The Dominion WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1917. THE AMERICAN MISSION AND RUSSIA

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3194, 19 September 1917, Page 4

The Dominion WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1917. THE AMERICAN MISSION AND RUSSIA

It is noteworthy that American comments on the position and outlook in Russia take almost invariably A guarded and temperate tone. In general they show little traco cither of easy optimism or of a disposition to unsparingly condemn Russia's shortcomings as a military partner in tho Entente, or to give up hope of her ultimate rehabilitation. The American attitude deserves attention in view of the increasingly intimate relations between the United States and Russia, and the efforts mado by tho American Government and subsidiary organisations to get into effective touch with Russia and render her practical assistance. As a result of the visit of the Root mission to Russia and other ovents tending to establish sympathy between tho two countries, the people of the United States seem to a great extent to have overcome tho difficulty stated by the New York Evening Post when it wrote recently: "It is hard, no doubt, to adopt the altruistic viewpoint in tho midst of a great war. It is too much to ask of Amerioa that she shall think of Russia and not of herself, or even of Russia before herself, but that is what we are called upon to do. By thinking fairly and intelligently of Russia we shall bo best serving ourselves." Tho general opinion held in America seems to bo that although the process of recovery in Russia, and progress towards establishing orderly government, are bound to be slow, they may be trusted to continue. This opinion is supported by the account of conditions in Russia given by tho'*members of the Root mission when they returned to the United States in August. The period was a dark one in tho history of the Revolution. After opening a successful offensive, some of the Russian southern forces had mutinied and retired, laying open to the enemy in a few weeks territory won at tho cost of many months of arduous fighting in the previous course of the war. Yet the members of the American mission took a much more hopeful view of the outlook than visiblo facts thon seemed to warrant, and maintained that there was much to set against the collapse of the Russian offensive, which they attributed wholly to German propaganda by returned emigrants. It is believc-d that many Russians who hastened back to Russia after tho Revolution were German agonts provided l with German funds for the purpose of stirring up mutiny. The message brought back by the mission in regard to tho situation at large was, • in tho words of ono American writer, "that we must not let the disappointments and vicissitudes of the day anger us or blind us to tho spirit and trend of the Russian Revolution. , There has been a strong drive for a separate peace withiu Russia, but it has been ovorcome. There has been military disorganisation, but it will he overcome if the manifest, desire of the great body of the nation can mako itself felt. Thoro has been serious danger of disunion among the forces that brought about Russian freedom, but unity is fast boing re-established.'' Assurances that the United States would remain in the war to the end, and improved railroad facilities, were by the different members of the mission to be among the outstanding needs of Russia, Tho juxtaposition is at first sight quaint, but it emphasises effectively the dual role America is callcd upon to play towards Russia, in lending the new Eepublic at once moral and material support. Charles Edward Russell, a member of tho mission, who recently withdrew from the American Socialist Party, declared in a statement representative of much that was uttered by his colleagues that tho chief duty of tho United States was to oonvince the Russian people that

tlic United States is in the war to tho cud.

I cannot emphasise too strongly (he snid) that this country should present a united front. Russian peoplo need lo bq convinced tliat this nation stands solidly behind its Allies in this war and will not fciltor. Tho nowspapers c.f tho United States have a great duty to perform in presenting the situation in this country as it really it. Talk of peace at this time and arguments ngninst sending our boys to Franco is utter rot. Wo must go through this war to tho end, and our citizens might as well make up thoir minds to that effect. Slackors, peace, and hope guard talk have no pkco in this situation at present. I am greatly encoiiraged by conditions in Kussia. They aro becoming bettor all the time. Bvon during tho four weeks that I wns in Petrograd I noticed a great "hange. I spent virtually all of that time with tho Workmen's Council, which is loally the Government of Bussia, and I know that tlio peoplo are gradually getting behind tho Government moro strongly each day. Of courso, they aro a sentimental nnd. peculiar ipeople, but they aro anxious to mako a figlit for tlie right, and if wo will do our share they certainly will do theirs. The whole question oi tho future of Russia now lies with the United States.

Thoro docs not scorn to bo any doubt that America is a-cting in the spirit and determination thus enjoined. Though sympathy for Russia and a belief in the ultimate triumph of , the Eovolution aro general it is clearly recognised that Russian military co-operation is now a factor of doubtful value, and that Amorica must sparo no effort to make good whatever loss of force is occasioned. Tho new York Tribune declared recently that tho Russian military oollapso meant that American lives and American resources must bo drawn upon to replace the Russian, and that Germany would." Svin tjie war on her own terms if the United States were not ready in spirit and prepared in material to tako a considerable part in tho campaign cf 1918. This is a gloomy estimate of the outlook—a much gloomier estimate than seems to have been entertained generally in tho Unjted States since tho Root mission jeportcd. But, like a great deal to tho same or a similar effect that has lately appeared in American newspapers, it is evidently intended to fortify tho determination of the peoplo of the United States to make good any weakness that may result lrcm the failuro of Russia, while at the same time doing everything that can be done to assist tho new Republic in its efforts to achieve orderly government and restore the fighting efficiency of its armies.