"HUNGRY" THURSDAY.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume IV, Issue 1023, 23 May 1917, Page 6

"HUNGRY" THURSDAY.

RISE OF RUSSIAN REVOLT. A NEGLECTED TELEGRAM. SOLDIERY AND PEOPLE JOIN HANDS. It is difficult to chronicle briefly the events of the hist few days, anil especially diflicult to explain them to British readers, in view of those restrictions which render impossible a tine and unvarnished statement of the recent condition of affairs in Russia. A sharp warning was given by the murder of Rasputin, and this warning (writes Harold Williams in "The Daily Chronicle"' of March 15) was emphasised by most earnest suasion from all fhe public bodies and all true friends of the nation and dynasty. The warning was not heeded; the old impossible policy was pursued, and this week's revolution is the result. Last Thursday a curious strike movement began, with popular demonstrations, in which the cry -was "(live There was certainly greater difficulty than usual in obtaining food, but there were indications that the police, with their agents' provocateurs, were fomenting the movement.

Bread Demonstrations. There was « little looting of bilkers' shops, slopping of trams, and so forth; but- it was not until Saturday and Sunday, when the bulk of the workmen joined in, that the movement assumed serious proportions. F -> then it took the form of good-tempered parading about the streets, with an almost complete absence of violence. Troops were called out to parade the streets, but they displayed no particular heart in the business; they were constantly cheered by the crowds, and the Cossacks, in particular, simply played with the people, instead of knouting them. The attitude of the troops should have been a warning to the Government; but on Saturday afternoon some of the troops were ordered to lire, and on Sunday detachments of soldiers, reinforced by police in soldiers' uniforms, tired repeatedly throughout the day, killing anil wounding in all over 200 people, including a few officers who were among the sightseers. Little Fear of Soldiery. In spile of warnings to slay indoors, crowds. representing all classes, thronged the streets, mostly out of sheer curiosity. There was no particular fear. I saw the crowds shrink a little, and then go good-tem-pered on their way. Life has become cheap during the war, and there is litlle fear of death. And the extraordinary thing was a complete incredulity that the soldiers would or did lire. On Sunday evening there was a dispute among the regiments who had fired. M. Rodzianko sent a warning telegram to the Emperor, begging him for the sake of the dynasty at once to appoint a Ministry of Public Confidence. On Monday morning the famous Guards' Regiment killed one or two officers who had ordered them to lire. A regiment sent to reduce them to order took their side, and both regiments, who were speedily joined by another, stormed the Artillery Department and Arsenal, freed the politicals from all the chief prisons, and set the Central Court on fire. The officers disappeared, and soldiers, accompanied by workmen and revolutionaries, had charge of the city. Thus the revolt began. Three Days in the Duma. These three days I have spent in the Duma, where event thronged on amazing event, and walking about the streets of Pitrograd where unheard-of things were happening. They were anxious days, for there was no knowing whether the liberty of the soldiers might nol turn into an orgy of rioting, or whether troops might not come in from outside to suppress the revolt. It was only to-day that we began to breathe freely. So far the revolution has passed oil' with amazingly litlle violence. There have been cases of looting and wanton burning of buildings, e.g. the Central Court. There has been a good deal of shooting, ton, but almost entirely against the polite, who had machine-guns posted on the roofs of high buildings, and again and again wantonly and senselessly opened lire, only to be attacked in their turn, ami either killed or hauled off with indignity to the Duma.

These machine-guns, which arc constantly turning up in most unexpected plaices, were probably put in plaice by ProtopopoflTs agents, in expectation of demonstrations at the opening of the Duma a fortnight ago. They do a good ileal of damage, infrriade the people and soldiers, and represent the last venomous stings of the Government that has now surrendered. On Monday morning the ukase was received dissolving the Duma. The ukase paisscd unnoticed. M. Hodzinnko repealed liis warning telegram ((• the Emperor in language of greater insistency: "The last hour has come to decide the fate of the dynasty; further delay is fatal." The Emperor made no reply. The Duma waited loyally. At 1 troops began coming In the Duma to ask for guidance. In the afternoon the Duma formed a temporary committee, one member from each party, to keep control of events. The Ministers disappeared. In the evening a council of workmen's deputies, of which the nucleus was composed of the recently arrested Labour group of the War Industries Committee, took possession

of a room in the Duma. The eonncc* lion between the Labour and Dums committees was maintained IrJ Labour deputies. The Duma by evening pesenled. an extraordinary sight. After an appeal from the Labour deputies to maintain order, the insurgent soldiers formed a guard round the Duma, and the Duma became the centre of the whole movement. Duma in Charge. Regiment after regiment came up, led by sergeants, to olier its help, The Duma was crowded with soldiers. Food committees and supply committees were instituted, wellknown revolutionaries appeared, boy and girl students ran about on various errands, and veteran soldiers obeyed them. Arrested policemen were dragged in and hidden away. The wellknown reactionary, Shchcgloviloff, President of the Council of the Empire, was arrested and brought to the Duma on Monday night. On Tuesday the movement rapidly spread to all the regiments of tho garrison, and one by one they came marching up to the Duma to offer their services. Ranked up by the Promenade Hall, they listened lo speeches by MM. Rodzianko. Miliukoff and Kerensky, and then marched off amid eheering. The soldiers felt restless without their officers, and the main task was to get them restored to regular discipline. Officers, from the colonels downwards, began to appear yesterday, and by last evening practically all the commanding officers of the Petrograd garrison and the General Staff had joined the new movement and proceeded to return the troops to barracks and restore order. A commandant was appointed with sub-commandants for each district, and a system of patrols was organised. Arrest of the Old Gang. The soldiers had behaved, on the whole, remarkably well. They displayed their jubilation in various not very harmful ways, shooting in the air, firing at sparrows, taking joy-rides in commandeered motorears. There were a few cases of drunkenness, but nothing serious, anil the great comparative freedom from disorder is to be attributed lo j the absence of vodka. The population was a little nervous, but extremely interested and remarkably shrewd. Both soldiers and people have displayed amazing courage, patience, and sound sense during three days' complete absence of authority. Yesterday practically all the members of the Government were arrested, besides several other notorious reactionaries, such ai Stuermer and General Kurloff. I saw the Metropolitan. Pitiriin, brought in. a pale and tottering figure in white cap and black robe, pushed on from behind by not very respectful soldiers. Very different he was when I saw him last, in his palatial apartment at the Alexander Nevsky Monastery, with generals, high officials, and society ladies waiting on his pleasure. Arch Reactionary Yields.

ProtopopofFs collapse was amusing. Late last night a man in a fur coat came to a student in front of the Duma, and said: "I am the former Minister. ProtopopofT: please take me to the Duma Committee." He was led in. and the announcement of his coming aroused grave indignation. Presenting himself to the labour memher. Kcrensky, Prolopopolf said. "Your Excellency. I have come to surren<ler.*' He was immediately put under arrest. Pokrovskv. the Minister for Foreign Affairs, has n< I hern arrested, and Ls carrying on in the meantime. This morning I saw little, old (ioremykin brought in under guard, looking with face inexpressive as usual. Many ether reactionaries have been arrested, including the Black Hundred leader. Dubrovin, and a hundretl police of ;dl ranks. Officers have come thronging in with offers of service, and colonels with the red badge of the revolution are now a common sight. The (".rand Duke Cyril Vlatliiuirovieh came to the Duma this afternoon, and made a speech in the presenee of the soldiers. "I wish " he said, turning to M. Rodziankn. M |- > declare my sympathy for the new regime, and place myself at \our disposal.** The Ministries arc now under the temporary control of members of the Duma. Trains have not ceased running. It happens that large supplies of provisions have come in during the last few days. The Iraniears stopped plying, and no papers are appearing The prospects of speedy restoration of order at present are good. The banks are open to-dav.