THE NEW RUSSIA.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 15860, 27 March 1917, Page 7

THE NEW RUSSIA.

WAR COUNCIL FORMED. ARMY TAKES OATH OF LOYALTY. (By CaJale—;Prcss Association—Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Received March 26th, 5.5 p.m.). PEROGRAD, March 25. Tho Minister of War, M. Gutchkoff, is preparing a scheme by which a com- j mittee, consisting of the Ministers of War, the Navy, Finance, and Foreign Affairs, will become responsible for the main direction of the war. The Commander-in-Chief will retain a free hand in all matters of strategy. The Ministers of Commerce and Agriculture may possibly join tho committee. General Alexieff has notified the President of the Council that the Army has taken the oath of loyalty .to the Fatherland and tho Provisional Government. THE ARMY COMMAND. GRAND DUKE NICHOLAS RETIRES. PETROGRAD, March 25. It is officially confirmed that tho Grand Duke Nicholas has retired from the position of Commander-in-Cliief. General Alexieff, Chief of the General Staff, will officiate temporarily. UNDER THE RED FLAG. ROME, March 25. The "Giornale d'ltalia's" Potrograd | correspondent states that the old .Russian Hag has been abolished, and all regiments have adopted the red flag. CALLING EXILES HOME. MELBOURNE, March 26. The Russian Consul-General has received instructions to render the fullest assistance to Russian political exiles desirous of returning} to the extent of raising a loan to pay their passages. (There are a number of Russian exiles in' New Zealand to whom this would apply.) GERMAN AGENTS AT WORK. LONDON, March 25. The "Observer's" Bern© correspondent states that several German agents, including two prominent Socialists, during the -week approached tho Russian Socialists and political refugees in. Switzerland, urging them to return to Russia and use their influence tor peace. Large sums were offered, with a safe conduct through Germany. The offer was contemptuously rejected, leading Russian Socialists and refugees bidding them return to Germany first and free the Germans from Prussian despotism. A DISQUIETING SITUATION. ("The Times.") PETROGRAD, March 25. One or two newspapers are stirring up wholesale resentment against the Romanoffs, and pandering to the morbid and gruesome instincts of the masses. The counsels of moderation are falling on deaf ears. Tho nerves of the public are shaken by recent events, with a resultant loss of tone and balanco. SOCIALIST PROCLAMATION. SUPPORT NEW GOVERNMENT. PETROGRAD, March 25. The authorities have seized innumerable manifestos and placards, printed in Germany, urging tho re-establishment of the old regime. The Mayor of Moscow, on behalf of the municipality, sent a message to* Prince Lvoff, claiming that that city should be tho seat of tho Constituent Assembly. ' The Holy Synod exhorts the faithful to unite in brotherly love, abandon discord, grant full confidence to tho Provisional Government, and devote all efforts to lead eternal Russia in the paths of liberty, happiness, and glory. The popular Socialist Party, m a proclamation, says:—"Since our formation in 1915, we have urged the convocation of a Constitutional Assembly, and as the only means to establish order in conformity _ with tho will of tho people, we invito all to support the Pro. visional Government." DIPLOMATIC COURTESIES. RUSSIA WILL JUSTIFY HOPES. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Aesociation.) ("Received March 26th, 9.55 p.m.) PETROGRAD, March 26. The English, French, and Italian Ambassadors presented their respects to the Provisional Government. M. Miliukoff, replying on behalf of the Government, said: "I havo full confidence that Russia will justify the hopes and expectations of all her wellwishers." REFORM PARTY HAMPERED. SOLDIERS INCITED TO GO OVER TO THE ENEMY. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Awocialioa.) (Received March 27th, 1.35 a.m.) PETROGRAD, March 26. The Social-Democratic party, through the newspaper "Pravda," published by the Central Committees, passed a re-

solution inciting tho soldiers to leav# the trenches and go over to the enemy, asserting that this would immediately evoke a fraternal response on the part of the Germans, and the war among the nations would promptly collapse, enabling tho army and peoplo to devote themselves to tho final overthrow of the ruling classes.

Only the presence of M. Kerinsky in the Provisional Government has thus far prevented an open rupture, but the Moderate Party is obliged to mako endless concessions to unreasonable demands. The theorist mania for forming a committee, which was one of the worst features of tho bureaucratic regime. is terribly hampering the reform party.

The press devotes much spaco to details of tho Miasoedoff treason case, and alleges that M. Sukholmdinoff was connccted with it. Though Miasoedoff organised tho wholo of the traitorous spying system, ho was on intimate terms with M. Sukhomlinoff, and mixed up with tho latter'e divorce and' second marriage.

M. Sukliolmlinoff would have been brought to trial long ago but far the ex-Empress, who intervened owing to the tearful protestations of M. Sukhomlinoff's wife.