PRINCE GEORGE LVOFF

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3054, 16 April 1917, Page 5

PRINCE GEORGE LVOFF

. THE te PRIME MINISTER OF • / RUSSIA ; AN ARDENT PATRIOT The Allies 'oat feel ' tremendously pleased that a man qf'the type of Priuoe 'George Lyoff|is-t6 direct the activities of. powerful ally Russia (states a writer in the Sydney. "Daily Tole- . graph"). For years he has been recognised as tho niost popular and capable manin Russia. He is still in tho prime of life. Although above tho average in height, his, figure is rather slight, but he walks and talks with that alertness that marks him for a niah of energy and determination. ' He wears no uniform whatsoever; in fact, his mode of dross is noticeable for its plainness and absence of any decorations or other insignia of offioe. When appear-, ing before his Imperial Majesty the . Tsar he wears the ordinary frock coat. It was not bo long ago that he was elected Mayor of Hosaow so unanimously that the Tsar refused to confirm the eleotion. His ability - and integrity, however, were recognisod, and when he became the head of the Zemstvos Unipu he was assured tho support of. the Grown. To offset any possible error, - it might be well: to say that Prince ■ Lvoff is not a- member_of the Imperial y family. In general, the title "Prince" has _been adopted in Russia by all the families who j have been large landr owners for generation's'.'-- In medieval history they took upon- themselves the . 'defence of their lands, and the title of "Prince" was'gradually applied to the, heads of these families. In'-.later, years ,the Crown recognised the title and ■ made, it hereditary. ■ Whilo the titles "Prince" and "Princess" are very com- , mon in : Russia, iitlindioatos, jieverths'less, that the bearer of such a title is a member of an old and probably distinguished family. When applied to ; a. member of the Imperial family, the title is always lna Imperial Highness Prince So-and-So, as the case may • be, . -Prince Lvoff,therefore,, while not a ... " member of the-Imperial family, is the : head of a : family which, has been pro- ■' minent for generations. It is a Polish \ * title, , and .readers, .may remember in Poland the oity of Lvotf • the German •name city ,is Leinberg.. In the 'great drive'of. the; Russian Army in 'the summer.of 1915, Lvoff, or Lemberg, 'was twice occupied'and twice lost, and 'is now, of course,',in the hands of the -,;■ Germans: ; '■':./..■:■.'■, :''.".' ■.'■■■•:'• The Zemstvos Union. The Zemstvos Union, of which Prince Lvoff is tljie distinguished president; .'■' is-an organisation in Russia which has no exact counterpart in any • other Government in. the world, It is real- - ly a union of the various Dietriot Governments' throughout- all Russia. Its function" in eaoh district is in general . , function of. supervision, v It 'super- , ";. vises the • collection. of taxes and the /colleqtion of oonscripts; it builds'the roads; it runs tho'schools and tlje'hds- ..-. -pitals;' and/it, assiste'.the. peasant'-in ' taking up land and in developing the .game. :|t is. every bit. as representative and as helpful -to the people as the Duma itself. It is not to. be sup- ... posed,} however,-, that the- Zemstvos Union has'any power in making, the ', laws.- /.'ln carrying out all 'this work ■ ■ for; the' Government, it was only.jia-; ■•; tural that the organisation eventually became semi-official:.-. Since the outr breal{ of.the war the Russian! Red Cross turned to the Zemstvos' Union • and:solicited ■ its.assistance,' When the writer, wa? last , ; , in .Russia the Zemstvos Unign bad hospitals totalling over 200,000 beds., ■ The,, writer had the privilege of presenting the American Anibassadqr and Ambassadress, with his secretaries and naval attache, •to His Excellency Prince Lvoff for a brief inspection of • the work of the Zemstvos- as carried on- in the general headquarters at Moscow. At -jihat , time also a visit/was made'to'one of ■ their largest, "hospitals in that city, -Where, the work, could be seen in its practical application. \lt is.natural, also, therefore, that in-this work tliey should come jnto very close contact 'with the (peasants themselves. The Zemstvos .Unioii itself is entirely in ; sympathy with -the peasants. 1 .; Prince Lvoff:.himself, being the .'. owner of large, estates, originated and is still carrying out a large scheme for the . breaking up' of large! sections of-i his lands aiid permitting-the peasant actual ownership. He assists them in the purphase of seeds;'and inthepurohase of equipment to plant and harvest crops, His precedent has been followed ■ by; many other members -. cf \ distinguished families, .and tho people; m- sho\ving their appreciation,- have made him the popular idol. -. • .. _Ho has always'been an ardent pat--1 riot, with never a selfish '.'thought.' He i has not solicited Imperial. honours or favours, but has .worked unceasingly, and tirelessly for.the eventual victory. He has :been;as well aware-- as Vany othor prominent man of the proGermanism which has existed in the

past among the members of the Russian Cabinet. Time and. again they have sought to put him down from his high position, and yet they feared the result of. such; a procedure. During times of great stress, when ho has been forced to ■ appear ■ before the Counnil ef the for needed appropriations, he has Teen compelled to spend every; night' in railway cars. ■ TJTofking one day in his headquarters at Moscow; , he would travel that night to Petrogradj and all that day present ' evidence and arguments >of ■ the necessity of this or that course of action before the Ministers __jnnd before the DouncTl of the Empire, sleeping again . that night l in the train on his wny back ■ to* Moscow; th,at , day- directing the affan's of his great organisation, and : that night baot agaiii to Petrpgrad. The writer has often received tologrnm.g from His Excellency niakiug an appointment for sucli and such an hour, oh such and such a train. , While-it was practically impossible for a civilian to purcifase tickets on those particular trains, the'showing of the telegram invariably prooured the ticket without further oxponso. At the apjiqintod hour tho writer would present .himself at the compartment of il is Excellency, and be' duly admitted. Perhaps, fatigued with his. heavy day's work, he would already be in bed, and the interview would be .carried on sitting

on the edge of His Excellency's bed. No words caii express the high dovo- ' tion to duty of this splendid character, who has now como into his own,ami under whose leadership ' tlio power of Russia will be more felt than" ever.