Salt Lake Tribune | 1917-12-30 | Page 8 | Russian Situation

RUSSIAN SITUATION. John 1-'. Stevens and three hundred and fifry members of his staff have arrived at Tohio from Vladivostok and the work of reorganizing the railway systems of l.u-sia has been brought to a full stop so far as the American engineers en-gineers are concerned. According to Mr. Stevens the mission is not on its way hume, but expects to return to Russia ana renew its work when conditions condi-tions permit. No reason is assigned for the departure of the American engineers en-gineers from their field of operations, but a? the affairs of the country are decidedly unsettled there w-as perhaps no alternative, although Mr. Stevens confidently asserts that American influence in-fluence is very strong in Siberia, where the people are said to be willing to support sup-port almost any kind of a stable government. gov-ernment. Mr. Stevens declares that the Maximalists Maxi-malists are much more powerful than thoy arc generally credited with being and that in any future plans of reorganization reor-ganization they will havo to be considered con-sidered and handled right. He believes that the Russian situation is tremon-dously tremon-dously important at the present time, as it involves the return of a million and a half of Austrian and German effectives and gives unlimited possibilities possi-bilities of the German organization of Russia's resources and man power. He seems to believe, however, that, in spite of the fact that Russia is in the most chaotic condition imaginable and permeated per-meated by the most clever German propaganda, the Teutons will not succeed in forcing a separate peace if the allies promptly give their help and suggestions. We doubt if he is correct in this view if Lenine and Trotzky remain in power at PetrogTad. Our opinion is that the Bolsheviki will conclude con-clude peace with the central powers and that the only hopo of saving Russia lies in the success of a counter-revolution. It will be a matter of only a few days before the outcome of the negotiations will be made known to the world. We share the opinion of Mr. Stevens that Russia should not be entirely abandoned aban-doned to her fate, but it is a very difficult diffi-cult matter to extend any help at the present critical moment. The radicals now in control do not ask our aid or sympathy. In fact they seem bent on bringing on a clash with the United States, as recent events at the Russian capital plainly indicate. For manifest reasons we cannot give aid or comfort to the Cossacks or Ukrainians and so far as we can see there is very little that can be accomplished in the way of saving Russia just at the present moment. mo-ment. We all hope that eventually the people will assert themselves and that even-thing will turn out all right, but we fear that the road will be long and dreary and that a stable and responsible government will not be established for a long time to come. Unless the Germans become complete masters of Russia, some day the capital of the United States may be poured into the country and its resources developed de-veloped to the utmost. Hundreds of millions of dollars already have been invested over there upon which there will be no returns until some sort of a government is erected in place of the Bolsheviki makeshift. Under normal conditions there would be no difficulty in developing this vast expanse of territory ter-ritory with American capital, bnt the present situation is extraordinary and it would be folly for the capitalists of this country to invest their money while there is a possibility that the whole of Muscovy will fall under German domination. domi-nation. We trust Mr. Stevens is right that the good sense of the Russian people peo-ple will prevail, but we are pessimistic as to the immediate future.