LEADERS OF THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTION

Nelson Evening Mail, 14 May 1917, Page 8

LEADERS OF THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTION

THE MEN OF THE HOUR. i Not so very long ago—in 1908 —Pro- | feasor Miliukoff was asked whether revolution would ever be effected in Russia without a long and bloody struggle, and whether, under any circumstances, a democracy weru possible. His reply at that time is recorded in the New York 'American' : •'I am not a prophet. and 1 will not undertake to speak o!' the future, but t will say that the anti-dynastic feeling is already very -strong in Russia, and will continue to grow, provided the Government continue their present and longcontinued oppression, and provided also that the Liberals, who are for liberty, do not lose their heads and resort to assassination. "How long it will take 1 do not know.. T say that the possibility seems out of reach of practical politics at the present day. It is quite out of the question' now to think of introducing a commonwealth into Russia. I think myself that the greatest success we can hope 4 to achieve in this generation will be to secure a constitutional and representative regime; even that has been too difficult ,',\ thus far. But we do not despair.;- We shall move along that line untif we reach the goal, although few men hi our day may live to see it achieved. The'first question has already beenanswered, for the upheaval in Russia was almost bloodless; and the answer to the t-econd depends almost wholly upon the new Provisional Cabinet, of which Professor Miliukoff is n member. Prince Lvoff. the new Premier, observes the New York Times. is the strongest man in Russia, and his position and power make it practically certain that the pro-Herman inflriencos which precipitated the uprising will be eliminated. The real power remains in the besfJ hands it could possibly be in—namely;, those of Prince LvoiV, the new President of the Council of .Ministers. He is the most popular man in Russia, head audi chief of the combined Urban and Rural Zecstvo Committees, organiser and feed-er-in-chief of the Russian armies- in, the. field, the imin whom all students of Rur-,' sian affairs have expected to sec made head of any Provisional Government, or President, or Prime Minister, or whatever title, the real head of the new CJoverumeut may have received. He is a. Ku«Miiu of the Russians, a Slav in fact as well as- in name, and is perhaps the onlv man alive who has the entire confidence of the Russian people, both high and low. . k . Premier Lvoff's companions in this* duty, in addition to Foreign Minister .Miliukoff. are all men who have worked! their way to the head of Russian affairs from hiimblo beginning. They are thoroughly in touch with Russian needs, of large experience and w/se judgment, remarks the New York .American. $. Michael V. Rodzianko, of the Duma, is the real leader in the * revolution. He is a Conservative, like Pro- , lessor Miliukoff. the new -Foreign Minister. His family is of high rank. He has two soiih who are oiHeers in- the Imperial Guard of Russia, the most aristnratic regiment. A. J. Guerchknff. Minister of "Warand N;ivv. has won renown as an organiser. He has great executive ability, and has risen through long adversity to be a leader of the peoplo by sheer ' ability. He is a genuine leader of tho people by natural selection and gifts. M. Ichingareff, the new Minister of Agriculture, was the uuiekest and readi-' est debater in tho Duma. His passionate love of liberty is restrained by long experience and knowledge of economic matters, in which' he is expert. He is probably one of the best authorities Hi all Russia on -finance and agriculture. M. Kerenski. who is the Labour leader* in the new People's Ministry governing Russia, is in private life a clever lawyer. He is by far the most radical member in the new Ministry, and ho will bring to the support of the newi Cabinet the Russian radical democracy, which is united in favour of carrving on the war to the bitter end. He will ■probably be a leader in the movement to make Russia into a republic. Ho has Labour at his back, and it is sogn»ncant that the post given to him in the now Cabinet is that oT Minister of Justice. M. •Manuiloff,' the new Minister of Public Instruction, was formerly president of the Imperial Moscow Univer.sitv. and is now editor-in-chief of the 'Ru«skiva Vvedomosti.' He resigned the professorship in the leading Rusiail University in 1913 because of the oppression of freedom of thought and teaching by the Russian Government. t , He is also a professor of economics, with a, reputation throughout Europe.