THE LENINITE CONSPIRACY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLII, Issue 1018, 10 November 1917, Page 5

THE LENINITE CONSPIRACY.

HOW IT WAS ENGINEERED. COSSACKS SUPPORT KERENSKY. “RUSSIA A MADHOUSE.” Australian-New Zealand Cable A&sooiation. Received November 10, 12.5 p.m. LONDON, Nov. 9.

Tho Daily Telegraph’s Petrograd eorr’espondeut gives a vivid description of the events leading up to Lenin’s conspiracy, of which M. Trbtsky is tho nominal head. The upheaval had been threatening for a fortnight, and both at Petrograd and throughout the State there was intense nervousness, owing to rumours that numerous vast processions of armed workers were assembling. The. rumours were confirmed by bands of workmen parading tho streets, 1 singing the Marseillaise. Others went about offering rifles with resulting disorders, wherein thirty were killed and wounded. But occasional murders are too common in Petrograd nowadays to arouse roach notice. Sometimes the electric lights would bo suddenly extinguished for hours, and crowds poured into tho streets to find out what had happened, hut dispersed when the light was restored. M. Kerensky vainly attempted to restore public confidence. The Provisional Government paraded its armed strength, and armoured cars and British tanks from the front impressively clattered up the Nevsky prospect. An imposing inspection of the' Women’s Battalion was also arranged, the. women’s marching being magnificent, huh the reception was frankly ribald. Only in Petrograd would the Government attempt to fight anarchism with a parade of tanks and women. M. Kerensky attended a council of the republic and made an uncompromising speech, showing that fie clearly recognised the struggle was between himself and Trotsky. The latter is extraordinarily clover and quite unscrupulous. feninite Military Revolutionary Committees are being established in all the larger Russian towns. The Kharkoff garrison has already accepted Leninite authority ; deserters and disaffected soldiers are naturally siding with tho military revolutionaries, who favour immediate peace at any price. When the all-Russian Conference of Soviets, under Trotsky’s chairmanship, opened, only 162 delegates attended, being a quarter of those expected. M. Kerensky’s chief source of support was tho Cossacks, who yesterday sent a deputation to tho Premier and offered to restore order if M. Kerensky promised to exercise firm authority. Afterwards it is understood M. Kerensky accepted the offer.

Capital punishment is non-existent, 'but the Cossacks would readily invent an. vlfoctivo substitute. i The vast majority of the population at Petrograd believe Russia is fulhy prepared to bo perfectly loyal to any 'Government which ensures order. Even Trotsky yesterday described Russia ua a madhouse. Thus far the Provisional Government ajul its opponents are chiefly engaged in slang ing matches, the general mania for wordspinning being universally condemned. M. Kerensky on Wednesday suppressed a number of papers and closed the Nova bridges, making Petrograd temporarily two cities. THE REVOLUTION EXPECTED. LONDON AND PARIS NOT SURPRISED. CIVIL WAR INEVITABLE. Australian-New Zealand Cable Association. Received November 10. 1.10 p.m. LONDON. Nov. 9. The Russian revolution occasioned no surprise in London or Paris. It has been probable ever since Korniloff’s escapade. The National Union of Railway Servants, and the Union of Postal and Telegraph Employees have been leading factors in the movement. They were endeavouring to

force M. Kerf ns ky fo grant huge increases in wages recently, and when he refused they became definitely Maximalists. Tho Baltic floßt is also l in sympathy with Lenin and Tpotzlcy, particularly the mien at Kronstadt and Helsingfors. On tho other hand the entire officers corps of the army, all the Cossacks and tho Black Sea fleet, tho merchants, the intellectuals, the professional men and the officials side with M. Kerensky, and bitterly oppose the Maximalists.

The peasantry remain an unknown factor, although the immediate handing over of tho larhe proprietorial lands means granting lithe peasants tho chief demand they are lifkely to make. Civil war will be necessary to decide who shall hold tho power. Trotzky was editing a, R’O.ssvan Socialist paper at "Vienna on the outbreak of the war. Hie went to Paris kind starter! an anti-war daily and was extpelled. Then ho wont to America, and' when the revolution broke out he tried to go to Russia, but was detained at Halifax, lie was - released when An outcry was raised art. Petrograd. His oratorical talents soon brought him into 'prominence at Petrograd. AN OBSCURE SIITUATION. (London Times’ Telegrams.) LONDON, Nov. 9. Reuter’s Petrograd coricespondent, cabling on tho 7th, says:—Up to the present there has been no bloodshed, and only a few street riots. The situation is obscure. WINTER PALACE OCCUPIED. (Reuter’s Tokygram.) PETROGRAD, Nov. 9. The Maximalists have occupied the Winter Palace, also the premises of the General Staff. The former was defended by a women’s battalion and cadets, who surrendered after some shots from tho cruiser Aurora and the fortress of Peter and Paul on the opposite bank of the Nova, as well as fire from machine guns' in tho armoured cars of tho Red Guards. '