THE RUSSIAN PRESS AND 1915

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2430, 8 April 1915, Page 8

THE RUSSIAN PRESS AND 1915

HOW IT REGARDS THE

OUTLOOK

"THE SOBER WAR" (From a Moscow Correspondent of the "Manchester Guardian.") The Russian newspaper issues of January 1 (13 days later in Russia), deprived of much copy by the new regulations regarding the sale of liquor, have consequently devoted more space than usual to the long reviews cf tho ?ast year which are a regular New ear's feature of all Russian newspapers. A summary of these reviews cannot fail to be of interest to English people, for they show the difference between England and Russia in their attitude towards the war.

All shades of the Russian press insist on a definite and lasting peace, or, inother words, that peace shall not be made until the enemy has been definitely crushed. "No matter how long it takes," Bays the "Utro Rossie" (theorgan of a group of influential Moscow merchants), "no matter what sacrifices we may have to make, we wish to fight this fight to the end. There will be no half-way house for us. Only half to finish our task would mean preparing Europe for a fresh war in tho near future.

Hero it is only right to pay a tribute to the excellent service which the Russian Press has rendered in explaining the war to its readers. Since the beginning of hostilities its attitude has been one of firm determination and quiet dignity. It has been patient in the hour of defeat, modest in claiming victory. It has -recognised, too, almost from tho first, that the struggle will be long, and that the chief mistake of the Russian people has been in imagining that the war could finish in two or three _ months. Knowing that dissension is tho one thing that can wreck final _ success, it has loyally supported Russia's Allies. When the British Ambassador, in his speech on English New Year's Eve, wisely called attention to the small but somewhat influential proGerman party who havo been covertly accusing England of using Russia as a catspmv' to pull the chestnuts out of tho fire, the Russian Press welcomed the criticism with reassuring frankness. "AVitb deep and heartfelt gladness," writes the "Russkoo SIovo" (a Moscow paper whicli follows public opinion and has consequently tho largest circulation in Russia), "wo see that the English are beginning to understand and to appreciate the soul of the Russian people. Hand in hand with the great British Empire, Russia is. waging this desperate struggle' solely to save Christian oivilisation from the savage onslaught of the modern super-Huns. Germany alone threat-ens the existence of England and Russia. It would ba unworthy of these great nations if they were to raise a quarrel over tho question as to who is bearing the greater sacrifices or who will reap the greater profit at the end of the war. Each of the Allied Powers must and will bear all sacrifices in proportion to her strength." Ths War at Sea. As regards the war at sea, it is i little astonishing to find that in tho sixteen-page review of the "Novoe Vremya," a paper which has been particularly Anglophile since the war, there is no mention of the work of the British Navy. That this is not due to' any intentional oversight is proved by the repeated tributes which from time to time the "Novoe Vremya" has paid to our Fleet. The "Russkiya" Viedomosti" (a great Moscow Liberal paper famed for the accuracy of its news), on the othei hand, pays due praise""to"the achievements of our sailors:

"It is true that in actual tonnage the British have lost slightly more than the Germans, but in terms of comparison the Germans have lost a. larger and far better proportion of their fleet. This, however, is-not the point. For the price of her losses England has acquired much; Germany's losses are pure loss redeemed by no material gain.

As one might expect-, a considerable amount of space is properly devoted to tho virtues of the Russian soldier. The English Tommy, too, has not been forgotten. At tho beginning of hostilities the Russians themselves expected very little from England' on land, but since the war the lighting qualities of. the English soldier have made a great impression on the Russian mind. In England there is perhaps a tendency to expect almost too much from Russia. In just .the same way Russia is anxiously awaiting the arrival of "Kitchener's millions," the growth of which is being watched in Russia with real admiration. Here is the summing-up of the military critic of the "Russkiya Viedomosti":—

The-results of the first five months of the war may be formulated as follows:—The struggle between Franco and Germany and between Russia and Germany i remains undecided; Austria has undoubtedly been vanquished by Russia, and, finally, England has not yet brought her chief strength to bear. This last sentence seems to point to the conclusion that each of the Allies must see to her own strength, and the results will look after themselves! The Economic Situation. From the economic point of view the position is not quite so satisfactory. The exchange question became very critical immediately after the declaration of war, and the price of the rouble fell considerably, For the first six months of 1914 the average exchange rate for £10 was 95/ roubles, ily the end of December it had risen to 117} roubles Among the rich merchants there is a certain feeling that England and France might have done more to relieve the situation than they have actually done. Certainly, the question is one that demands a speedy solution, for at the present moment Russia, ' whose own exports have been almost stopped, is in the uncomfortable position of being unable to acquire the raw materials necessary for her industries. Russia, however, is fighting for economic liberty. One of her main interests in the war is to free herself from the ignominious position of being an "economic" colony of Germany, Ey the regeneration of her old industries and by the creation of new national industries she hopes to recoup herself after the war for the heavy sacrifices which she bos had to bear. Vodka. No notice of the internal life of Russia in 1914 would be complete without some mention of what is commonly called Russia's greatest victory. Not in vain have the Russtans called this war "The Sober War." "From the first day of the war," says the "Vovoe Vremya," "tho Russian has been leading a sober life. On July 18 the sale of vodka'was forbidden. And so, quite unexpectedly for all of us, wo have carried out a reform of which hitherto even the most ardent had dared only to dream. Great Russia, whose whole history has been interwoven with drunkenness, first of all the nations of humanity has passed from the Empire of Drink into the Empiro of Light."

It is impossible liere to givo any account of tlic material benefits whicli this wise moastirc has already conferred on the Russian people. Hero is will suffice to say that many people, hoth in Russia and onts'de it. will see ill this sobering of 15(1,000,000 souls the greatest guarantee of tile final victory of our Allies.