American Policy Toward Russia since 1917 by Frederick Lewis SchumanThe American Historical Review, Vol. 34, No. 3 (Apr., 1929), pp. 627-628Published by: Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Historical AssociationStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1836322 .

Accessed: 28/06/2014 11:39

Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at .http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp

.JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range ofcontent in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new formsof scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.

.

Oxford University Press and American Historical Association are collaborating with JSTOR to digitize,preserve and extend access to The American Historical Review.

http://www.jstor.org

This content downloaded from 91.238.114.120 on Sat, 28 Jun 2014 11:39:04 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

Schuman: American Policy Toward Russia 627

tion, Adjutant-General's Office, War Department, Washington. They are in both manuscript and printed form, and give detailed data regarding not only the activities of the military forces in the Southwest, but also social conditions throughout the region. Much use has also been made of House and Senate documents of the federal government and of the public documents of the state of Texas.

The format of the volume is attractive and a rather complete index adds to the usefulness of the book. Beyond doubt, Professor Rister has given us our most satisfactory unified account of the Southwestern frontier during the period in question. The most original, but least in- teresting, portion of the book is the description of the military advance and the subsequent Indian campaigns. The reviewer is strongly of the opinion that the value of the work would have been enhanced had some details of the early period been sacrificed in the interest of a more com- plete account of the actual passing of the frontier. The opportunity for original contribution to the history of the cattle industry of the South- west as a factor in frontier development is largely neglected. Nor is adequate attention given to the part of the railway in the permanent settlement of the country. The reader is left with a desire to know more about the process of settlement, who the settlers were, where they came from, and the various agencies for the promotion of settlement.

JAMES B. HEDGES.

American Policy Toward Russia since I9I7. By FREDERICK LEWIS SCHUMAN, Ph.D. (New York: International Publishers. i928. PP. 399. $3.75.) THIS book is a somewhat detailed study of the history of American

policy toward Soviet Russia since I917, based in the main on printed sources available in English. The manuscript materials to be found at the Department of State have not provided much for the author and it is rather doubtful whether they would in any case afford fresh information of importance. An introductory chapter on the historical tradition of Russian-American friendship leads at once to the revolution of I9I7. By chapter XI. we have reached the year i928 in orderly historical se- quence. There follow four chapters in which the author discusses the policy of recognition, the propaganda of world revolution, repudiation of debts, and confiscation of property. He then attempts to summarize the general situation. Appendixes of documents (previously published), reference notes by numbered chapter headings (but without titles), a bibliography of books printed in English, together with three rough sketch-maps, and a fair index complete the equipment of the book. The historical portions of the volume are well done though one or two minor errors can be pointed out. In the more controversial and later sections the author undoubtedly tries to be impartial, but on the whole criticizes American policy and favors prompt recognition of Soviet authority, though he agrees that such a step is unlikely in the near future.

AM. HIST. REV., VOL. XXXIV.-42

This content downloaded from 91.238.114.120 on Sat, 28 Jun 2014 11:39:04 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

628 Reviews of Books

There is at times a certain looseness of phraseology that a more care- ful reading of the manuscript would have prevented. Thus Armenia, Syria, and Palestine are referred to as having been German territories prior to the peace (p. 38). Speaking of the Czechoslovak forces in Russia the author states (p. 94) that " all plans of going to France were abandoned" in the end of June, i9i8, though (p. 96) he quotes Czech of- ficials as saying on July 3 and 4 that they wished to proceed to France and to assist the Allies on the western front. The statement about the con- fusion regarding the invitation to the United States in May, 1922, to send representatives to the meeting at the Hague to discuss Russian affairs is itself confusing (p. 2221). As a matter of fact there were two invita- tions-one, to attend a committee on Russia (from France) and, two, to attend: the Hague conference. The second invitation was declined and nothing came of the first proposal (cf. The International Interpreter, June io, I922). When (p. 311) the author mentions the United States as having assisted Denikin, Yudenitch, and Wrangel there is of course an error of fact. The author seems to swallow the Raymond Robbins story (p. 76) of a sincere Russian appeal in I9I8 to prevent the ac- ceptance of the Brest-Litovsk Treaty. He ignores the fact that Lenin had on January 8 given to a meeting of Bolshevik leaders his defense of the proposed treaty. These theses were later published in the Izvestia of March 8. He likewise omits all reference to Zinoviev's public boast that at this time, " We slapped the President of the United States in the face ". Indeed the omission of many of the more bellicose Russian de- nunciations of American policy might lead the average reader to suppose that mistakes in diplomacy had been chiefly by the United States. He concludes (p. 3I5) that "the wisdom and propriety of the American position as judged both by legal and by political considerations seem open to serious question". This may very well be true, for the matters at issue between the United States and Russia could possibly be adjusted on paper without much difficulty. What the author does not emphasize is that in reality American policy is chiefly controlled by opportunism and self-interest. When it is to the advantage of the United States to recog- nize Russia she will undoubtedly do so. So-far it has not been, for a variety of reasons.

As a whole the book is loosely written, making use of such barbarous terms as " motivated ", yet it is a good historical survey which should be useful if read with a careful eye. A. L. P. D.

Survey of American Foreign Relations, 1928. By CHARLES P. HOWLAND, Director of Research of the Council on Foreign Re- lations. Research Associate in Government in Yale University. [Publications of the Council on Foreign Relations.] (New Haven: Yale University Press. I928. Pp. xiv, 6io. $5.oo.) THis book is the first of a series of volumes on the foreign relations

of the United States, to be published by the Council of Foreign Relations.

This content downloaded from 91.238.114.120 on Sat, 28 Jun 2014 11:39:04 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions