IN INTERESTING VISITOR.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16036, 29 January 1920, Page 5

IN INTERESTING VISITOR.

VIEWS ON BOLSHEVISM, Visiting- Wanganui at present is Mr Aubrey Williams, a-brother of Dr. Williams, who is famous as one of the greatest authorities on Russian affairs. Mr Aubrey Williams, himself, has also a wide, first-hand know-ledge of Russia. Ho spent live years in that country before the war. On being discharged from the army in 1917, he was attached to the Russian branch of the British Government's Information Mission, and spent a further period in Russia, including residence in Petrograd and Moscow.

?dr Williams had many interestingmatters to speak of in a talk with a “Herald” representative to-day, in the course of which he answered the two questions which most excite public interest, by stating his decided belief that Bolshevism would not endure, and that it would not spread to any degree to other countries. So far as the strength of the Bolsheviks was concerned, he said the position was that there were only about a quarter of a millions of these, and that though they held tire millions of the rest of Russia in subjection, they only did so by their policy of terrorism. As to the recently cabled statement that terrorism had been abandoned, Air Williams and that the probability w-as that this was done only because it had been so successful that the Russian people by now “had not a kick left in them.” But it might be revived at any moment and lie quite expected it w-ould be done sooner or later.

The Russian people, the peasants and workmen alike, as well as the intellectuals, simply hated the Bolsheviks, said Mr Williams. There was a peculiar psychological change coming over the people which would ultimately have its elide.t in bringing about Bolshevism’s downfall. The Church had always had a very powerful influence in llussia, and despite the terrible persecutions it endured at the hands of the Bolsheviks, it was still powerful to-day, and the people were turning to it in everincreasing numbers. It was impossible to predict what the future form of government would be in 'Russia, but he was inclined to believe it would eventually be a constitutional monarchy on a liberal basis. This he considered the best suited to the needs of the people, among whom there was so much ignorance that they could not appreciate a republican form of government, as the downfall of Kerensky had proved. As to the possibility of Bolshevism spreading to other countries, Mr Williams thought this not likely to any serious extent. True, they were active in their propaganda, but the fact remained that they could not show results. Russia to-day was not only exhausted, but her industry ruined, and it was significant that Lenin and Trotsky were" now abandoning some of the most vital principles of their one-time programme. They were lengthening hours of work, introducing the piecework system, and tightening the discipline of the factories, and in other ways departing from what had been their former rule. The workers of Europe noted these things and drew their own conclusions. In England,' Mr Williams pointed orrt, the Independent Labour Party hau pronounced against Bolshevism, arra he expressed the opinion that, sn far from being Bolshevistic, the British working man was not even Socialistic, however much he might sometimes talk Socialism. There was, in fact, no fear of Britain going Bolshevik. Nor did he fear that happening on the Continent.' There might he some in Germany, for instance, imbued with Bolshevik ideas, but they were in a minority. A possible exception was Italy, where the Socialists had a strong party in Parliament, mainly as the result of playing on the ignorance of the people, and who were sympathetic towards the Bolshevik platform. Poland, too, was in a dangerous position, exposed s£ it was to a Bolshevik attack, and with a Bolshevik party in its own borders. If the Russian Bolsheviks sent a military force against Poland and overran it, they would have a great opportunity of extending their influence westward. The German Government would then, probably, have to embark upon an armed resistance to it, and the other European Powers would also have to send aid. But, in any case, he considered the anti-Bolshevik sentiment in most countries outside Russia so strong that he saw little chance of the Bolsheviks realising their aim of a world-wide rule of the proletariat.