MOSCOW'S ATTITUDE 185
These are all links of one chain. The famine which in the
beginning overwhelmed the Soviet as an unforeseen cata-
strophe, was gradually transferred into a kind of disciplinary
institution—"organized famine."
Moscow's aim is clear: the present generation, in so far as
it remains loyal to the principles of nationhood, religion and
family, is to be exterminated, to clear the way for the conquest
of the rising generation. The young are to be uprooted and set
free from old-world influences, that they may be won over to
the ideals of a world proletariat—unencumbered by God,
nation or family. This is Moscow's self-imposed task to-day:
for this is held by the Kremlin to be the sole means of realizing
the victory of Communism. To achieve this object it is essential
first to destroy the old generation which still believes in God
and nation. This explains the fanatical hatred with which
Moscow—despite the denials of its friends and agitators
abroad—is obliterating the remnants of religious life and
exterminating the clergy of all denominations in the country.
It would exceed the scope of this book to describe the measures
by which Moscow seeks first to uproot and then to win over
for its own aims the growing generation by first destroying the
foundations of family, religious and national life. But what is at
stake is not the youth of Russia; it is much more than that If
Moscow really were to succeed in inspiring the growing
generation with a lasting hatred of religion, family and nation-
hood, the very foundations of Western civilization would
sooner or later be endangered.