OCR Text |
Show RUSSIA A COLONY. (lomands which, if complied with, would transform Russia into a German colony, have been presented to the Russian Rus-sian government at Moscow and to the new Lithuanian state. Germany demands that Moscow and ullior largo cities be surrendered to Germany, and that the people of Lithuania Lith-uania boar the "burdens of the war." Lithuania was one of the Russian provinces prov-inces which furnished soldiers for the czar's army, and which Germany de-i de-i dared to bo "free and independent." Now Germany proposes to recruit soldiers sol-diers for the kaiser in conquered Lithuania. Lith-uania. "Madness," one would say at first blush, but we cannot be so sure. The profound ignorance which permitted the triumph of Bolshevikism in Russia may make it possible for Germany to recruit soldiers in Lithuania who could be expected actually to turn on the allies and fight them. Since Lenine and Trotzky gained the ascendancy in Russia, their disposition has been to stir up animosities against the allies. At times it appeared as if they would be able to drive their benighted followers follow-ers into hostility against the entente powers. Today we find Bolshevik soldiers sol-diers invading one of the entente countries coun-tries China. These marauders have penetrated 173 miles into Mongolia, robbing the peaceful and unoffending Chinese and inviting war with the government gov-ernment of China. The Lithuanians, if properly manipulated manipu-lated by Lenine and Trotzky, working in conjunction with the German government, gov-ernment, could be victimized with propaganda prop-aganda which would make no impression impres-sion upon an enlightened people. They could be told that Germany was now their ally and was fighting enemies who were determined to take away Lithuanian independence. The Russian peasants and common laborers did not know why they were at war with Germany. They were soldiers sol-diers of the czar simply because they had been impressed into the army. If they were impressed into the kaiser's army, it probably would not require much argument to convince them that there was just as much reason for their being in the kaiser's army as for their having been in the czar's army. Similar attempts to recruit a Polish legion were unsuccessful, but for generations gen-erations the Poles have becu taught to regard the Germans as their natural enemies. Moreover, their leaders are Slavs, patriots who have cherished the idea of a free and independent nation, and have inculcated their own spirit into the common people. In Lithuania many of the rich and powerful are Teutpns, and, as in Russia generally, there is no patriotism. Now that holy Russia has disappeared with the Little Father, the common people lack the inspiration in-spiration of religion and of loyalty to the reigning sovereign, who was also head of the church and the vice-regent of God to them. it would be unwise, therefore, to repaid re-paid the German fiasco in Poland as a parallel upon which to base our judgment judg-ment of what might occur in Lithuania. Cerraany has discovered that her control over Russia is not what it should be for military purposes. Anarchy An-archy and disorder were desirable from the Teutonic point of view when the overthrow of a genuine Russian government govern-ment served Germany's interests, but they interfere with the organization required to make Russia an economic asset to Germany in the conduct of the war. Germany sees Russia's producing pro-ducing tho distributing agencies so badly deranged that supplies which should be flowing into Germany are interminably delayed. If German organization or-ganization could be introduced at the point of the bayonet the farms, the factories fac-tories and the railroads would do the work which Germany requires of them. That is why the government at Kcrlin has decided to reduce the once mighty Russia to the condition virtually of B iirniian slave colony. |