The Oamaru Mail THURSDAY, MAY 10, 1917. WHAT OF RUSSIA?

Oamaru Mail, Volume XLVII, Issue 13147, 10 May 1917, Page 3

The Oamaru Mail THURSDAY, MAY 10, 1917. WHAT OF RUSSIA?

"What is Russia doing?'.' and "What will are questions that are frequently asked,' but withojit eliciting any, satisfactory answer. Russia has always been somewhat of an enigma, and as such prone to beget doubts and uncertainties. But we.do not think that there is". any warrant for assuming that Russia,'under the vastly revised conditions produced by the revolution, will be found in the slightest measure unfaithful to her Allies. To them she owes a great deal for past help in rescuing her from possible defeat ,and;dismemberment, and to them she must look for the erection of her new form of democratic government upon a - sure and; stable basis. That since the successful and comparatively bloodless revolution against the evil bureaucracy Russia has practically done nothing towards securing the success of the Allies in the war must not be accepted as an index ", to her future course of action, for in every direction the conditions have been unfavorable to activity. The treachery of the prorGermah members of the Czar's Ministers bad,' as has been discovered since their deposition by force, practically reduced the Russian army to a state of impotence. It had been purposely starved in the matter of munitions, and placed very much at the mercy of the forces of the Central Powers, and was probably only saved from severe defeat by the intervention of winter and the pressure of the British and French armies against the \ Germans on the Western front. There has not been time foi* the new Russian Government to repair all' the terrible wrong inflicted through the treachery of the perverters of authority and power. And even if lost ground in the matter of munitions has been recovered since the advent of the new Democratic Government and the army, placed . upon a thoroughly efficient footing, the time has not yet been reached when the Russian army can make its power felt in a way to influence • the course of events. Well high, all along the great Russian front the country is still water-soddened—a marshy morass across which it would be a physical impossibility to transport large bodies of troops, much less; the heavy guns required for successful assault of enemy" positions. A few. weeks hence all that will be changed, and we shall then probably hear of a big forward movement. In the meantime the only point that may occasion any misgivings is the effort that is being, persistently made to induce Russia to agree to a. separate peace. It-is undeniable that there is a peace party in Petrograd and other centres in Russia, and thai that/party oannot be brushed aside as a negligible quantity. That section will no doubt be captivated by the peace terms just .transmitted by the* German Socialist section, through the Scandinavian Labor parties, but it is not : in the least likely that it will suffice to win such an accession of converts as would cause a reversal of the -oft-avowed determination of the new Russian Government to pursue"' the war until ; victory is achieved, M. Miliukoff, te whose genius, persistence, and courage the possibility and ultimate success: of the revolution were mainly due, wields sol great an influence, with the of the country newly liberated, and endowed with authority that he will doubtless be able to cheek any spread of an- illusive peace , sentiment. "- But even if the. civilian population should, show a disposition to nave Russia, sneak out of the war by the back-door, the Army, we .feel assured, would never countenance such a proceeding.. The honor of Russian arms and the future of Russia are in the keeping of the Army, and Alexieff, : Brusiloff, and others,who led the Army dn the revolution and are prepared to lead it to victory, ;wiH ; find ho: dissent from their determination to fight- oh until victory crowns the-arms of the Allies and the freedom of nations is firmly established. Russia has found-a new and for herself a specially glorious ■ purpose to fight fori ■ The:rfeyollitioh brought that purpose ik yieTy,,. , ;