BOOKS OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 205, 18 May 1918, Page 11

BOOKS OF THE DAY

■ RUSSIA'S AGONY. Mr. Robert Wilton must l« credited with having in liis "Russia's Agony" (London: Edward Arnold) produced ivhat is far and away the most comprehensive and instructive accouilt wo have yet had of the Hussion Revolution, and of the evont9 which preceded, and have followed (up to January, !!)18), that epochmaking cataclysm. The author, wlio is the Petrograd correipondent of "The 'limes," has lived in Russia lor fourteen years, and has made a Epecinl study not only of Russian politics, but of the Russian people and their national characteristics. The book is specially valuable for ita careful exposition of the main causes of the Revolution. Mr. Wilton gives us a most enlightening account of the political and social despotism of the bureaucracy, and of its ruthless agents in the Okhraua, or political police, and of the corresponding evolution of the revolutionary element. In the chapters headed respectively "Rasputinism and the Court and "German Influences," much now light is thrown upon the condition of affairs at Petrograd during tho olosing years of tJio Romanoff regime That many sinister influences were at work to thwart the efforts of the Russian generals ill the hold and to play into the hands of the enemy has long been notorious, but for the first time wo have a coherent and exhaustive description of how theso influences worked out in actual practice. Tho Revolution simply had to come. As Mr. Wilton shows us, those who planned and carried it out included some men of a high degree of intellectuality, fervently patriotic, well educated, soberminded citizens. Unfortunately there were so many separate and mutually antagonistic groups, and so much time was wasted in. profitless discussion and positive -wrangling, that the one party which was the most prompt in the translation of words into deeds, of ideals into action—the Bolsheviki— was successful in gaining tho uppor hand. The moderate reformers could but Yainly protest. Did they attempt or even threaten opposition they were imprisoned, and some of them only left the grim fortress of St. Peter and St. Paul to face a firing squad of the triumphant extremists. Mr. Wilton is clearly much conccrned with, "the character and lessons of Socialism as exemplified in the Russian Revolution."

"They are," ho says, "of momontous significance to every thinking man of tho Alllod nations—to tho working-

man equally with, liis employer. They closely aSoct tlie great issues tljat we, through our tlindneßß to tho responsibilities of nationhood, havo been called upon to solve at such great cost of blood and treasure. Socialism haß over promised an easy path, but wo havo Boon whero il has led Russia. No organisation of tho masses—not oven tho election of a popular Constituent Assembly—could thero savo Socialism from tho dominance of tho extremists and consequent anarchy." Mr. .Wilton charges the Bolsheviki— and brings crushing ovidence to support the chargo—with having from the very first planned tbo withdrawal of Russia from tho war. Ho says: "The nation and tho army realised quite well when the wnr broke out that the quarrel had been fastened upon thorn by Germany and tliey wore unanimous in desiring to shake off Teutonic domination and aggressiveness. But they grow tired—-with good reason—of seeing tho conduct of tho war hopelessly muddled, and tho great problems of food and transport mismanaged, and of finding their efforts to mend matters persistently ignored. The revolutionaries took . tlie. opportunity to. organise «n. uprising in Petrograd, and tho .autocracy, having outlived its day. found no supporters in tho hour of need. It fell liko a rotten pear. Throughout tlio tumult of upheaval tho revolutionaries were marshalled by o,n old andj experienced hand (i.e., Lenin)—an extremist who had formed a temporary alliance with the German propaganda, and who camo to Russia under German auspices, provided with German money. The whole course of iho Revolution wa6 direotcd by this man and liis allies. They were infinitely superior in skill and daiing to tho Socialist doctrinaires or visionaries who claimed to represent the masses of tho * peoplo. Behind tho backs of sham coalition Governments thoy carried out unhesitatingly and unfalteringly their programme of disruption of Russia s armed forces and of her material and financial resources, with a view to rendering it impossible for Ihor to con. tinue the struggle."

'l'ho book is riefh. in character portraits of men who havo been prominent in the revolutionary regime in its various stages. Lenin, the author rogards as a much more ablo and more dangerous man than Kerensky. Tho formor comes of a family of landowners. In 1887 his brother bocaino involved in a revolutionary plot and wns tried, condemned and executed. Henceforward Lenin fworo vengeanco on tho autocracy, and ho himself, in the 'nineties, was exiled to Siberia. Eventually he escaped and found his way, first to Switzerland, and later to Stockholm. In 1805 he was allowed to return to Potrograd and become a prominent member of. the first Soviet. He was again in exile when tho war broke out, and was arrested in Austria as a Russian spy. Released, he seems to have at onco entered into friendly relations with tho Central Powers, and was commissioned to start a soparatist uovement in th& Ukraine, whither he proceeded in a "sealed" car, well provided with German money. Mr. W,lton says:

"There is 110 doubt, that Lonin deliberately entered into an arrangement with his country's foes and used German money to propagate lifs doctrines. To a fanatic who repudiates nationality and nationhood (except for one class) thero is nothing derogatory in such a proceeding. To him all means wcro Rood provided ho could achieve his end. It was in tho application of his ideas that ho stood apart from his countrymen, and we find him oonßtrained to rely on tho aid of almost oxclu-. sively non-Russian elements. Tho majority of Ilia principal associates wero of the pseudo-Jew clasß—the bato-laden product of the Palo. Without them, and without tho help of German agents like Robert Grimm, and German gold convoyed through wcll-l:nown banks in Petrograd, ho could never have assumed tho ophomeral triumph of Bolshevism."

Kerensky Mr. Wilton regards as being an egotistical, hysterical young man, who was thrown off his mental balance by temporary popularity, and conceived the absurd design of leading '.ho Army and becoming an autocrat. He was not, however, of tho stuff of which Napoleons, are made, and the author is not surprised at his failure.

Tho greatness that was thrust upon him reached far abovo lnr> mental and moral calibre. lie wns not of gentle birth or upbringing, nor a statesman by genius or experience. Well-inten-tioned, ho found himself torn by a thousand conflicting cares and interests.

In strong contrast to Kerensky'.s vanity —"ho spoke and acted like a pereon who wns afflicted by a mnjita of grandeurs"— was Komiloff, of whom the author has ovidently a high 'opinion. "The Hope of Russia" is the heading of a chapter in which tho author describes tho Cossacks and their country, their ancient traditions and customs, their simple, honest life, Iheir sterling loyally to (ho liuseian cause. -Bolshevism has dealt Russia a tcirrible blow, but grave us is her condition, Mr. Wilton does not despair of her future:

Tho ltevotution "has stirred up tho <Jrcga and muddled tho eurrcnt of national life. ])ut its effects havo not been altogether unsaliitary, nor hftvo its lessons beon lost upon tho bi'Bt elementH of tho natioii. . . • Htissia. has been resolving itself into it* constituent parts during the Revolution. This tendency is eonsei'vati-D rather than centrifugal. It is intrinsically n rovolt against anarchy. It. should not excito alarm, but rather bo hailed as a first step towardß final crystallisation of tho now State. And vihoth-sr that State will bo a, monarohy or a. ropublio, a, federation or ft bLdk'lo organism, ia not

portinent to tho main issue that concorns Russia's friouds. Tho deadening and disastrous hegemony of I'etrogr.iu is coming to an end. A huge commonwealth like Kussia cannot bo governed from oue essentially un-Kussian centre.

. . . A new Russia is springing up amid the ruins of tho old. The day ol Lonin and destruction draws to a clotu. Do not believe outward aspects and appearances. Kussia is not dead. Her agony, still upon ''or, is not the agony ot death, but the agony of a living, breathing organism struggling to find expression, wrestling against the fiend of that haa gripped lier when :.!»• was at her weakest.

But I must resist tho temptation to further quotation. In tho appendices will be found reproduced several important documents relating to tho Revolution and much valuable statistical information. ' The illustrations are also an interesting feature, including portraits of various members of tho Komanoff family, portraits of military and revolutionary leaders, scencs in Potrograd ami Moscow during tho Revolution, etc. There are also several excellent maps. No public library should be without a copy of this admirable work, which must be regarded as one of tho most important contributions to tho lattorday history of Russia for which tho war has been responsible. (English price, 155.).