EX-TSAR'S LOYALTY.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16214, 17 May 1918, Page 8

EX-TSAR'S LOYALTY.

BRITISH AMBASSADOR'S

TRIBUTE,

(FROM OUtt OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

LONDON, March 8, "Whatever wo may hold up agair the old autocratic system of rule Russia it is pleasant to hear, from o who ought to know, that the perse ality of the Tsar is above suspicic and that the story of his alleged pea with Germany is not true. Sir George Buchanan, who return recently from Petrograd, where ho h: lilled the position of Ambassador mo successfully, told a London gathern that during tho concluding months 1916 the political atmosphere \n charged with electricity, but, with tl exception of the party of the Extren .Right, all parties in the country we, united in condemnation of tho dai forces behind the Throne. He to. the Tsar that tho army and the peop v/ere one, that he had come to tl parting of tho ways, and that lie ha to make a choice between two path cne of which would lead to victory an the other to revolution and disasti The Tsar chose the path of reactio and the revolution followed. A report had been widely circulate? he believed, in this country—at leas be had read it in many accounts of th Russian revolution—to the effect tha the Emperor on the eve of his abdica tion contemplated concluding a separat peace with Germany. There was not he was convinced, a word of truth it that report. The Emperor, no doubt had much to answer for. He had n hear tho responsibility for all the eon sequences of tho maladministration o: tho men whom he chose as his Minis ters. He >vas not a traitor, and 1 < never would have betrayed the cause of the Allies, and he was always the - true and loyal friend of this country. The last hope was stillborn. At the very outset the Provisional Government was overshadowed by the Soviet, t'.nd for fear that the army blight one day prove a weapon in the hands of the counter-revolutionaries they destroyed its discipline and deprived it of its full value as a fighting force. Russia was not dead, and it was for us who had known and who had loved her under happier conditions to consider what we could do to promote her recovery. Sho could not, herself, hope to take the 1 work, of in hand without assistance. If the Al-. lies left Russia severely alone Germany would not be slow to exploit her for her own ends. There was little tvo could do at the present moment, but we must prepare beforehand to act when the right moment came, ■ We could not do any effective work unless we had a staff- of trained agents end the first essential, whether for work of propaganda or for promoting our trade in Russia, was to have a knowledge c f the Russian language. The moral oxygen to restore Russia was educai' th® more familiar we could inako the masses of the Russian people with British culture, the more we could do to help them to organise a system of technical education, the more would British ideals and British influence bermeate the country. (Cheers.) 'Ho would make no prophesy. He would only say that he hoped he might live to see a new Russia arise out of the present chaos. (Cheers.) TRUE TO FRANCE. The French Government has made public the letter which Nicolas sent to tne President in April. 1916 f>v the hand of MM. Viviani and Thomas Here is an extract:—

\ "April 30th, 1916. ~r> . "General Headquarters. "Dear and Great Friend,— "At this moment when France and Kussia are more closely bound than ever before m tho unprecedented struggle which thev are waging in agreement -with their faithful Allies, I was much pleased to see the members of the French Government who Save' come to Kussia. Having always attributed great importance to the intimate collaboration of our two Governments. I mav add that I prize it all the more to. ay > an .<J that I am firmly determined not to lay down arms except bv common agreement and after definite victory.

We ought carefully to co-ordinato our action in order to make it more effective. There is no doubt that'each qt the Allies is animated with the one desire to place the maximum of +he means at }us disposal at the service'of the common cause. It is in this spirit that my Government, m v officers, and my generals hare applied themselves to studying in concert with the members ot tho French Government, the measures which are needed to bring about, at present the greatest co-operation among the Allies. Russia will recoil from no sacrifice to bring about the Se 8 38 Soon as P°' s -

„nK 7 arml - y hoping that oi,r "i 11 ., 0 ." efforts may soon be crowned with striking success, I should like to UKpress my admiration for France and hZIf P f ar ?y, which has covered itself with fresh glory by the heroio defence of 1 eTdun. I bee* yon if* same time to accept my assurance "of Wnp SinCere unchangeable friend-

"Nicholas."