Word: ross
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Dates: during 1920-1929
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...dealing with books of contemporary history, it is always necessary to distinguish carefully between the purely historical element and the point of view and purpose (if any) of the writer. Particularly is this necessary in any appraisal of a book such as Professor Ross's "The Russian Soviet Republic," in which the historical and the personal are closely mingled. In spite of the considerable body of historical narrative and analysis therein detailed, the purpose and character of this book are sufficiently indicated by the dedication "To my Fellow American who have become weary of being fed lies and propaganda about...
...point of view of history Professor Ross covers in some detail the period of the Russo-German negotiations during the winter of 1917-18 that culminated in the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk of March 1918, and he describes briefly the reorganization of Russia under the Soviet regime. He then outlines the various attempts at counter revolution and foreign intervention such as the Archangel expedition, the struggles in Siberia of the Czecho-Slovaks, Kolchak, and Semenov, and the intervention of Japanese and American troops, as well as the attacks of Denikine, Wranged, and Yudenitch. Throughout he emphasizes the policy towards Soviet...
...personal view point of Professor Ross might be described as slightly pink. Although he saves his bacon by a frank admission and condemnation of the economic theories and policies of the Soviets, the feelings still remains that his sympathies on the whole lie on the side of Russia and her socialistic experiment as against the wrongs of the expropriated "never-works" and the unveiled hostility of the capitalist countries of the world. There is no denying that the Allies and the United States tremendously misjudged the potentialities of the Soviet Revolution, and that to date their policy towards Russia...
Again, there is no denying that the world has been filled with lies and misleading propaganda about Soviet Russia. But can we dismiss the whole body of information and misinformation now at our disposal as an unqualified parcel of lies? In his chapter entitled "The Poison Gas Attack" Professor Ross lists forty nine stories as absolute lies and attempts to refute them by ipse dixit declarations, sarcastic comment, or by demonstrating them to be illogical (surely a risky business). False they may be, in part or in whole, but flat statements unsupported by proff or authority can bear little weight...
...truth is that Professor Ross does not know very much about Russia. He was last there in 1917, and for his information since then he has been dependent on extracts from current newspapers and periodicals and upon the reports of others. And in using these materials he has been neither critical nor scholarly. As a summary of current information upon Soviet Russia his book may be of some use to the general public; as a record of Professor Ross's opinions it may be interesting to his pupils; but to the student of contemporary Russian history it will...