THE BETRAYER.

 News from Russia is variable, but it all points to a change not being far off (says the London "Daily Graphic"). The downfall of Lenin will release Russia from the maddest, the most corrupt form of government even she has ever known. Lenin was not in Russia when the Revolution which overthrew Czarism, took place, in March, 1917. He came on the scene a month later, from Switzerland. And it is important that he came via Germany in a special train provided by the Kaiser's Government, because that fact gives the key to all his subsequent proceedings. He played the part of an agent of Germany for the undoing of Russia.
His first step was to get at the Russian army. The gist of a long speech to the Petrograd Soviet was that the army ought not to fight the Germans, but should begin a civil war. His newspaper, "Pravda," was full of propaganda against the Allies. A special edition was published to circulate among the soldiers ; and this paper described the splendid offensive of General Brussiloff in the summer of 1917 as a stab in the back of German democracy. The Russian soldiers were egged on to fraternise with the enemy. For this move the Germans were prepared. Over into the Russian lines came German officers in the uniform of privates and armed with cameras. At one time it seemed as if the Russian soldiers would be proof against Lenin's seductive campaign. The Bolshevik leader then summoned his followers for an armed revolt against Kerensky's Government, but this failed.
Mr. William Stephen Sanders, one of the British Labor delegates to Russia in 1917, has described the Bolsheviks in a pamphlet on "The Tragedy of Russia," as follows :—
The Bolsheviks, who are directly responsible for the ruin of Russia, claim to be Social Democrats, but their policy and actions are in complete disagreement with those of the great mass of Socialists in Russia and other European countries. They are rather followers of the Russian Anarchist Bakunin, the apostle of terror and violence, than of his opponent Karl Marx. Their aims were to conclude an immediate peace with Germany and to transform Russia at once into a proletarian communist State by abolishing the rights of all other classes. . They are exponents of physical force, which they use not only against landlords and capitalists, but also against Socialists who do not agree with their anarchic and terrorising proceedings.
To appreciate the assassin blow Lenin dealt to the hopes of the world for a speedy ending of the war, it is only necessary to remember the promising outlook that existed in midsummer last year. "If the army moves forward," wrote Kerensky, "Russia is saved, and — with the enthusiasm which success is bound to bring about — the whole country will think more healthily, and patriotic efforts will be made by the army and people to bring the war to a successful conclusion. This, to-day, is the one thing that matters." That was on May 26. Kerensky was struggling against the Leninites with all his might. He seemed to be winning. "On July 1 the Army of Revolutionary Russia took the field with great enthusiasm," he telegraphed to the Premier, prince Lvoff. It really seemed that the morning was breaking, that the beginning of the end of the war was at hand. But no. Lenin's poison had taken effect. The Germans advanced on Riga— the Russians retired without striking a blow. Revolt against the Provisional Government, of which Kerensky was now head, was organised anew ; in November it was overthrown by violence. Lenin and Trotsky stepped in, gave the word for civil war. The door was open to Germany. Russia's Allies were sold, and the struggle became infinitely more trying and prolonged for all the people of the Allied countries.
What followed this base betrayal in Russia everyone knows. Industry, trade, and commerce were paralysed ; instead of order and discipline there was a reign of murder and robbery. Lenin was warned of the danger. "Let it be so," he answered ; "let Russia perish." He handed over to German control the whole of Russian Poland and the provinces of Courland, Lithuania, Livonia, and Esthonia. He presented to Germany an immense amount of guns and other war material and 65,000,000 people. He suppressed by arms the democratically-elected Constituent Assembly. "Lenin," declared the Central Committee of the United Labor Party of Russian Social-Democrats, "has issued a decree with regard to the Press such as Czarism would not dare to conceive. The right of combination is trampled underfoot. Public servants on strike are treated with no ceremony. They are arrested, deprived of their bread-cards, driven out of their rooms, threatened with lynching, and soldiers of the Red Guards are incited to attack them."
Early in April he made a speech in Moscow which seemed to show he had a presentiment of the end. Everywhere, he said, dangers were arising, "Socialist Russia"— for which might be read Lenin's Russia— was being "surrounded by a close ring of enemies." The Government was trying by all means at its disposal to postpone the beginning of new horrors, but it might all be in vain, and Russia soon might have to fight once more.

Richmond River Express and Casino Kyogle Advertiser (NSW : 1904 - 1929), Tuesday 10 September 1918, page 4