DESERTING RUSSIA.

While the Allies continue the discussion of peace at Paris the Russian peoples face the grim actualities of war, war to the death between the forces of order and anarchy. Our Archangel force continues to fight off the Reds to the best of its ability but the loyal Russians have ceased to set any store by its efforts or by any assistance from the Allies whatsoever. They are making a last appeal to Japan to save them from ruin.

It seems almost criminal to let this situation slip from our hands into the control of an Eastern monarchy. The Slavs naturally turn to us as their friends, and it is to our interest that they should fare well, that they should harbor no hate against us. There is no natural sympathy between the Russian and Japanese,--that inscrutable Eastern people which has risen to its powerful position through Prussian ideals of military efficiency. But Russia is too far away from us. We are satisfied with this war for demolishing autocracy in Germany and sit back content to see it overrun the Slavic countries and the Orient if it chooses.

We might yet intervene if we could form some decision, and save the fruits of the revolution that abolished Czardom. But as it is we leave Russia to be the prey of whatever new form of tyranny can prevail there while her most respectable elements are becoming estranged from us and Japan offers the only visible aid.