I admit that this picture is dark and sombre. Will anybody have the
courage to say he can draw a horoscope for the future more likely to be
fulfilled, if Russia remains, as I fear she is at this moment,
absolutely helpless in face of the German penetration? It all turns upon
that. If Russia could only rouse herself now and offer effective
resistance to the German invader, that might give her a national spirit
and sense of unity, and make her future far more splendid than her
past. Therefore the question will inevitably be asked: Can any of the
Allies give to Russia in her extremity that help and that sympathy of
which she so sorely stands in need? It is help and sympathy which the
Allies desire to give, and not invasion and plunder. I agree that there
may be circumstances, prejudices, and feelings which render assistance
in the East by the only country which can give it in the East a question
of difficulty and doubt--a question which must be weighed in every
balance and looked at from every point of view; but that the
Allies--America, Britain, France, Italy, and Japan--should do what they
can at this moment to help Russia, if she fails to help herself, through
the great crisis of her destiny appears to me to be beyond doubt, and I
will not reject, a priori, any suggestion which seems to offer the
slightest solution of our doing any good in that direction.