THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1917. RUSSIA IN EXTREMIS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17158, 10 November 1917, Page 6

THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1917. RUSSIA IN EXTREMIS.

Rtjssta has provided a new sensaitjom Tho tidings this time are of the overthrow of the Provisional Government qnd, with it, necessarily the deposition of M. Kerensky, who is said to> have fled the capital and whoso patriotic efforts to save his country are rewarded.by his denunciation as a traitor by the Congress of Soldiers and Peasants of All Russia, Developments such as these do not fall upon the Allies exactly as a bolt from the blue, for, while there has always been a hope that the Russian muddle would straighten itself out, it has long been apparent that, so far from improving, the situation was .fraught with serious possibilities of further deterioration. The stage which has now been reached involves the collapse of authority in Russia. A movement headed by the ex-exile Lenin has resulted in the seizure of Petrograd, where the BolsheviM and the Maximalists are now said to be in control. A somewhat loose employment of the distinguishing names of the advanced parties in Russia is at times apt to lead to confusion. The Bolsheviki and the Maximalists are not identical. The Maximalists are the extreme Social Revolutionaries, the quondam Terrorists. The Social Democrats are divided into Bolsheviki and Menshiviki, often referred to in English papers as Maximalists and Minimalists. These terms, however, as we learn from an. article by Dr Hagberg Wright, do not represent Russian usage but in reality designate sections of the Social Revolutionaries as distinguished from the Social Democrats. The statement that Lenin is at the head of the present movement at Petrograd should give a clue to his followers. The Bolsheviki form three more or loss separate parties, of which the most important comprise the adherents of Lenin, who has advocated tho estaiblishment of a republic based on local councils composed of delegates from the eoldiere, working men, and peasants, Lenin, has been marked oat

by his advocacy of reform by immediate violence, and he has urged the peasants to "take forcible possession of land at once. Ho has hitherto been credited with not wanting a separate Russian peace, but with holding that peace should be brought about by the proletariat in the belligerent countries taking concurrent action. This is scarcely in harmony, however, with the cabled statement that his present demand is for an immediate armistice and peace. Concerning the rather intricate subject of the llussian parties it should be sufficient to add that most of the Russian Socialists are Menshivilri, who may "be described as the Moderate Socialist section. These constitute the majority of the Soldiers' and Workmen's Council or Soviet, and they have hitherto supported the Provisional Government. The attitude of the Council towards tho present movement, however, is evidently favourable. This we judge from the proclamations issued by th« Soviet which announce the authority of a Military Revolutionary Committee in the meantime. Moreover, a meeting of soldiers and peasants' delegates has emphasised as the pressing needs of the hour an immediate armistice and the handing over of the land to the peasants.

While soch authority as held control has been crushed at Petrograd, it is well to remember that, after all, Petrograd is not Russia and that it has latterly been one of the centres in which the extremists have been most active and in which, no doubt, the expenditure of German gold .has been most lavish. But though the seizure of Petrograd by the Bolsheviki might not in itself be a very grave incident, the disappearance of the Provisional Government's authority is another matter, for to it is ascribable the statement that, the declaration of a separate peace is im> minent. Russia is in reality left without a Government which possesses authority to carry on the war, and we may well wonder whence the authority will be evolved for the conclusion of peace. But the practical effect is that, whether a separate peace is or is not effected, Russia may be counted out of the war. Doubtless this will mean that Germany, making the most of her opportunity, will be able before long to withdraw her divisions from the Eastern Front for use elsewhere. Possibly, also, she will make e. strong effort to eliminate Rumania as a belligerent when that country is deprived of the support of Russia. But Germany stands to benefit in more than, a purely military sense from a cessation of hostilities with Russia. She will hope to secure supplies of produce from that country, particularly of grain from the Siberian wheatfield. She should scarcely be disappointed in th3s, although it may be conjectured that if, is is most probable, Russia is to be the scene of a civil war, the work of production will suffer to a very large extent. As a matter ol fact, even with her avenues of export almost closed, Russia was apparently not well able through difficulties of transport and lack of organisation to sustain herself during the past three years. The latest developments at Petrograd dissipate into thin air the hopes that have been patiently entertained as to tlie ability of Russia to rise superior to her internal disorders, and a miracle will be needled for the restoration of any approach to stable conditions. Clearly the Entente Powers which have been making fresh loans to Russia have been more or less misled. The present turn of events, necessarily a grave disappointment to them, involves a fresh call upon their energies in the prosecution of the war. But the Russian cocfusion and chaos, whatever they threaten, cannot obscure the certainty that the endurance of the Allies will be proof against the fresh strain that is likely to be placed upon it. ■ . ■