THE "SPECTATOR" AND SOVIET RUSSIA
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] Sin,—I have read your remarks on the late Government's business policy with amazement and complete disagreement. I see no reason for you to congratulate yourself upon your isolation from all other Unionist papers upon this policy. They, in common with Christians generally, believe that Government must rest upon a moral basis, and when this test is applied to the Russian Government the justification for the attitude of the Unionist newspapers is overwhelming.
Can you deny that every moral principle even bordering upon Christianity has been thrown to the winds by the Russian revolutionaries, that their paid agents are day by day working in ours and other countries to drag them down to their own level. Even China is now contemplating breaking off relations with them.
Your plea seems to me that you wish for a lasting peace. May I inquire what peace could you guarantee with men who recognize no promise, and who are bereft of any standard of honour ? Your statement that you have never condoned the revolutionary • methods of Bolshevism is entirely uncon- vincing, when without the slightest evidence of a change of mind as to their conduct during the revolution and since, you wish England to resume friendly relations with them.
It is an elementary principle of Christianity that forgiveness s only to be extended to an enemy on his repentance. In my opinion the European nations would be more truly progressive if they had adopted the same attitude as Great Britain has upon this question.—I am, Sir, &c.,
[The attitude of the Soviet Government to organized religion cannot be understood unless people realize to what extent the Church in Russia—as an organized body or an institution—was identified with the Tsarist regime. We are not aware that the late Government's policy with regard to Soviet Russia was governed by considerations of Christian principle or morality. The Spectator, at least, disapproved of that policy entirely on grounds of expediency.—En. Spectator.]
Previous page
