ON TO PETROGRAD!

Feilding Star, Volume XIII, Issue 3337, 5 September 1917, Page 2

ON TO PETROGRAD!

Tin: retreat from Riga exposes Petrograd to the enemy—-and Hindenburg two years ago made the most elaborate plana for the capture of the Russian capital. 7'f<? downfall of the great Napoleon began from Jbho time the Russians had the courage* of dus.peration to burn Moscow, and thus turn the hitherto invincible conqueror h'MsU ayer the siiowcl.'ifl route that had already fyi.s army of veterans di.irly. In that historic Napoleonic , era the Russians won h-y ftn /ss/Jftcise of passive rosistam/e. But to-day, ip ; seems as if only the occupation of their capital city and the hotbed of intrigue and treachery w};uld stir Ivan out of his state of /semi-passi-vity With th.c invading oneniy #c--tually knocking at Petrograd's doors, thu Runs would realise that he must

take his coat off. And with his newfound freedom from Czarism thus jeopardised and the clink of the shackles again in hia ears, Ivan woiild at long last "find" himself. Then Satan would need to look after his own, for even in the vacillating and changeful policies of the present war the Russian has again and again proved himself a doughty warrior and ;i terror before which even the pick of the German and Turkish armies have fled. An advance on Petrograd would shake things up effectively. The Baltic Fleets of Germany and Russia would come into conflict, and this might also attract the Kiel Canallers out of their retreat, which would give the British submarines with the Russian fleet something to work upon. Then the revolutionaries who are holding Kronstadt as rebels against M. Kerensky's Cabinet would have to come to a vital decision, for their fortress dominates Petrograd. It is inconceivable that the Kronstadters would not use their batteries against the invading enemies. Thus if they were forced into action, other recalcitrant sections would follow— and by this invasion of Petrograd the Kaiser and Co. would once more discover that their psychology was at fault. For we are still convinced that tho heart of Russia is sound in its hatred of all things German.