ALEXIEFF

Evening Post, Volume XCIII, Issue 91, 17 April 1917, Page 7

ALEXIEFF

Ifc might seem strange, to anyone who know nothing about, the man, that the Russian revolutionaries should, immediately .after turning out the Tsar, enthusiastically appoint as Commander-in-Chief liia aide-do-camp. But this high title was never more than a nominal one; Alexieff has been, in fact, as ho now becomes in name also, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian armies'' ever since the Grand Duke Nicholas was sent off to Armenia. Indeed, though aide-de-camp in name, Alexieff did not even follow tho Grand-Duke's example in dining with the Tsar. Ho is said to have excused himself with tho remark that ho was a Boklier, not a courtier, and that it would be better if he dined with his' Staff and gave' tho whole of his time to the war. He does that, too; he works from twelve to fourteen hours a day. He gets up at 7 out of the oamp. stretcher in his office, an 3 works until after 1. After lunch he works from 2.30 until 7.30, and after dinner and an hour's walk he works again often until 2 or 3 in the morning. But the great fact about Alexieff that makes all the more fitting' his selection by an ultra-democracy is his origin. He is the son of a poor man, a sergeant in the Ritssian ranks. It is a notable thing that two of the greatest soldiers the war has produced, Alexieff and Sir William Robertson, should both be rankers.