The Waikato Times With which is incorporated The Waikato Argus. MONDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1918 RUSSIA

Waikato Times, Volume 89, Issue 13894, 21 October 1918, Page 4

The Waikato Times With which is incorporated The Waikato Argus. MONDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1918 RUSSIA

The thrilling events of tin* pas'. few days have concentrated all thought on tin' Western front, and (in the results produced in (Germany by the collapse of its army. But, whatever may he the immediate outcome of events, it is certain that attention must be forthwith drawn to Russia, where the greatest of all the questions raised by the war remains to be settled. That vast empire, comprising' half of Asia and more than half of Europe, has collapsed. The autocracy for a couple of generations had shown itself incapable in every direction except that of conquest of the uncivilised tribes on its frontier, and when the Czar was overthrown the inherent lack of any bond of union was at once manifested. The

Empire had been field together by the army, which had itself gone to pieces owing to the stress of war and the incapacity of the Government to provide it with munitions. A gallant attempt was made by the sober elements 6f the country to carry on the Government, but the necessary elements were lacking; the nobility carry no weight, and there is no middle class. The vast bulk of the population are peasants cultivating small farms in an inefficient manner, and steeped in poverty and ignorance. In Petrogr.nl and Moscow are some manufactures carried on upon a considerable scale, and employing large numbers of operatives, who have proved a ready field for the propagation of the most extreme and mischievous views of the Continental Socialist. The leaders of such schools were all well kngwn, and Germany had no trouble in finding them access to their own country, from which they had been banished. It has resulted, therefore, in the usurpation of power by the

Bolsheviks, who at least know what they want, and are in control of the two chief towns. Their influence, however, does not extend beyond the towns, and geographically the greater part of Russia has cut itself adrift, from the Bolsheviks. The Ukraine and the coasts of the Black Sea are under the control of Germany, and Asiatic Russia has lapsed into anarchy, in which the only element of order is to be found in the various foreign troops who occupy portions of the country. All this may well be regarded as the account of a country which has reached the utmost limits of misery, but it omits what is in reality the most liopoless and depressing sign of all, which is that in all this welter and confusion no man or party has come to the front who shows any constructive capacity whatever. Kerensky managed to hold the attention of the world for a time, hut was merely a power for mischief. lie differed from Lenin and Trotsky in be-

ing sincerely anxious to keep Russia in the war against Germany, but his policy in other respects did not greatly differ. It is significant that when he was in power Lenin remained hidden in the country, and when positions were reversed Kerensky could remain hidden, though search was supposed to be made in each case; but since that time no soldier, civilian, or churchman has shown the slightest capacity to lead a party or to make any stand for the rights of property, or even to afford any substantia] assistance towards the scattered armies who are attempting to evolve order out of chaos. We have always been led to believe that the Church in Russia was a great force, yet since, the day the Czar was overthrown its power has disappeared. It is said to be in favour of monarchy, which is probably true, as it has always been associated with the Government, yet it has done nothing to further the cause. Neither amongst its churchmen, its nobility, or its soldiers has there been found any man capable of leading a party which can hold its own against the Bolsheviks. Yet these latter

represent only the poorer classes of the big cities, which is numerically but a fraction of the total population. The peasantry are the unknown quantity,

and while they have no sympathy with the Bolsheviks, whose theories they are in fact incapable of understanding, they have their own grievances, so many and so urgent, that even a partial satisfae-

tion of thorn is a task which will occupy the constructive statesmanship of generations. Their grievances may he summed up as consisting mainly of poverty and ignorance, ant. the one re-

acts on the other. Serfdom was abol- j is!i' 'i 1 (in years :i-<>, anil land was pro- ; vided whieh under some circumstances should have sufficed. Russia, however, had made Customs arrangements with Germany at the time when she was suffering from the blow indicted by Japan, and these arrangements led to the unfortunate peasant receiving a price for his wheat which barely permitted existence. For some years prior to that Count Witte had endeavoured to create manufacturing industries by the imposition of heavy duties, which a train intlictcd severe hardship on the cultivation of the soil. His ignorance led to the most inefficient cultivation, and neither the people nor the Government. realised the importance of improving methods. This extreme, poverty has led to a demand which can be well

understood, for the provision id' more land, but as such land is to be forcibly taken from its present owners, it naturally leads to strenuous opposition. The classes who would oppose. Bolshevism receive no support from Ihe peasants, who in turn are entirely without leaders to put forward their requirements. The Cermans have committed themselves to the Bolsehviks in order to break up the country, and have thereby incurred the animosity of the property owners, who would otherwise have looked to them for assistance in restoring order. In the meantime the Allies have occupied such places on the coast as seem-

od necessary to prevent activity by Germany. and have endeavoured to seize Baku, 011 the Caspian Sea, but without success. They have probably bad little, opportunity to assist in tin; internal reorganisation, but it is a task which they must eventually undertake. Germany will be in no position to do so, nor should we. agree to such a course, yet some steps must be taken to restore order in this vast section of the earth's surface. Russia is still in the position of a country which requires government from above. It has not yet a sufficient proportion of those who are capable of dealing with anything beyond local questions. A Czar who governed through a bureaucracy purged iif i|s corruptions, and a church shorn of its fanaticism and endowed with at least some education offers the most hopeful solution, but the decision will largely rest with Ame-

rioa, which attaches a superstitious degree of importance to republican forms. The basis of self-government does not exist in Russia, for there is no public opinion, or means of creating it. Grievances continue and fester till they lead to outbreaks, for want of constitutional means of remedying them, Yet until some education exists

and the means of communication are greatly improved it will be impossible to provide effective representation. This war has left every nation engaged therein with many and serious problems, yet none of them can compare with those which confront the rulers of the vast helpless, silent masses of European Russia.