To the Editor of the "Nortu-Cuina Dairy News."
Sim,—The privilege of being the lonly member of the Rotary Club of Russian nationality should have prevented the editor of the "Shanghai Zaria." Mr. Arnoldov, from making such haphazard statements on the Russian problem on the occasion of ithe Rotary Club Junch on August The fact that his amazing speech iwas so prominently featured in the jiccal English press calls for a disavowal on the part of those Russians who, taking the broadest view on the foreign opinion about Russi it adverse or sympathetic, are atthe same time, very cautious not to make blundering declarations like those of Mr. Arnoldov. It is not for the sake of muzzling the freedom of Jexpressing opinions but in order to give the foreigner the chance of their own—impartial and To quote Mr. Arnoldov himself, J"when three Russians get together there are four different opinions on polities. Apparently taking "the opportunity of speaking alone, the Jeditor of a newspaper, which claims represent the Russian national Jopinion, ventured forward with the most blatant mutilation of historical facts in order to support his bombastic assertions that we Rus-
principles, claiming instead a have renounced western Reiatie heritage of thought, rely bits fand ethics. This question in'itself old enough, a number. of. thinkers pronouncing themselves either Way without having established any definite formule, But Mr. Arnoldov, Jeasvally mentioning the so-called [Eurasian theory, goes on to persuade Jour foreign friends that we are Rot leven content with being Eurasians are Asiatics: we love it.
For those who do not know, it may, be said" that the Eurasian theory—Russia being neither West nor East, nor a mixture of both, but something third, physically and Jeussed in. certain circles" of the mentally" original -—vas keenly Russian emigres in Europe but was [soon discarded as it was discovered to. be very closely connected with [Bolehevist agents and money. Th fore it is obvious that the Eurasian theory cannot be taken Mir. Arnoldov, however, is more Jconcerned with representing us as pure Asiatic." Parenthetically it Should be borne in' mind. that the: favestion of racial prejudice exist in Russia and all Russian they Tartar, Finnish, not "Mongol by origin, and. politically enjoy ty with those of ldescont. Therefore it is not racial prejudice that causes us to rebel against Mr. Ammoldoy's assertion that we are from Chinese stock, from a remote white-haired tribe of Din-Lin. We would rather leave scientists to determine the origin lof the Slay and too many of them would. dismiss. the Din-Lin. theory, with a smile. We are against. his lunceremonious distortion. of, his: torical facts, against insulting and utterly misleading statements which throw shadow and doubt on the happenings of the Great Past, on history of the Russian Army and Romanoft's dynasty, ince the Crimean campaign of 1854, Russia, whenever she fought, the Turkish War of 1877, and General Skobeleft, the fiftieth anniversary of, whose death we Russians are now, observing? "Romanoff's. dynasty. stayed for 300 years and about as many years Russia. editor. "Russians like the Chinese, fare inclined more to" accept the commandments. of (common. law) rather than the iron standards "of written law codes." Whi 2 An attempt to pleas our Chinese friends? They will edly pleased if the implied similarity is extended to embrace the arbitrary, methods of the Soviet G.P.U.
But the most distasteful clement lof his, speech was the fact that made "no distinction whatever tween Russia's historical part the Far East and the efforts of the Red Agents of the III Internationale to undermine the foundations of the Chinese state, "Soviet intrigues of 1925-1927; Soviet. instructors Kuomintang armies: Comrade 'Borodin: why then not Noulense Ruegg, yet, another agent of the Komintern? ""Why should' Me. JArnoldov disown him?
Mr, Amnoldov furt claims that the [Chinese how to build roads, houses Russians were taught by 80. {08th how. to or~ mise posts. With due respect to hinese culture of that period it is pointed out that in the 18th century Russians of the pre-Muscovy period were conducting © very lively trade with Byzantium, Venice and Scandi. fnavia. There existed already, at that time, a type of ecclesiastical architect of recognised Byzantine influence, These facts would seem predicate a sound, system Jeommunication with the" west seems incredible that a Ri easily, and with no "apparent fGwinge of conscience, renounce the culture and knowledge that Russia had imbibed from her western neigh-
The Russian problem is utterly chaotic and confused. By bitter ex. perience we know that the outside world usually pays casual superficial, attention to what it jeonsiders. a rather proton Inuisance. Still there ave keen, sol foreign, observ appreciation realities to us is not less valuable than to the rest of tically disavow the pyro technical grandiloquence and the ill-conceived fancies of Mr. Arnoldov, Prof, 1. V, Mussy-! KO.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.