THE DEMANDS OF THE REFORMERS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3030, 17 March 1917, Page 9

THE DEMANDS OF THE REFORMERS

CLAIMS OF THE RUSSIAN , REFORMERS

ESSENTIALS TO VICTORY

Towards ttie end of 1915, the Progressive Bloc of the Russian Imperial Duma and Imperial Council presented an important declaration of policy, the various articles of which may be regarded as concentrating the aspirations of the Reform movoment in Russia, in which Professor Miliukoff has recently become so notable a figure. The full text of the Declaration submitted to the Government is as follows:—

The undersigned representatives of parties and groups of the Imperial Council and Imperial Duma,' moved by the conviction that only strong, firm, and active authority can lead the country to victory, and that such authority can only be one based upon popular trust and capable of organising the active co-operation of all citizens, have come to the unanimous conclusion that the- most important and urgent task of the creation of such authority cannot be realised without the execution of tho following conditions :— The creation of a united Government of individuals onjoying the confidence of the country and in accord with the legislative bodies with regard to the execution of a definite programme at the earliest date. Decisive change of methods of administration, which have hitherto been based upon distrust of public independent action; in particular (a) strict introduction of the principle of law in administration; (b) abrogation of dual authority, military and civil, in questions that have no direct relation to tho conduct of military operations; (c) restoration of local administration; (dVa wiso aiidlcontinu"ous policy directed to the preservation of domestic peace ancl removal of-dis-cord between nationalities and classes'.; Measures Asked For. For tho realisation of such, a policy

must be adopted the following rnea"-> sures, both in the order of administration and of .legislation.:—

1. The cessation, by the Royal prerogative of clemency, of actions raised in connection .with purely political and religious offences not associated 'with crimes of a general penal character; liberation from punishment and restoration to rights, including that of participation in elections for the Imperial Duma, Zemstvo and muncipal institutions, of persons condemned for such offences; and amelioration of the lot of others convicted for political and religious crimes, with the'exception of spies and traitors. - - r

2. The return of those exiled by administrative order for matters of a political and religious character.

3. Complete and decisive .discontinuation of persecution" for belief, under whatever pretext, and abolition of circulars which have resulted in the limitation and distortion of the -meaning of the TJkaz of April 17"(30), 1905.

' i. Settlement of the Itusso-Polish question, viz;, abolition .of restriction of rights of Poles throughout Russia, the immediate drafting and introduction into the legislative institutions of a Bill for the autonomy of the Kingdom of Poland and the simultaneous revision of legislation concerning Polish landownership.

5. Entry upon" the path of abolition of restriction of the .rights/of the Jews, in particular further steps towards the abrogation of the pale,-facilitation of access to educational establishments, and abolition of hindrances to the choice of professions. ■ Restoration of the Jewish Press.

6. A conciliatory policy in the Finnish question, in particular chapges.in the composition of the Administration and Senate, cessation, of persecution of functionaries.

7. Restoration of the Little Russian Press; immediate revision of the affairs of tho inhabitants' of Galicia who are are kept undos.iq;est, and of tho6e exiled, ..and liberation of thoso who havo been wrongfully subjected to persecution. .

8. Restoration of tho activity of professional unions and cessation of. the persecution of tho "representatives of workmen on hospital boards on suspicion of belonging to non-legalised parties. Restoration of the Labour Press.

Defence and Victory. 9. Agreement of. the 'Government with the legislative institutions concerning the speedy, introduction of tho following:—

(a) All Bills hayiug immediate connection with satisnal.-. defence, the equipment of the army 1 , security for the wounded, settlement of the lot -of the refugees, and other questions indirectly connected with tho war.

(b) Of the following programme of legislative work directed to the organisation of the country for co-operation for victory and for tho support of domestic peace: —Equalisation of the peasants in rights 'with other classes; introduction of volost Zerastvos; amendment of the.Z'emstvotregulatipns of 1890, amendment -.of. the- .•municipal regulations of 1892; introduction cf Zemstvo institutions into.the'outlying districts—i.e., Siberia, Aichangel Province, the Don Province, the Caucasus, etc.; a Bill concerning co-operative societies ; rest for conimercial employees, hetternient of the situation of post and telegraph omployecs; ratification of temperance for ever; 'Zemstvo and municipal congresses and Unions; regulations concerning revision; introduction of Courts of tho peace in those provinces where their introduction has been stopped for financial considerations; realisation of legislative measures which may be found necessary in the execution of the- above indicater' programme of. activity..'

The foregoing declaration was signed, by Count V. A. Bobrinsky for the progressive group of Nationalists; V.■Lv6v, for : the Centre; I. I. Dniitriukov, for the Octobrists; S. Shidlovsky, for the group of the Union of October 17; I. Yofremov, for ihe_ Progressists: P. Miliukoff, : f or .the patty of..National Freedom; D. B. Grimm, for tho academic group■ of the Imperial Council; and. V. Mellor-Zakqmelsky, for the group of the Centre..'. THE NEW TSAR The Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovitch was born on November 22, 1878, and is therefore 38 years of age. Ha has followed the profession of arms, both on land"and sea. "His consort ia Nathalie, Countess of Brassoff, formerly the divorcee of one Von Woulfert. The Grand Duke Michael, who is the Tsar's only brother, ceded by his own; wish his place on marrying two years ago the divorced wife of a. Russian officer. Some years before the birth of the Czarevitch Tsar Nicholas proclaimed Michael the heir to the throne. Under the Russian law of succession promulgated by- the Emperor Paul, Michael was the natural heir-presump-tivo, followed by the other grand dukes to the exclusion of the Tsar's daughters. ;::":::::: ;,v"'.