THE MORE HOPEFUL VIEW.

Waipa Post, Volume XII, Issue 663, 27 July 1917, Page 2

THE MORE HOPEFUL VIEW.

The cables during the last few clays have conveyed messages from Russia which cause a degree of uncertainty as to the future developments in that country, but an article which appears in the English troop newspaper “The Chronicles of the New Zealand Expeditionary Forces” gives a more hopeful view. This article refers to the Russian situation and dispels any gloomy forebodings, "it is quite a natural conclusion,” reads the article "for people who read their British newspapers to form the conclusion that the Russians intend to make a separate peace. That is the only conclusion to come to on the evidence available. But, strange to say, Russian newspapers contain no reference to a separate peace. The policy of the Coalition Government of Russia is the attainment of a general peace, quite a different thing, and one that is the objective of all the Allies. There is some difference of opinion as to the formula by which the way to peace is to be prepared, but that the Russians realise that peace is unobtainable without victory is evidenced by the stirring call to arms issued by M. Kerensky, the Minister of War and Marine, who represents a very large section ol the labour parties in the Cabinet. Moreover, the Russian peasant is a shrewd and far seeing man, and one in whom love of country is more deeply engrained than it is amongst men of other nations, with the possible exception of the French. It is the knowledge of his character, and also the capability of his civil and military leaders, which has enabled us to retain that conlidence in the firmness of the Alliance. “Trust Russia,” the article concludes "and don’t worry.” That is a happy expression and clearly represents the view our soldiers take of the situation which is developing in the country of our Eastern Allies. Can there be any reason why we in the homeland should be any less confident than our troops as to the strength of the alliance between the Russian people and the peoples of the Entente Bowers who arc continuing this war for the maintenance of those principles of liberty and justice which constitute the very basis! of the alliance.