RUSSIA.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3526, 13 July 1920, Page 4

RUSSIA.

Next to bringing Germany back‘ into 3.110 family of nations is the necessity for urging ‘£llll3 driviidg the Russian people out of the state of bewildering hopelessness the}-' have drifted into.

Revolution in Russia was something expected long before the great war made it possible and easy. All history testifies that no small coteriu, however rich, can for long dominate -and enslave the nmsses of the people. The will of the collective race determines its fate, and all experience of the past shows that the race wills to be'.’r'ree. Russia was an extreme instance of the will of the millions being suppressed and dominated by the few, and, though late, the will of the race has at last been asserted, and where are the few rulers who oppressed and dominatecl it? That revolution that was to be has caused. riv'e‘rs ._ot' human blood to flow .and is now enfeebled with its wild orgy of murder, massacre and rapine. It has reached a stage in which its leaders alre anxious to listen to to-rms?“of peace with their own and with the world at lfirge. They are at present more amenable to reason than they have been since their outburst of bloodlust, and it is fortunate for the world that the Russian revolution has virtually run itself out. It is no less «essential to‘ the well-be-ing of civilisation that Russia should fall into its place in the world's economy as that Germany should, and nego-' tiations between Russian delegates and the Allies make it abundantly hopeful that the Russian people will very soon be laying aside the sword and rifle and vigorously plying again the plough and the harvesting machine. The Allies are willing to resume comniercial, and probably political relationship with Russia on "conditions which Russia will not be permitted to refuse. There must be an immediate armistice -with Poland, and recognition of Russia’s debts to the Allies. Beyond these two demands there is little to prevent immediate friendly relations being resumed. The rest of the world needs Russia, and it is shown‘ by the efiecfs of the Allied blockade that Rllssia cannot do without the co-operation of other c‘ountri(‘s. Russian leaders are fast regaining their norrnul senses and there is now great visible hope that commercial intercourse between Russia. and the Allies will become an established fact in the very near future.