has been and is to assimilate
newcomers, to be a sort of melting
pot" where out of representatives of all
countries a new and powerful nation is
being created But l firmly believe
that in this particular case of Russian
emigres it might be wise for this great
republic to look deeper into the question
and to discover the Importance for the
future of both United States and Rus
STA of preserving a nation now in exile
from complete standardization.
Natural Allies.
One can see clearly what q great
advantage it would be for Americans
TO have in future Russia considerable
number Of people who, acquainted with
their ways of doing and thinking, would
sponsor closer understanding between
those two countries, which have so
much in common. which are natural al
lies in the field of progress Of humanity
and in the field of political co-opera-
ton. For this last reason I have but
to mention the problem of the Pacific,
in which American interests are grow
ing bigger and faster every day, and in
which a friendly support of Russia
would be quite invaluable. Therefore.
think that in helping Russian emigreS
10 teach their children to know their
country, their national institutions, liter
allure, arts and their faith. America
would play magnificent and generous
role, which will not be devoid of great
Importance for herself.
But on the whole the question of
Standardization in this country is not
so acute as it is In Europe. because the
bulk of Russian emigres is found across
the ocean. There, mostly on the Bal
kans, in Czechoslovakia and France.
We find greater need for Russian edu-
cation than over here. And it is only
through education in Russian schools
that the vital problem of preserving
national character to the Russian
emigration can be solved. In this field
Americans have already done very
much. Some well organized and pow
erfully financed institutions In this
country have given the Russian youth
means to accomplish their education in
American and European universities
and know that express their thought
in saying here that they are eternally
grateful to their benefactors. But the
situation of children who go to primary.
secondary and high schools is disas-
trous. and 1t is there that help Is
urgently needed, because it is at this
age that the mind and intellect Is
formed 1t is not an exaggeration to
say that in present conditions all those
children-the rising generation-are in
evitably and irrevocably lost to Russia.
And l ask you. can civilized world
look at these happenings calmly without
moving a finger for help? Or is this
world blind and cannot see the adj
vantages that such help would bring
to it?
The political future of Russia Is In
the hands of her own people. flesh and
blood of her soil, and 1t Is of little
Importance what form Of government
will replace the Soviet tyranny as soon
as it gives the desired freedom TO all
people. The old hope of restoration is
dead. anyhow, and this We know. And
in all that no foreign power can have
anything to do. But the future rela-
tons of Russia with foreign lands, the
understanding that is necessary to
create international friendship, the
bringing of Russia into the common
cause of humanity. is entirely in the
hands of those people who kindheart-
edly have opened their lands to Rus
sian emigres but who do not do any,
thing to help them to remain Russians.
We went into exile to preserve that
what We believed was most valuable in
us-our national spirit-and now wS
find with horror that We are unable
TO preserve it in our children. This
thought fortunes us more than that of
being exiled away from our land. from
our life, unable to return under the
penalty of death-what is even worse.
under that of mental and spiritual
death in seclusion or in deportation in
Siberia. or on the Solovetsky Island. In
the midst of that ferociouS White Sea
of the coast of all civilization.
Humanity's Future at Stake.
1t is necessary that help should come,
because the future of Western civiliza-
ton, nay. more-the future of human
ity--iS at stake and we firmly believe
that our cry of distress will not be a
cry in the wilderness.
We are united by a great common
cause-by the love of our country-we
are a nation, even If We are now In
exile, and we want to remain faithful
to our traditions to our great humani-
tartan teachers as represented by our
writer's, by our musicians. our artists.
But We feel that we are lost amidst for
eign though friendly people. that the
attraction of eyeryday's life and its
necessities for our young generation is
too great and that we need a helping
hand to pull us through those weary
years. II among ourselves there are
people who did not learn anything and
did NOT forget anvthinu tha,r