PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 146, 9 March 1918, Page 6

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

It has Been: left for Mr.. Harold Williams, -the ■Daily . Chronicle's .'special correspondent : at Petrograd, to supply the .first'hopeful ray of light-on-tho presents-situation in Russia. Bolshevism has been presented hitherto as a destructive influence in the Russian' 'Commonwealth. Mr. Williams thinks ■. that Bolshevism, in spite of the ruin and suffering .that have followed in tho train of its fanatical. Socialism, may yet evolve a patriotic anti-German feeling of a new type, a national sentiment in favour of a war for freedom's cause. "There aro many indications," ho says, "that the disgraceful peace just imposed will not_ be_ the end of Russia, but tho beginning of a strong Russia. It is the end of tho old war, but the- beginning of a new, tougher, and more complex war. ... The chief violence of the wrath of the Bolshevik leaders is now directed against German imperialism. They are successfully stimulating against German oppression a patriotic feeling -of. a new type. This new Bolshevik'onthusiasm is an asset; certainly it is one of the. factors of the revival of national, sentiment, and is shared .by many other .classes. It is possible that the various currents of bitter ..hostility to Germany will coalesce ;in a big national movement of resistance to. the German invasion.' Hence, if'. a. revival of national .sentiment is possible Russia's allies ought to fostor it." Mr.-; Williams also presents what might b<> termed the missing word in the difficult;.' over Japanese intervention; As has already been pointed out, the real problem of Japanese intervention against German aggression in Eastern Russia is how to act without wounding the susceptibilities of the ■• Russians, and espcoially the susceptibilities of the Bolsheviki iu 'Russia to the extent that they might be' antagonised towards the causo of the Allies. "It is unfortunate for us," he' says, "that at the very moment when the Russians aro smarting under the bitter humiliation of defeat they are faced with the threat of Japanese occupation of Siberia in the interests of the Allies. Tho threat has aroused the strongest resentment in all classes of Russians.

The_ evolution_of a national sentiment in Russia implies a rapprocliement between the Bolshcviki and the remaining part of the Russian population whose rights and sontiments have been outraged in the name of revolutionary Socialism as practised under.the aegis of the Red Flag. At first sight such a union of forces for a common cause would seem to be impossible at this stage; that Mk. Williams is over-sanguine in his prediction. But it must bo remembered that Bolshevik Russia is aii aggregation of numerous bodies of Socialist and democratic opinion, some of which merge in their ideas with the bourgeoisie. Their apparent union under the Red Flag of the extremists is a union of expediency to consolidate by the best means at hand the fruits of the Revolution. All are' determinedly united in their opposition to monarchical government, but that is as far as their actual unity goes. The emergence of a national sentiment in Russia • therefore involves a gradual process of compromise from which will be evolved probably two or three; perhaps four, broad political parties representative of the whole population, and grouped in a Constituent Assembly as a National Parliament. A common danger, such as the German invasion, will stimulate and quicken the evolution of the new nation, but in the meantime there must be some adjustment of the wrongs-which'have been done to those whose opposition to the- 1

Bed Flag extremists has brought ruin and desolation. Some measure of justice ought reasonably to be expected of Socialism which embodies in its substance the principles of "liberty, fraternity, and equality!" '■;

According to a message from Tokio, published to-day, there is considerable feeling in Japan over wMat is described as the "Siberian debacle." The situation from all points of view is extremely difficult and delicate. Mr. Harold Williams, at Petrograd, has stated the B,ussian view of Japanese intervention as he interprets it. The American official point of view is against intervention. The Japanese point of view, it may be deduced, is distinctly in favour of intervention, largely on the ground of special interests. Japan at the moment hesitates' to act in view of the opposition which such would evoke, but it is conceivable that the Bolsheviki •themselves_ might carry the situation in Siberia to such impossible limits that Japan would insist on taking action in defence of her established' interests, the susceptibilities of the Russians notwithstanding.

Between the high-handed action of the Germans in using the Aaland Islands as a sea base for their operations in .Finland and the hostile attitude .of the • German-inspired Press towards the Anglo-Swedish agreement in regard to the transfer of tonnage (reported- to-day), there have been established grounds of contention that might conceivably strain Germany's relations with Sweden. The North German Gazette construes the transfer of tonnage into, a breach by Sweden of the neutrality laws, while the Swedish' Government resents the use by the Germans of the Aaland Islands, and the■ latter'^."interference in Finland generally,, as an intrusion.upon her sphere of influence in the Baltic;'" Since the outbreak of the war the general attitude of the Swedish' Government has conveyed the ' impression that,' if anything, the sympathies of Sweden were inclined rather: .to :Germany than to the Allies. The "Luxburg affair,", in spite of _lhe .Swedish Government's repudiation of the action of its Miriister'-'at- Buenos Aires in allowing, the Minister to • send code telegrams under coyer of the former's office, engendered an active suspicion of Sweden's good faith as a neutral. Any suggestion,' therefore, of an open breach between Germany and Sweden would be somewhat surprising. At this stage of the proceedings it, is safe to say that even if sufficient grounds existed _ for a breach Sweden would hesitate to join issue in open conflict with Germany, ununtil the latter attempted to impose upon her weaker neighbour by a display of "bounce," under which no Government would be allowed to rest. ' , '- ''■ "!' ' ■■'-!