Nov. 10.
Mr. Mare T. Greene has started quite an active hare by his letter over the recent meeting of a number of White Russians in the Astor House which decided to establish anti-Komintern contacts with political organs in Japan, Germany and Italy for the purpose of presenting a common front against Communism, His reputation as a writer makes it quite certain that he is well able to look after himself, despite the spate of letters his original communication has called forth, but he need not be surprised if there, is quite a deal of difference from the views which he has expressed not only amongst the White Russian community but also in other! quarters. In the first place the number! attending the meeting at the Astor House, which is in the occupation of the Japanese,, and affords colour for the suggestion that. the whole proceedings were under their! auspices, represents but a small fraction of the White Russians in Shanghai, and most] certainly is not to be taken as in any way. representative of the whole White Russi community at this present juncture, But leven if they were it is not easy to see that in arriving at the decision they are reported. to have done, they have committed any) particularly heinous offence. Rather they appear to have re-emphasized their own political creed, and in doing what they have done have demonstrated their perfectly comprehensible enmity to the system which deprives them of their country and their rights of nationality. These people who have made the decision which Mr. Greene criticlzes so roundly are those, who, for the most, part, fled from Russia either because of the horrors of the terror, or because they could not subscribe to the political doctrines of. those who became masters of the country. They resent the existence of a system brought into being in circumstances of bestial cruelty. such as has shocked the world for years, and in their eyes there can be no compounding with that particular devil, the spirit of Com~ munism, Between the White Russian and Communism it must always be war Let it be admitted that Mr. Greene is cor= rect in contending that these White Russians) have allied themselves to mediaeval despotism, but in admitting that let it be remembered that that is the sort of thing from which they, fied, and all they have done is to make choice between what appears to a large section of the world to be but two evils. Of Communism they will have none. They will] fight it to the very last and those nations which are the enemies of Communism are, ipso facto, their friends, and they look forward to the day when the present political system of Russia shall have passed away, jand something akin to the regime which still commands their loyalty shall be established. These people whom Mr. Greene criticizes are to be held just as loyal to their ideals as he undoubtedly is to his, and it is somewhat, unworthy of him to suggest, as he appears to, that the Astor House decision has come from the development of a "keen practical sense out of their difficulties and depriva-' tions." The argument that because some {their large number have received hospitable, treatment in democratic countries obliges them to some degree of loyalty to democratic ideals is not particularly impressive. It} is to be hoped that those who have received such benevolent treatment are properly grateful to the countries which have afforded it, but that is a very far cry from suggesting that the White Russian community here should adopt similar political ideologies. The history of the White Russian in Shanghai is an interesting one, and one which rejdounds greatly to their credit. In the course of the last twenty years they have built themselves up into a community which has a well-recognized and thoroughly-deserved place in the foreign communities of Shanghai, and starting from the stables of private residence which once lined Avenue Joffre they have created the shopping] thoroughfare which is now to be seen as. witness of their courage, industry and Nevertheless whatever organization may arise out of the meeting in the Astor House will need to be watched with the closest scrutiny. If the creation of 4 White Russian organization along similar lines to some created in the northern cities is being contemplated the conditions created will be deplorable, The conduct of certain White Russian organs operating for example Harbin, animated as it is claimed by patriotic motives, has been tinged with a cri-finality which we believe is completely foreign to the majority of the White Russians in Shanghai, and it is clear that they would suffer considerably where any such body to be formed in Shanghai, That is a possible development over which there may be some future anxiety. Mr. Greene in a letter published today suggests that the method by which he can be convinced that the meeting in question does not represent the majority of White Russians in Shanghai is by a united, categorical repudiation of its action. Unfortunately conditions as they fare in Shanghai make it imperative that White Russians should live as inconspieuous~ ly as possible, and any endeavour to secure such satisfaction for Mr. Greene would attract in their direction that quality of attention which they desire most to escape. This journal believes that this particular meeting was not representative, and its acquaintance with the White Russian community since its very commencement in Shanghai has been fairly close and certainly sympathetic, but even if this does not eventually prove to be the case, it must be remembered that the Communists sowed very evil seeds in the hearts of people who sitting by the waters of Babylon can and do still weep over the country which once was theirs and from which they are but innocent exiles.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.