WEDNESDAY. JULY 9, 1919. THE RUSSIAN PROBLEM

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 244, 9 July 1919, Page 6

WEDNESDAY. JULY 9, 1919. THE RUSSIAN PROBLEM

Now that the Allies, in imposing terras on Germany, have taken the first great step towards world peace attention is bound to be concentrated to an increasing extent on llussia. Nothing is more certain than that until the Bolshevik reign of terror in that country, with all that_ it connotes, is ended, no really important progress can be made in disarmament, or generally in establishing conditions of settled peace. Until there is peace in Russia and on all the Russian frontiers, there will be no real security for the rest of the world. With llussia a simmering inferno it is almost hopeless to think of imparting stable organisation to the minor States and countries of . Eastern and SouthEastern Europe which have gained or enlarged their independence as an outcome of the war. Called upon to make head against Bolshevik hordes and artful and insidious Bolshevik propaganda', l these States are as badly placed as possible to concentrate upon the orderly, constructive efforts which are demanded in the" interests of their own welfare and as a condition of general'peace. Continued conflict and unrest on the frontiers of Bolshevik Russia are in themselves enough to keep the world in arms, but in addition there is the ever-present danger that some sort of union of forces may be effected between the Russian terrorists and German reactionaries. Much as they differ in professed aims, the Russian Bolslicviki and the German militarists have a great deal in common. Certainly they are united in a common hatred ana detestation for tho democratic nations of the world, and the danger that German organising power may find a new field of effort in Russia cannot be regarded as visionary. At the moment German forces are numbered amongst those opposed to the Bolsheviki on the Baltic front, but probably it is a much more pertinent fact that for a long time past German officers have taken an important part in the work of organising and training the Bolshevik armies. Given the opportunity, Lenin and his associates no doubt would be more than willing to extend their partnership with the German military gang, and what such a union of evil forces in the vast country which links Europe with Asia would mean to the world hardly needs to bo pointed out. Successfully accomplished and established it would open a prospect of

unending wai* and conflict. It is as well for the world —the more so since the Allies to all appearance are still distinctly short of formulating a, really resolute and decided policy in coping with the Russian problem—that there are fairly promising indications that the disease of Bolshevism is running its course, with some prospect of ultimately working its own cure.

From the moment when the problem visibly took shape it has been much easier to find fault with the undecided policy of the Allies towards Russia than to suggest a hopeful alternative. In matters of detail the Allies timn, and again have been obviously at fault—usually no doubt as a result of their failure to reach complete agreement. For instance, there is every reason to believe that prompt measures would have averted the establishment of a Soviet Republic in- Hungary, and at the present stage it is difficult to understand why the forces threatening Petrograd are not allowed to press forward and capture that city. But while in these and other instances which might be cited the Allies seem to be playing into the hands of the Bolsheviki by their indecision, it is to bb admitted tint the 'course events have taken tends in some respects to justify their waiting policy. It is the loot justification of this policy that Russia cannot be reconstructed wholly or mainly by outside agencies—in , other words, that her future depends above all upon the ability of her people to overthrow the present usurpers and reorganise. The chief perplexity of the Allies throughout Tias Been to find amongst tho leaders end _ factions opposed to the Bolsheviki the possible nucleus of a democratic Government capable , of commanding the approval and support of the Russian people. The impossibility of treating with the Bolsheviki _ themselves has never been really'in doubt. Their record of murder and outrage infinitely exceeds that of the worst of the Tsars, and 1 in addition they have done all that it is possible to do by wrecking tactics to ruin industry and commerce and make widespread famine and starvation the normal conditions of life in Russia. * The one utterly false step tho i Allies made .in regard to Russia, was their invitation to the Bolsheviki to join with other Russian parties in an informal conference aiming at peace. The problem of finding a stable authority worthy to represent Russia is still far from being solved, but there are some hopeful indications that it may be solved in the not distant future. There is wellauthenticated evidence that while the anti-Bolshevik" forces in Russia are gathering head, Bolshevism is threatened not only in this way but from within. Lknin is now demanding severe industrial discipline, the re-establishment of piecework, and other measures. In a recent publication, he declared that the "interests of Socialism now demand the unquestioning submission of the workman to the will of the manager oi an undertaking." The spirit in which he is regarded by industrial workers . was demonstrated in March last in a series of strikes at tha Putilof Works Wharf and other Pctrograd factories which were suppressed imperfectly and with difficulty by terrorist methods. A British official report issued by the War Cabinet on March 21 gave a detailed account of these events, and cited the following with other extracts from a resolution passed practically without dissent by ten thousand workmen at Piitilof': —

We, the workmen of tho Putilof Works Wharf, declare Infers the labouring classes of Russia and the world that (ho Bolshevist. Government has betrayed the high ideals of (lie October Revolution, and thus betrayed and deceived the workmen and peasants of Russia; that the Bolshevist Government, acting as formerly in our names, is not the authority of the proletariat and peasants, bur an authority and dictatorship of &• central committee of the Bolshevist Party, selfgoverning with the aid of extraordinary commissions, Communists (? Commissaries), and police.

Bearing in mind that the power, and organisation of tho Bolshoviki have from the outset been based largely on intimidation, such events in the industrial establishments that wore formerly their strongholds greatly _ strengthen the hope that patriotic forces may before long be enabled to bring them to complete defeat. As information stands affairs are going so well in Northcm Russia that the Allies will be able soon lo withdraw their leaving the local population able to withstand Bolshevik attacks. Koxchak, on the main Urals front, has suffered a set-back, but in the south General Deniken, after organising a fighting force uncler immense difficulties is pushing forward in a victorious advaree. which promises meantime to give him the Crimea as a secure base of operations, and one in which he will be freely in touch with the Allies. Presumably, the Allies will freely assist him with, essential _ supplies, and with the Orimta in his hands Deniken will be better placed than in recent days to profit by such assistance. Conditions in fact arc developing in which Deniken probably will be enabled to pursue his present advantage, and Koickak to reorganise and resume the offensive. Both Deniken and Kor.ciiAic, though they now exercise dictatorial powers, are definitely pledged to constitutional aims. One of Deniken's declared objects is the convocation of a people's Assembly, based on universal suffrage, and Kolchak has stated that there is no question at all of a j'estorat.ion of the Monarchy or of his favouring reaction, and expressed himself convinced of the necessity of establishing a constitutional Government. On the whole, troubled as the present situation is the hope of ■. a satisfactory solution of the Russian problem has by no means disappeared.