AMAZING DAYS

Evening Post, Volume XCIV, Issue 114, 10 November 1917, Page 8

AMAZING DAYS

THE CRISIS IN PETROGRAD KERENSKY VERSUS TROTSKY COSSACKS OFFER TO RESTORE ORDER. (UNITED MtBSS ASSOCIATION.—COPYRIGHT.) (AUSTRALIAN-NEW ZEALAND CABLE ASSOCIATION.) (Received November 10, 1 p.m.). LONDON, 9th November! The Daily Telegraph's Petrograd correspondent gives a 1 vivid description of the events leading to Lenin's conspiracy, of -which Trotsky is the 'nominal head. The upheaval has been threatening for a fortnight, and Petrograd throughout this time was in a state of intense nervousness, owing to rumours that numerous vast processions of armed workers were assembling. The rumours were confirmed by bands of workmen parading the streets, singing the "Marseillaise," while others went about offering rifles to people. In the resulting disorders thirty people were killed and wounded, bnt occasional murders are too common in Petrograd nowadays to arouse notice.. . .Sometin'vs the electric lights were suddenly extinguished for hours, and crowds" poured into the streets to find out what had happened, and dispersed again when the light was restored. .-"",- VAIN EFFORTS TO RESTORE CONFIDENCE M Kevensky vainly attempted to restore public confidence. The Provisional Government paraded its armed strengtn, and armoured cars and a British tank from the front impi-ess'.vely clattered up the Novsky' Prospekt. An imposing inspection of the Women's Battalion was arranged.' The women's marching was magnificent, but their reception was, frankly rib.dd. Only in Petrograd would the Government attempt to fight anarchism with'a parade of tanks and women. M. Kerensky attended the Council of the Republic and made an uncompromising speech, showing clearly that he recognised the struggle betweenl himself and Trotsky. The latter is extraordinarily clever and quite unscrupulous. Leninite Military Revolutionary Committees are being established in all the larger Russian towns. At Kharkoff the garrison has already accepted Leninite authority, the deserters and disaffected soldiers naturally siding with the military revolutionaries, who favour an immediate peace at any price. When the All-Russian Conference of Soviets,' under Trotsky's chairmanship, opened, only 162 delegates, a quarter of those expected, were present. M. Kerensky's chief source of support is the Cossacks, who yesterday sent a deputation to the Premier and offered to restore order if M. Kerensky promised to exercise firm authority afterwards. It is understood that M. Kerensky accepted the offer. Capital punishment is nonexistent, but the Cossacks .will readily invent an effective substitute. MAJORITY LOYAL TO A SYSTEM OF ORDER The vast majority of the population of Petrograd and of Russia are fully prepared, to be perfectly loyal to any Government'which ensures order. Even M.' 3*rotsky. yesterday described Russia as a madhouse. - Thus far the Provisional Government and its opponents are chiefly engaged in slanging matches. The general mania for wordspinninjris universally condemned. M. Kerensky on Wednesday suppressed a number of papers, and also closed the Neva bridges, making Petrograd temporarily into two cities.