CZAR AND THE DUMA.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4010, 17 March 1917, Page 2

CZAR AND THE DUMA.

"DELAY MEANS DEATH."

APPEAL TO MILITARY LEADERS

The members of the Duma, on assembling on March 12, found the Imperial rescript .suspending the sessions , till April. Thereupon the party leaders decided not to disperse, and an historic sitting was held, at the conclusion-of which' tho President telegraphed to the Czar describing tho prevailing conditions. Ho mentioned that the troops \\V re firing against each other, and roquestod that a person enjoying: the confidence of the country should be charged with the formation of a new Government. He proceeded :—"Delay is impassible. Any delay, means death. Pray God this our responsibility does not fall on the crowned head." Tho President of the Duma, similarly wired to the Chief of Staff, General Alexieff, and the commanding generals, asking them to use their influcnco with the Emperor. General BrusilofF replied:—"l have fulfilled my duty to the Czar and my country." General Itussky replied:—"l have carried out your request." The President then telegraphed to the Czar that tho situation was worse, and urging immediate measures. He states:—"To-morrow may be too late. The last hour lias arrived when the fate of the country and the dynasty is being decided." Replying to a deputation of revolting troops who enquired tho Duma's attitude, tho President communicated the resolution that had been arrived at that tho hour had struck for a change of authority, in which the Duma would take the most active part. The President dwelt on the urgency of preserving .order, and said that the Duma had appointed a non-party committee with that object. Later more troops and armed citizens arrived at the Duma, where tho guard was replaced by troops in revolt, who undertook to take charge of the bulid-

At 5.30 p.m. the revolutionary escort brought m tho President of tho Council of Empire under arrest. Ho is an ex-Ministor of Justice and one of tho prominent reactionaries. He was lodged in tho Ministerial room of the Duma, and was informed of the stops taken to remove the so-called German gang once and for all.

The news spread rapidly, and tho .revolutionaries seized the hated Krestv prison after a short resistance All the political prisoners were liberated, and the same course was followed with other prisoners.

The detective headquarters was demolished, and the archives rolating to political persons and organisations wore burned.

, Early in tho afternoon the Premier Prince Galitzin, telephoned to the President of the Duma that he had resigned.

Tho revolutionaries searched the houses of several ' ■MuiLstens ;of the Council, and the workmen's ;■ dele"-ates issued n manifesto to revolting--troops-and factory'hands inviting.them to attend a meeting at tho Duma on the basis of ono representative per battalion and per thousand or less of workmen respectively. They also appealed to tho people, to assist in provisioning the troops.pending the organisation of supplies. to Civilians continued to arrive at tho Duma,, some in motor lorries, bringing large reserves of cartridges, which wore promptly distributed. Orators from tho Duma stops dwelt on tho necessity for the preservation of order and the need for immediate resumption of work at all factories lest the armies at tho front should be handicapped when on the vorgo of victory.

Tho correspondent, aftor listening to tho speeches, returned to the eontro of the city, where he found the? District Law Courts aflame.

A littlo distance off he .saw signs of a recent fight between rival factions of

the. Guard with machine-guns and rifles, but there wove few. casual Lies.

Generally the Government' troops showed little reluctance in accepting tho inevitable.

Telegraphing.on the evening of March 13, the correspondent says:—;"AJl naval and military forces at Petrograd have now declared themselves on the side of the people. "Troops from Kronstadt, with a few 'officers, have arrived, and joined. "The streets are now perfectly safe, though there is occasional exuberant firing.

"There.lias Been wholesale demolition and burning of police stations in

venge for tho police in soldiers' uniforms,, manning the machine-guns and dropping grenades from the buildings and houses. •

"The Naval Brigade- retaliated with machine-gun fire, and a sharp fusillade followed.

"The revolutionaries broke into an hotel which, was used as a hospital, and arrested 200 Russian, officers, and took them to the Duma.

"Foreign officers who wo wounded, including Britishers, were treated with the greatest courtesy, and transferred elsewhere.

"It is estimated that civilian casualties number a few hundred, mostly wounded.

"The streets present an animated appearance with troops, hospital van£, and eeaseloss cheering.

"There is a feeling of the deepest thanksgiving for what has, been accomplished with so little bloodshed. "When the disturbances culminated, tha Ministers wore sitting at the Adjniralty, which was defended by troops, but the guard finally went over to the revolutionaries.

"The Minister of Justice took refuge at the Italian Embassy, when he telephoned to M. Rodzianko, President of the Duma, to send a motor to take him to the Duma Committee.

"Dubrovin, the Black Hundred leader, was arrested and taken to the Duma late last night.

"M. Protopopoff, the ex-Minister, .voluntarily surrendered.

" The Commissioners of the Executive Committee of the Duma, have taken over the Ministries and other important appointments. "There is little doubt that the Army is now unanimous, including a number of tho officers of crack regiments."