Hokitika Guardian & Evening star WEDNESDAY SEP. 26th 1917. FAITH TN RUSSIA.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 September 1917, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening star WEDNESDAY SEP. 26th 1917. FAITH TN RUSSIA.

Wj: refer rod on 'Monday to Mr Lloyd George's Glasgow speech. dolivorod in •Tiino last. From the full text of flint interesting utterance, the reader will turn with special interest to the references to Russia. They are remarkable: first Mr TJoyd George, it will he romemhered, welcomed the Revolution, and he draws great hope from what is going to follow in the train of the Resolution. Indeed, he v recalls the fact that he forecasted the revolution,

anil tin vs he told tho story of it to his j Scotch audience: "I ventured,” he said, “in August, 1915, to launch into the realms of prophecy, rather a dangerous thing to do; but if your will allow me I will quote what 1 said then about Russia. I referred to the great Russian defeat by the German armies. The Russian armies wore broken, the Russian armies were in full retreat, and things looked darker than they had evor done in the whole course of tho war. My ref narks were:‘The Eastern sky is dark and lowering, the stars hove been clouded over. I regard tbo stormy horizon with anxiety, but with no dread. To-day T can see the colour of a new hope beginning to empurple the sky. Tho-enemy in their victorious march know not what they are doing. J.et them beware, for they are un- , shackling Russia. With their immense I artillery they are shattering the rusty -bars, the fetters, from the strength of 1 the people of Russia. You can hear I them shaking their powerful limbs free | from the stilling debris, and preparing j for tho conflict, with a new spirit. They are hammering a swonl that will I destroy them, and fncing a great I nation which will wield it with a more 1 potent stroke and mightier sweep than it ever yet commanded.’ ” Mr Lloyd ! George’s metaphor hid a great- deal, 1 but not to all, and he told 'his audience that his speech got him into trouble with tho Russian Court, but what ho forecasted came to pass. The British Premier evidently knew a great deal more of the inner happenings of Russia than were made puniv. From this we can understand why he so readily, even delightedly, expressed bis approval, of tbo revolution, for lie could foresee what the possibilities wore. Even as he spoke in Scotland in June last lie did not regard the unsettled state of affairs in Russia with alarm. “Revolution (lie again dropped into metaphor) is a fever brought about by the constant and reckless disregard of laws of health in the Government of |a. country. Whilst it is on the - strength of a country is diverted to the | internal conflict which is raging in its : blood, and it is naturally not so effective, for external use during the period, , The patient takes some time to recover I his normal temperature, but when he | begins to recover, if his constitution iis good—and the Russian nation has a fine constitution as any nation ever possessed in all the essence of fine mnn- , hood—then lie will regain strength at a bound and will ho mightier and j more formidable than ever.” Raisin', ! Mr. Lloyd George fully expects, will I help in the end to ensnare a superior ! ounlitv to tho victory the world will gain, because a free Russia wil] Iv more helpful at the peace congress that I the reactionary autocracy, which would otherwise, have represented Russia. He speaks his faith in Russia, with hold fearlessness, and the knowledge he shows has been derived from a. wise

inner view of tho real plight of Russia. In these circumstances we may <dl be hopeful of Russia., and have faith in the performances yet to come from that much canvassed quarter of tho war.