Imperial Russia*

In America the Macmillan Co. published last week a book by one Mme. Anna Viroubova dealing with her twelve years at the Imperial Russian Court, her experiences under the Kerensky regime and under the Bolshevik autocracy. There can be no doubt but that this authoritative book is of historical importance.

It is not the genre of book that will be generally popular with the Russian emigres, scattered among the nations of the world, outcasts of Soviet Russia.

Most particularly does it deal with the confidence that the Tsarina Alexandra Feodorovna shared with the author; with the noble work done by "my Empress"; with the blindness and kindness of the Tsar; the pathetic illness of the Tsarevitch; and with many other details, pleasant and unpleasant, connected with the Romanov Family.

In glowing terms Mme. Viroubova describes the popularity of the Tsar with the Russian people; with almost pathetic directness she depicts the gradual chilling of this apparent deep-rooted loyalty of the masses; she describes, perhaps too perfunctorily, the reasons for the fall of the dynasty. Says she: "Russia, like eighteenth-century France, passed through a period of acute insanity. . . . This insanity was by no means confined to the ranks of the so-called Revolutionists. It pervaded the Duma, the highest ranks of society, Royalty itself (not meaning the immediate family of the Tsar), all as guilty of Russia's ruin as the most blood-thirsty terrorist." Bringing her intensely religious mind to bear on the ruination of her country, she continues: "When His avenging hand has so plainly been laid upon all of the Russian peoples how dare any of us lay the calamity entirely at the doors of the Bolsheviki? We Russians look on the appalling condition of our once great country . . . and we cry weakly that the Tsar was guilty. Rasputine was guilty, this man and that woman were guilty, but never do we admit that we.were all guilty of the blackest treason to our God, our Emperor, our country." Coming on top of the statement: "... when millions of men, Russians, Frenchmen, Belgians, Englishmen, were giving up their lives in the cause of freedom, the aristocracy of the Russian capital was indulging in a reckless orgy . . ." it is a fairly conclusive condemnation of Russian aristocracy, notoriously self-indulgent.

Few students of Russian history have been able to believe all the scandalous rumors about the Empress' relations with Rasputine. Yet one historian of note says: "Ministers who sympathized with the national aspirations were dismissed at the bidding of an irresponsible knot of people who exploited the sinister hold attained by Rasputine over the mind of the Empress." Mme. Viroubova roundly denounces such a contention. She says: " The police know how many days of each year Rasputine spent in Petrograd and how much of his time is spent in Siberia." In short Mme. Viroubova proves that the relations between the Imperial Family and the fanatical monk were essentially correct. That the Empress was influenced by the man, she does not disprove; indeed, both she and the Empress were unable to understand that the secret of his psychic power was vested in his hypnotic ability. The reduction of the Rasputine legend to the bounds of reality must now be treated as a fait accompli. This is backed up by a statement (Appendix A) from Vladimir Michailovitch Roudneff, Kerensky's Minister of Justice.

Anna Viroubova's book is fair beyond words and contains no unjustifiable censure of anyone. It is, however, impossible to escape from the fact, although the authoress does not say so, that the Tsarina unnecessarily enhanced her own unpopularity with the aristocracy by her total unconcern over hostile gossip which she did nothing to check.

The Tsar, in spite of a warm defense, stands strong in character but irresolute, weak where action was necessary, blind to the most obvious intrigues fermenting within the Empire. It is significant to remember that some of Mme. Viroubova's views on the Tsar have been warmly upheld by no less a man than Rene Viviani, Premier of France in 1914, who with M. Poincare as President of the French Republic made the world-famous visit to the Tsar immediately before the outbreak of the Great War.

Excerpts from the sayings of the Tsar:

To Mme. Viroubova: " I have come to believe that the higher a man's station in life the less it becomes him to assume any airs of superiority. I want my children brought up in this same belief."

To the intriguing Mlle. Tutcheff: " But you do not know the man (Rasputine) and in any case, if you had criticisms to make of anyone known to this household you should have made them to us and not to the public."

The Tsarina: "War!" . . . And I knew nothing of it. This is the end of everything." " ' You know, Annia [Mme. Viroubova] ... all is finished for our Russia. But we must not blame the people or the soldiers for what has happened.'

Tsarina and Tsarevitch: " Can't I have a bicycle ? " " Alexei, you know you can't." " Mayn't I play tennis? " " Dear, you know you mustn't." " Why can other boys have everything and I nothing?"

Excerpts about the Tsar:

"I can recall but one instance in which the Tsar of all the Russias ever felt the need of touching one kopeck of his illimitable riches. It was ... at the Feodorovsky Cathedral, Tsarskoe Selo, . . . everyone, of course, dropped a contribution, large or small. The Emperor alone was quite penniless. ..."

About Prohibition: "... a word on the immense service he rendered it (the army) at the beginning of the War in suppressing the manufacture and sale of vodka. . . . The Emperor did this entirely on his own initiative, without advice from his ministers or the Grand Dukes. The Emperor said at the time: ' At least by this will I be remembered.' "

About Rasputine's death: "The Emperor was affected less by the deed itself than by the fact that it was the work of members of his own family [Grand Dukes Dmitri and Yusupoff]. ' Before all Russia,' he exclaimed, ' I am filled with shame that the hands of my kinsmen are stained with the blood of a simple peasant.' "

MEMOIRS OF THE RUSSIAN COURT--Anna Viroubova--Macmillan ($3.50).