NO. II THE RACES OF RUSSIA — HRDLICKA 21 



truly be said to be the great human reserve of the European popula- 

 tion. If it has not advanced in culture as much as the western and 

 southern European nations, the causes if contemplated impartially 

 are seen to have been not inherent or racial, but geographic and 

 circumstantial. It must not be forgotten that Russia by acting from 

 its inception as the buffer between the rest of Europe and Asia, and 

 by becoming later the principal check of the Turk, has deserved a 

 deep gratitude of the more western and more favorably situated 

 nations. 



What will be Russia's future? Perhaps the anthropologist may 

 attempt to predict where others would hesitate. 



The Russian Slavs taken collectively, count to-day over one hun- 

 dred millions, 1 and they are increasing yearly, by the excess of births 

 over deaths by 1,700,000. This rate of increase is greater than that 

 of any other people in Europe except some of the other branches of 

 the Slavs, and with the mass of the people belonging to the con- 

 servative simple-lived rural population, cannot be expected to become 

 much reduced in the near future. Such a rate of increase of this 

 otherwise strong and able portion of the white stock, means a bio- 

 logical momentum which in the end must prevail over all opposition. 

 The Russian giant may have his Delilahs, internally as well as ex- 

 ternally, but these will not be able to hold him forever. Russia can- 

 not but have a future commensurate with her potential powers. 



1 See author's article on " The Slavs " in the Nov., 1918, number of the 

 Czechoslovak Review, II, Chicago, 180-187. 



