22 April 1917. The New York Times

The New York Times

To the Editor of The New York Times:

Russia’s position is not like that of France in revolution

All eyes are now turned toward Russia, because of the interest aroused by the recent revolution. Thoughtful people are asking the question “Will Russia have a reign of terror?” Recently a New York paper contained an excellent editorial on the subject: “The Russian Revolution and What Will Come Out of It”. The editor took the safe and sound position that no man can anticipate accurately the developments that will take place in Russia. He leans, however, to the belief that a Russian reign of terror is very liable to occur and suggests that certain causes are already at work which may bring this dreaded result to pass. His analysis of conditions is good, and the writer of this article realizes that the fears expressed for Russia’s future by the talented editor may be more than justified by coming events.

Agreeing with the gentleman in question as to the possibility that chaotic conditions may result in Russia, the writer would suggest a consideration that points in the opposite direction. The editor’s comparison of Russia with France at the time of the French Revolution is startling and suggestive. It is well, however, to remember that the excesses of the Reign of Terror were due to a combination of causes that reinforced each other so disastrously. Among these causes may be mentioned the fatal act of declaring war on April 1792 against Prussia and Austria; the folly of the declaration of war on February 1793 against Great Britain, the Protestant Netherlands and Spain; the successive defeats suffered by the French on their frontier in the opening month of 1793, and the ascendancy to a legal footing of the revolutionary Communo at Paris, containing the most radical individuals in power during the Reign of Terror.

Russia may escape similar sufferings merely because similar causes may not united in such a sinister combination of events. France might have avoided the Reign of Terror if at the critical time her generals had gained a few victories, and her new revolutionary leaders had obtained breathing time to erect a stable government without immediate peril from an invading enemy. Thus, Russia may overcome the separate elements of danger in her situation singly, and may eliminate them one after the other, even though a combination of them would prove disastrous.

The comparison of Russia with France at the time of the French Revolution breaks down, at least in part, when we consider the difference in the historical situations. France suffered the terror when facing alone and unaided a combination of European nations, while Russia has entered her days of trial with the friendship of Great Britain, France, and other nations of Europe. These allies of Russia will be a great source of strength and steadiness to her in the days of her political change and readjustment. Therefore, though we recognize its possibility, we think it improbable that Russia will have a reign of terror.

Rev. Warren Elsing

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Elizaveta Naryshkina

Alexander Palace, Tsarskoye Selo, Russian Empire

The Empress sent for me. She visited her daughters. Olga is very weak – her heart has been affected by the constant illnesses from which she has suffered over the last two months. She is very sweet, and Maria, who is in bed still recovering from pleurisy, is charming. The Empress worked, and was in a very kind and docile frame of mind. We didn’t talk about any pressing issues, merely about my own personal affairs. In such a peaceful setting, it is difficult to feel that one is in the middle of such terrible destruction and such grave danger.

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Vladimir Lenin

Petrograd, Russian Empire

The basic question of every revolution is that of state power. Unless this question is understood, there can be no intelligent participation in the revolution, not to speak of guidance of the revolution. The highly remarkable feature of our revolution is that it has brought about a dual power. This fact must be grasped first and foremost: unless it is understood, we cannot advance. We must know how to supplement and amend old “formulas”, for example, those of Bolshevism, for while they have been found to be correct on the whole, their concrete realisation has turned out to bedifferent. Nobody previously thought, or could have thought, of a dual power. See more

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Nadezhda Udaltsova

82 apartment, 65, Smolenskiy blvd, Moscow, Russian Empire

Organisation, talk talk and more talk. It’s the same with the Soviet of Artistic Organisations and the Educational Committee for the Soviet of Workers’ Deputies. Work here, there and everywhere. I haven’t written my article for the magazine and my pieces still aren’t ready, but I think it should all be finished by 8 June. It’s an anxious time, generally. For some reason, the workers of the world are failing to unite. England doesn’t want to end the war. God, when will we see an end to this inhumane war? Can it really be so difficult to say to all these people of different nations “enough”? After all, the Russian people have told the whole world “Enough!”

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Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich

Sevastopol highway, 8, Gaspra, Ai-Todor, Yalta, Russian Empire

We completed our journey in the company of a convoy of sailors. When we arrived in Ay-Todor, we were presented with a list of all the things we were not supposed to do by a gentleman with the grand-sounding title “Special Commissar for the Provisional Government”. We were under house arrest and only allowed to move freely within the Ay-Todor-estate, in the few acres between the mountains and the seashore. See more

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Maurice Paleologue

10, Kutuzova embankment, Petrograd, Russian Empire

At eleven o'clock to-night Albert Thomas arrived at the Finland Station with an impressive escort of officers and secretaries.

From the same train stepped about a score of famous exiles, who have come from France, England and Switzerland; so the station was decorated with red flags. A dense crowd was massed at all the approaches. Numerous delegations, carrying scarlet banners, were grouped at the entrance of the hall and the "Red Guard," which has replaced the civic police, lined the platform with the finest specimens of apaches, sporting red ties and scarves, of which the municipality can boast. See more

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Arthur Conan Doyle

New York, USA

If such a view of Christianity were generally accepted, and if it were enforced by assurance and demonstration from the New Revelation which is coming to us from the other side, then we should have a creed which might unite the churches, which might be reconciled to science, which might defy all attacks, and which might carry the Christian Faith on for an indefinite period. See more

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Nicholas II

Tsarskoye Selo, Russian Empire

It was a surprisingly nice spring day. I took a walk in the morning for half an hour. We went to Mass from 2 o'clock until 4:30. We worked and broke up the ice between the two bridges in front of the center house. I read for a long time after tea. Towards evening storm clouds gathered. I was very warm; Alexis took down the winter storm windows.

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21 April

Kshesinskaya is persuaded to dance for the soldiers

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