Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-08

sian assertions about acting In the in
terest Of the world proletariat.
There Is still another important as
pect OF the new Russian policy which
will be given increasing attention. What
will native revolutionists, radicals or
nationalist in the So-called backward
areas of the world think Of Russian
leadership in view of the Manchurian
exhibition?
In China, India, Malaga, Dutch East
Indies, the Philippines, Africa, Arabia,
the Near East generally and in Latin
America, native radicals have had the
advantage of Russian financial and
other aid. Russian propagandists have
been in all these areas and others be-
sides and Russian revolutionary meth
DDS have been used as the models for
native uprisings or attempts to throw
on foreign controls. 1t was the undis-
guised hope of Moscow that the world
revolution would be precipitated by this
aid given to native radicals
Now these native radicals see that
Russia has shown itself quite as capa-
bic Of using devastating force to protect
It's interests in foreign country as
England or any other nation ever was
accused Of using, and the native radi-
Gals will be asking themselves: Will We
throw of the English or some other
foreign yoke only to take on the Rus
sian yoke?
Will Strike Hard Blow.
The fact that Russia has no consid-
cradle property interest in the countries
cited is beside the point. The outstand-
ing impression native radicals every
where must get from the Manchurian
situation is that Russia will strike hard
whenever 1t considers that it has any
thing worth striking for. The blow is
not softened by reservations about
tariat. II India, cut loose from Eng
land. should displease Russia, the ma
tives well may ask themselves whether
Russia then would throw its military
strength to the Indian border as 1t did
to the Manchurian border
While there is no sign that native
radicals will cease to be radical the
probability is strong that native radi-
Gals will cool of in their admiration for
Russia and be more careful of entan-
clements with Russia in their efforts
to promote native nationalistic ambi-
tons. That would considerably ease
the problem of the big powers which
now have close contacts with native
radicals and various sections of the
world. for the Russian propagandists,
and sometimes Russian gold, greatly in
some, or all, Of this Russian aid will
be so much gain to the big powers con-
cerned.
China in general certainly has no illu-
sions left about Russian nationalism or
Russian foreign policy. There are
within China a considerable number
who have been converted to commu-
nism and these, too, in the long run
must ask themselves whether Russia IL
nf FYfA
to China. than the capitalist nations.
The men governing soviet Russia are
not blind to any Of the foregoing poten-
tisllties. Even if they cannot see them
So others see them. they are real
| j. '"ir approach to all problems
1ediate effort to repair the
Russian leadership of the
lion may be expected.
ogey Losing Power.
Ii. great problem for Soviet Russia
today. is how to reconcile the growing
| sense of nationalism within Russia to
| the original international program. It
| is not easy to keep the Russian people
keyed up indefinitely to the revolutions
airy tempo. The DOGGY heretofore used,
namely, the charge that the capitalist
| powers had formed an iron ring around
Russia and would crush Russia at the
scare Russians.
/ Furthermore, as the memory of past
! hardships tends to fade out, as new
generation of Russians comes along
| which knows of the World War and
horrors of civil war in Russia only from
books, it is increasingly harder to keep
| Russia up to the revolutionary tempo.
With a slow but appreciate rise In
material prosperity Russians more ana
more will concern themselves with pure
| " Russian detectives, which will be o
further blow at the international con-
cept.
Nationalism is a subtle force. 1t can
convince a people that what they think
best promotes their interests best pro-
notes the interests of the world at
large, or, in the case of Russia, the
interests of the working class through
out the world The remainder of the
world however may not follow this de-
duction as closely as Russia would like,
especially If Russian nationalism presses
harder and harder against the nation
alistic interest of other nations.
1t would be a mistake to charge the
leaders of Russia with willing retreat
from internationalism. Within Russia
this year there was tightening up of
socialist practice at the very time the
| turn toward conservatism was made In
foreign policy. 1t was as If Russia
wanted to prove that the expulsion Of
| TrotSky did not constitute reaction
from socialism toward capitalism. Soviet
leaders even may be conceded sincerity
in believing that the foreign policy will
rebound in the long run to the adval1-
tage Of the world proletariat, yet 4 one
applies to that foreign policy the same
are so fond of applying to capitalistic
policies, the conclusion is unacceptable
that Russian nationalism has won a
victory over Russian internationalisfn
whether or not the leaders Of Russia
see or admit it.
How Situation Now Stands.
The situation now stands: Socialism
within Russia, nationalism controlling
foreign policy. Nationalism in foreign
policy means imperialism, which in
turn means a slump In Russian leader
ship of the international radical move
ment. Radicalism will not necessarily
decline, but it must seek a new center
a new leadership, and it may break UP
into fragments in the various nations
pending this new alignment or the ap-
pearance of a new cohesive force for
merly supplied by Moscow.
Statesmen in all capitals must take
into account the orientation of Russian
economic recovery of Russia, If con-
tinued, will mean a new force In world
commerce. 1t has the natural resources
to become a formidable factor. On the
side of the threat Russia has been to
the peace or ot1er nations through prop
uganda, there will be a change In the
form though not in the substance Of
radicalisnn, and the extent to which
this change will affect world policies
will be one of the most interesting
studies of the future.
Trotsky has been only partly right
In his diagnosis. What he denounces
as reactionary movement under the
Stain leadership is, after all, only the