A VERITABLE MAD-HOUSE.

Northern Advocate, 12 November 1917, Page 1

A VERITABLE MAD-HOUSE.

SITUATION IN RUSSIA,

PETROGRAD CUT IN TWO

LONDON, November 9.

The "Daily Telegraph's" Petrograd correspondent gives a vivid description of the events leading to Lenin's conspiracy, of which Trotsky was the nominal head. An upheaval had been threatening for a fortnight, and Petrograd was throughout in a state of intense nervousness owing to rumours and to numerous vast processions of armed workers assembling. The rumours were confirmed by bands of workmen parading the streets singing the "Marseillaise." Others went about offering rifles. This resulted in disorders in which thirty were killed or wounded, but occasional murders are too common in Petrograd nowadays to arouse notice. Sometimes the electric lights were suddenly extinguished for hours. Crowds poured into the streets to find out what happened, and 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 a British tanks from the front impressively clattered up the Nevsky Prospekt. An imposing inspection of the Women's Battalion was arranged. The women's marching was magnificent, but the reception was frankly ribald. Only in Petrograd would the Government attempt to fight anarchism with a parade of tanks and women. Kerenesky attended a Council of the Republic, and made an uncompromising speech, showing clearly that he recognised that the struggle lay between himself and Trotsky. The altter is an extraordinarily clever and quite unscrupulous Leninite.

Military revolutionary committees are being established in all the larger Russian towns. The Kharkoff garrison has already accepted the Leninite authority. Deserters and disaffected soldiers are naturally siding with the 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. Kerensky's chief source of support was the Cossacks, who yesterday sent a deputation to the Premier and offered to restore order if Kerensky promised to exercise firm authority afterwards. It is understood that Kerensky accepted the offer. Capital punishment is non-existent, but the Cossacks would readily invent an effective substitute.

The vast majority of the population of Petrograd and Russia is fully prepared to be perfectly loyal to any Government which ensures order. Even Trotsky yesterday described Russia as a madhouse. Thus far the Provisional Government and its opponents are chiefly engaged in slanging matches. The general mania for wordspinning is universally condemned. Kerensky on Wednesday suppressed a number of papers and closed the Neva bridges, making Petrograd temporarily two cities.