Evening star., 1945-04-19
Letters to The Star
Grand Duke Favored Isolation


For the Russians in 1882
To the Editor Of Ths Star;
Owen L. Scott offered much food for
thought when, in The Star Of Sunday,
April 8, he wrote that evidence to date"
indicates Russia to be headed toward
a policy of relative isolation after the
war, comparable to the policy the
United States followed after the last
war"
Abhorent as the idea may be-and as
incredible as 1t may seem--to. the in
terventionist-n minded of our fair land,
such course on the part Of the Soviets
is neither beyond the realm Of posi-
bility nor probability. 1t is pregnant
thought. In apy case. and worthy of due
consideration.
An interesting light on this subject
is to be found in the memoirs of the late
Grand Duke Alexander Michailovich OF
Russia. In his memoirs published in
1882 while the bolshevik nve-year plan
was still in Its infancy and Hitler but a
joke) HIH wrote Of the impression he
gained during his first visit to America.
He mentioned the marked similarity OF
the assets, liabilities. problems, natural
resources, ETC., of his own country and
the United States, and asked himself:
What was the matter with us (the Rus
sians)? Why did we not follow the
American way of doing things? We had
no business bothering with Europe and
initiating the methods befltting nations
forced by their poverty to live of their
wits.
"Europe Europe! 1t was our eternal
fatal desire TO mingle with Europe that
had put us back God knows how many
years.
Here, 1000 miles away from the
cockpit of European strife, stood living
example Of possibilities akin to ours,
If we would only put little common
sense into our policies!"
The Grand Dukes point Of view was
not at all appreciated in imperial Rus
sia-the Car even going 50 far as to
express the belief that his cousin had
turned socialist" during his stay in
America-but the fact remains that
when the revolution came, while he was
not exactly taken by the bolshevih
unto their bosom, he was allowed to re-
main with his family on his estate in
the Crimea until after the armistice,
more or less unmolested, while the rest
OF the Cars relatives either were mur.
dered or escaped by the skin of their
teeth. All Of which might indicate that
his radical" views were not altogether
unappreciated in certain quarters.
PHILIP LIGHTFOOT WORMELEY w.
Officer Urges Stadium Delay
To the Editor of The Star:
Your overseas edition dated March IA
has an article bringing up the audi
torium- stadium question again. feel
that they both are much needed and
always have been. However. feel that,
as they are to be dedicated to the men
Of the services. Washingtonians who
now are overseas and in the armed
forces, who have practiced architecture
and will practice architecture, should be
considered and that nothing should be
done until we have returned. As this
memorial will be for those we have
known and shared their thoughts and
feelings, I am sure that they would like
to feel that "one Of them" will be the
man to design the building that Will
keep their memory alive. Therefore, let
us wait until this war is over before
anything is done in connection with the
designing of the memorial. The audi
torium stadium can be an inspiration
for a POSTWAR project for architects,
sculptors, and painters who have served
in the armed forces.
WOLCOTT c. WAGGAMAN
Major, U. S. M. c. r.
Two Jima.