"MIGHTY RUSSIA!"

Auckland Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 143, 16 June 1917, Page 13

"MIGHTY RUSSIA!"

A GERMAN WARNING. In the "Local-Advertiser" of March 13 front-page prominence is given to one of the most remarkable articles about Russia which any German newspaper hae published during the war. It warns Germany that, revolution or no revolution, Russia remains a mighty foe. Official Germany -wae evidently in no doubt, even before the Czar% abdication was an accomplished fact, that the revolution denoted one thing and one thing only— the people's determination to go on with the war. The article urgently warns Germans to be under no delusions on this 6core. The writer even finds courage to declare—and the Governmentcontrolled organ prints the phrase in boldfaced type—that the moujik (Russian peasant) has revolted "because he ie no longer willing to wage war to fill the pockets of Petrograd bankers, generals, and factory owners." This frontalattack hint may not be entirely lost on the German moujik and others. The intention is to show that however events in Russia may develop, they cannot undermine the real sources of Russia's military strength—men and food. "'Let us face the facts, and judge Russia's power of resistance on the basis of actualities, instead of from the standpoint of doubtful possibilities. The main question is, has Russia still the necessities of life? There is no lack of either cattle or grain. There is shortage of both at the moment, and everything is terribly dear; hut don't let Uβ imagine from this that famine is stalking through the land. A country with the coal, forestry, and agricultural resources of Russia can neither be frozen nor starved out. That is impossible. MUNITIONS. "Is it possible for Russia indefinitely to replenish her supplies of guns and ammunition? That is the second great question. I think we may answer it with a 'No' without letting wishes become father to our thoughts. Munition production depends on the capacity of industry. Gigantic efforts were made to establish a great muntion industry in Russia, but none of the Government's organisation failures during the war has been so disastrous. Machinery hae failed, and the moral quality of Russian workmen has failed. The peasantry was impressed suddenly into industrial work, but it did not take either enthusiastically or effectively to the change from the plough to the lathe. Russia Boon found herself entirely dependent on foreign munitions, mainly from Japan and America. The net result is that her capacity to continue the war is simply a matter of her ability to continue tho import of munitions. The vital artery of Russia runs through Archangel. That fact illuminates the enormous danger which our U-boat warfare constitutes for Russia. "Let us not pin too rosy hopes on internal turmoil in Russia. Let us not build any air-castles out of her food and fuel difficulties. Let us confine our hopes to the realm of tangible reality. If we can drag this last plank (Archangel) from beneath our enemy in the East, then his big words about 'war to the last man' must be drowned beyond hope of resuscitation."