BOLSHEVISM: A GRAVE DANGER.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16412, 4 January 1919, Page 9

BOLSHEVISM: A GRAVE DANGER.

•WIDESPREAD propaganda in SWITZERLAND.

ATTEMPTS TO INFLUENCE FRANCE AND ITALY. (specially wmrizH *ob "the press.") (Br Mm Julian Grande.) BERNE, October 25. Since the war all sorts of Ministries and public committees and offices in general have sprung into existence I in all belligerent and to a less extent in all neutral countries. But I doubt whether any organisation yet exists capable of arousing the public to the gravity of the danger of Bolshevism. Still more do I doubt the existence of any Ministry or organisation capable of coping with this danger, once it has been realised. The danger of Prussian militarism has of late so much absorbed everyone's energies and thoughts that people have failed to realise the existence and Bteady growth of another danger, and one which in time may well become yet more serious.

The pnblio knows that Russia is In a state of chaos; but it does not know ; that those responsible for the chaos ■ are working to extend it to other coun- ] tries. It is useless and foolish to gay that they will not succeed in this country or that country, or that, after all. such men as Lenin, Trotsky, or Karl Radek are mere fanatics who do not count, or that their rule will only be a ten days' wonder. Perhaps I may here say that two of these three men, Lenin and Karl Radek, were personally known to me during the first years of the war when they were in Switzerland; and their organisation is also well known to me. They are not people to be taken lights ly, nor is their organisation a thing to b©' scoffed at or ignored. They have ai their disposal some of the best brains in Europe to-day, and for all j know possibly in the United States and South America. They have vast funds at their disposal, and, what ia more dangerous now, is that they may get on their side the whole power of German professors and of their creation, Prussian militarism. At first this statement will seem to many absolutely absurd. I wish it were absurd. Many indications, however, and much information which reaches me prove conclusively that it is not likely that an nnholy alliance may be formed, indeed, perhaps Is being formed already between the Professors, Junkers, and militarists in Germany and Lenin and the Bolshevist elements everywhere. Lenin* ' as so serious a newspaper as the "Journal Geneve" points out this very day, is a realist, who cares nought for his means, but only for his ends, and in whom the Bufferings he under- . went under Russian Tsardom have created a bitterness and rancour and a thirst for vengeance which are inextinguishable. The "Journal de Geneve" speaks of the German General Staff's connivance at Bolshevism as a proved and accomplished fact, and of a temporary union between these two foroes of evil, each of which thinks it. can make use of the other to enslave mankind after itß own particular fashion. Working-class militarism thinks it can make use of Prussian militarism: Prussian militarism thinks working-claBS militarism and Lenin will be tools in its hands. At first, as I have said, such statements, will seem to many absolutely preposterous. I wish they were preposterous. Many will think that here is merely another instance if German propaganda trying to frighten England and the United States by insinuating that if the Allies insist on crushing Germany they will then havo to fig'ri not her army but a iar moie iuMvliuus foe—Bolshevism. I cannot too strongly insist, however, that this threat of Bolshevism must not be ridiculed, but on the »outrary mu6t be taken very pei'tpumy Already those bookshops' and kiosks id Switzerland which Germany contit 'a, either directly or indirectly, are displaying not books t paraph'ets, and periodicals, abusing England and America and attempting to prove that Germany was right to enter the war and had waged it with perfect humaneness and purely, in self-defence, but books, pamphlets, and periodicals by Lenin, Trotsky, and i&ll sorts of Bolshevist leaders. These are published in German, Italian, French, and even English. For instance, one pamphlet in English printed on excellent paper is a reprint of a despatch rfent a long time ago by an English correspondent in Petrograd to a, certain Liberal paper in England in defence of Lenin's Government. The Bolsheyjsts have even established their own printing works in Switeerland, near Berne, and, what is more, it is admitted that at least 10,000,000 marks or roubles have been placed in Swiss banks to the credit of this Bolshevist propaganda. Bolshevist agents are constantly arriving from Russia in Switzerland—carriage loads of them, it is said. Most of them are young men or young women, wno usually say that. they wish to study some subject or other at a Swiss university. Now, it is significant that whoever else has difficulty in passing through Germany they never seem to have any. Moreover, whereas before the war and during the first years of it these Russian students never had enough to live upon, now they seem to be very well off—in short, to have quite enough money . for themselves and plenty for other people too. _ • The. two most active Bolshevist agents in Switzerland at present are, strange to say, women.. One is a Russian, Madame Balabanoff, who, before the war, lived in Italy, but who, since the war, has been in Switzer- . land. One of her multifarious occu-

gitions is to control a paper of Bolevist tendencies, published in Italian in Zorioh—the "Avenire del Lavorav: tore" (The Future-of the "Working .} Classes), the organ of the Italian Socialists in Switzerland. She is assist- , ed by Signora Messori, who is also now in Switzerland, and who used to ibe a great .friend of Turati, the Italian Socialist leader. In Switzerland Bolshevist influence ; is greater than is generally realised, and if the Bolshevists succeed in joining hands with the German Professors and Prussian militarists now at bay— think they already have so suc- :: ceeded—then Bolshevism will become still more powerful in Switzerland, and will find its way thence into _ Italy, : where, of course, the ground is ' al- •/ ready being prepared for it, and , whence it might spread elsewhere.