There are six Russian newspapers in the United States--four dailies and two weeklies. These newspapers, according to the statements of their publishers, are designed to spread enlightenment among the Russian people in America, to raise their general cultural level, and to inform them of world events. These are, of course, the aims of every newspaper. The press has a much wider function than merely informing and educating the public. It reflects public opinion, and it also molds public opinion after its own views and its own pattern. For thousands of people the newspaper is a college; it is the best instructor in politics, in social problems, in current history, and in matters of culture, health, and recreation.

The sphere of influence of the daily and weekly publications in modern society is tremendous, and the responsibility of the editors to the public is likewise very great. The editors, however, frequently forget the great responsibility resting on their shoulders,--the duty of properly informing and educating the 2people. Many of them overlook the fact that the abusive language and the scurrilous attacks directed against their colleagues, which are so frequently seen in the newspapers they edit, have an unwholesome effect upon the people. They poison the minds of the Russian people; they divide the people into hostile groups, hating and fighting one another. Because of this deplorable and harmful condition, because of the bad blood existing among the Russian editors in this country, one is not surprised at the low level of culture, the ignorance, and the general backwardness of the Russian group in America.

It would not do to teach the Russian editors how to lead and properly influence the people, because they themselves are the teachers. Nevertheless, one may offer a suggestion which, if accepted, would bring great benefits to the entire Russian group in America and to the Russian newspapers. All Russian publications in America, dailies as well as weeklies, and their editors, should conclude a peace treaty--a binding agreement providing for the suspension of hostilities. This agreement to abstain from personal attacks and from slander would not mean the suspension of the war of ideologies. On the contrary, the war of doctrines may and should continue. The Bolsheviks may 3criticize and denounce capitalism and monarchism; those who believe in the democratic representative form of government may continue to inform the public of the treacherous, inhuman practices of the Bolshevik government. But all personal animus and personal attacks, all abusive language, should be excluded and forever banished from the pages of Russian newspapers in America. Only then, will the Russian-American press set a good example for the people to follow, just as the American people follow the always proper and always impersonal American press. Then, also, the individual members of the Russian group will treat one another with due respect, no matter how widely they may differ on political or religious questions.

This suggested peace agreement among the editors of the Russian newspapers in America should not be difficult to conclude, since in respect to their national origin the editors are evenly divided into two groups--three Russians and three Jews. Thus, national sympathies and national differences would be equalized and neutralized.

The sooner this friendly peace agreement is concluded, the sooner the improvement 4in the political and moral life of the Russian group in America will become manifest.