The New York Times Current History: the European War, February, 1915 | Page 7

and in its aims. A book like that of Gen. von
Bernhardi would be impossible in Russia. If anybody were to publish it

it would not only fall flat, but earn for its author the reputation of a
bloodhound. Many deeds of cruelty and brutality happen, of course, in
Russia, but no writer of any standing would dream of building up a
theory of violence in vindication of a claim to culture. It may be said, in
fact, that the leaders of Russian public opinion are pacific,
cosmopolitan, and humanitarian to a fault. The mystic philosopher
Vladimir Solovieff used to dream of the union of the churches with the
Pope as the spiritual head, and democracy in the Russian sense as the
broad basis of the rejuvenated Christendom. Dostoyevsky, a writer
most sensitive to the claims of nationality in Russia, defined the ideal
of the Russians in a celebrated speech as the embodiment of a
universally humanitarian type. These are extremes, but characteristic
extremes pointing to the trend of national thought. Russia is so huge
and so strong that material power has ceased to be attractive to her
thinkers. But we need not yet retire into the desert and deliver ourselves
to be bound hand and foot by civilized Germans. Russia also wields a
sword--a charmed sword, blunt in an unrighteous cause, but sharp
enough in the defense of right and freedom. And this war is indeed our
"Befreiungskrieg." The Slavs must have their chance in the history of
the world, and the date of their coming of age will mark a new
departure in the growth of civilization.
Yours truly,
PAUL VINOGRADOFF.
Court Place, Iffley, Oxford.

Russian Appeal for the Poles
By A. Konovalov of the Russian Duma.
[A Letter to the Russkia Vedomosti, No. 231, P. 2, Oct. 8, 1914.]
The population of Poland has been forced to experience the first
horrible onslaught of the wrathful enemy. All points within the sphere
of the German offensive offer a picture of utter desolation. The people

are fleeing in horror before the advancing enemy, leaving their homes
and their property to sure destruction. An uninterrupted line of arson
fire shines on the sorrowful path of the exiles. Their fields have been
devastated and furrowed by the trenches, their animals have been taken
away, their savings have been wasted, and all their chattels destroyed.
The prosperity of millions has been destroyed and men have been
turned into homeless beggars without a morsel of bread.
The flight of these people is beyond description. One cannot fail to
realize the stupefying horrors of such a deep and overwhelming
national calamity. The strokes of fate have come down upon the people
of Poland with a most merciless cruelty. Shall we gaze upon these
horrors with indifference? Can the Russian people remain neutral
witnesses of the sufferings and privations thrust upon the population of
the devastated country?
The Russians are making heavy sacrifices for the war, but in these
historic days we must speed up our energies still more, we must double
and treble our sacrifices. Let us not forget that despite all our sacrifices,
despite all our sorrow and alarm we are not deprived of peaceful work,
we have not been drawn into destruction as the people of Poland have
been. Without further delay we have to hasten to their aid.
A widely organized social aid must be brought to the fleeing people.
We must provide them with shelter and food. These victims are
flocking to the central provinces of Russia, to Moscow, and they must
be assisted up to the time when they shall be able to return to their
country. It is necessary to ascertain the degree of their distress and to
help to provide them with the necessities of life in places already
cleared from the enemy by the aggressiveness of the Russian Army.
Of course, the main duty in the regaining of the prosperity of Poland
lies with the Government. Only the Government is able to stand the
expense of millions required for this task, only the State through its
legislative organs is capable of creating the social, economic, and
political conditions making possible the reconstruction of the
civilization of Poland. But we also owe a duty of help, a sacred duty of
immediate sympathy to those stricken with disaster.

To carry out our task we need funds. In submitting this problem to the
Russian people, in calling upon it for the solution of this tremendous
and pressing issue, as far as possible, I herewith forward my little
contribution of 10,000 rubles for aid to the people of Poland suffering
from war.
A. KONOVALOV,
Member of the Duma.
Moscow, Oct. 7, (20,) 1914.
Note.--Konovalov's appeal met with a most generous response. Not
only individuals and charitable associations came forward with funds
and