THE EMIGRES

In the early stages of the French Revolution one hundred and fifty thousand nobles non-juring, priests, and dissident bourgeois crossed the frontiers to escape the impending deluge. Many of them clustered in the little. German states in the east where, at Coblenz and Worms, they established headquarters for the intrigues which were to embroil Europe. Intellectually, however, they were incapable of understanding and appreciating the birth of the new regime, and they soon made themselves conspicuous through vanity and rashness.

The Russian emigres, on the other hand have not patterned after their distinguished predecessors. Quite the contrary their altitude toward the Russian debacle is essentially a rationalistic one: they are confident of Russia's future and her ultimate regeneration. Their spokesmen have evinced no sour or rancorous feeling. Baron Stein, Minister Plenipotentiary from Russia to Argentina, describes her ailment as an intensification of prevailing European unrest for which serenity of speech and spirit is the only cure; and others speak likewise. The emigres acquiesce in the belief that the nation's salvation must come from within, and, fully realizing that Sovietism will eventually reach the end of its primrose path-that, given rope enough, it is certain to hang itself-they look keenly forward to the inevitable era of reconstruction. In this latter they are trustful of taking a major part and are ready to tender their services immediately the moment arrives. Their present candor and frankness will then serve them in good stead.