RUSSIAN REVOLUTION

Timaru Herald, Volume CVI, Issue 16227, 24 March 1917, Page 10

RUSSIAN REVOLUTION

EVENTS IN MOSCOW.' FIRST PHASES RECALLED. (Australian and N.Z. Assn.) MOSCOW, March 22. The, first details of the revolution at Moscow show that it began with a general strike on March 13. A '.temporary committee, equally representing workmen, co-operative societies and public bodies had been elected. . The police disappeared. The troops joined in slowly at/first, but Colonel Gruzinoff, pre"sidenfc of the provincial Zemstvo, assumed, the leadership -of the revolutionary troons, and later 'toured the garrisons.. All had adhered by March 14. Thev seized tho Kremlin arsenal, freed political prisoners and burned Iche secret police archives. Colonel Gruzinoff reviewed 30,000 troops on March 17. when the clergy invoked blessings on' the new Government. \ Normal life was resumed by March 19. . ' A. FAVOURABLE TURN. POPULAR EXCITEMENT CALMED. ' The Petiograd correspondent of the Central News Agenpv states that on Tuesday evening the munition workers' a"tion caused matters- to turn favourably. The demonstration yesterday ■demanded the cxmrtiorNof obnoxious partisans of the old regime. M. Kerneskv by his speech succeeded in calm- ' no. _th<? excitement. Mischievous rumours 'to-day; statedthat 'Dho Germans had broken aian line on the , Riica-Dvihsk front. General Dominrioff in. £k_ .roassuring; lcirter to rnoiiiibors. of the l;uma states that, the Army, is firmly holding its positions' and even more firmly holding itsL-uaitli in lobe final triumoh. " The Workmen's n.nd Soldiers' Council ,has'ant)oin+°d Friday for the burial of comrades who f ell. iii the revolution. A general liolidms: will he observed- inTPetroffirad. Tha_ foribreai .will fire a salute All the bodies will be buried in one grave. - . - .

PERSJJAJOING THE GENERAL JRTJSZKY'S -PART. SUPPORTED BY OTHER • /'\ GENERALS. PETROGRAD,"Ma.rch 22. Gensral Rnszky is believed to , have been, the agent in persuading the-JUzar' to abdicate instead of sending for troops to suppress tho revolution. -The Czar while en- .route Ito Petrograd learned''of< the revolution. He met General Ruszky at Pskoff, saying he had decided to grant a responsible Ministry. General Ruszky saw the manifesto, which had, been' already signed. General Rnszky conversed with M. Rodzianko. by telephone for two hours, and was convinced 'that the Czar must abdicate. He communicated the conversation to General Alexicff, the Grand Duke. Nicholas- and General Brusiloff, who all considered abdication neqessary. .' General Ruszky informed Ithe Czar,' who accepted his advice. A BELATED , REPORT, i ! DANGER FROM EXTREMISTS. THE"-AVAR, AND POLITICS. LONDON, March 22. The "Morning Post's" Petrogra-d correspondent, m a' message dated Monday, states ifchat there is little positive news beiyond the satisfactory fact (chat one regiment has. returned to barracks again under its proper command. The food supply problem has not improved, depite the attention devoted to it. —"' Several necessities are unprocurable. The conditions are aggravated by a continual blizzard. The Duma was the scene of the meeting of a thousand soldiers, who are choosing a representative for the. Workmen's and Soldiers' Council, which seems to command the general situation. There was a mass meeting: in the preciridts of the Duma, at which many soldiers and French and Belgian workmen appealed to their Russian comrades not to - forget the war, reminding 'them that the Germans at Riga were within 400 verst-s of Petro-gra-d. While many soldiers are beginning: to realise what this means, the more violenlfc elements seem to believe that internal politics are of primary importance. The extreme internationalists hare gained a footing. Their aim is to stop the war. Their newspapers hail a Republican Russia, which any competent observer regards as at present inconceivable. The Socialist am! Republican agitaition momentarily ellipses the war. The preparations for the Constituent Assembly are being hastened, the auIthbritics ignoring tho absence of tho twenty-five millions who are in the country in German occupation, a million prisoners of war, and 'the millions in tho firing front. General Korniloff has arrived at Petroerad. ' It is hoped that the soldiers will now realise the supreme importance of the war. There is some apprehension over the continual loss of time in making munitions and the loss of. discipline of many reserve battalions, who should he preparing to proceed to the front. BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S MOTION. STAEMENT BY MR, BONAR LAW. DANGER NOT YET PASSED. lii the House of Commons, Mr Bonar Law in moving the.-Gbvenrmonit's resolution, offering congratulations on the Russian revolution, said the eyenits in

Russia had arrested the attention of Ithe world in the midst of this worldvide convulsion. "We were reminded of the -French Revolution, the hright j dawn of which was quickly overcast. fit.Was tboo soon to say. that all danger iii Russia was past. It was too soon to if eel condent (that the new Government had laid the foundation onvwhich liberty could be buillt .with•:'. justice' for a companion, hut it. was not too soon to send: friendly greetings iand goodwill to the.Government formed for. the. pur-, 'pose of carrying orrthewar and confronted~:with the ardous task of driving out, tHe foreign aggressor .and estahlishing freedom alt home.. 'v-. Continuing,,-", Mr Bonar Law said: "The messagel will have a special force coming :from 'die. mother of all P,arlia r r TOt'nts. It" is not "forus to judge, much Kss.to condemn,-those who haye taken 'part in the government of ah" Allied country, but we hope to be .permitted to express the feeling which the vast major 'ftv of share, namely the feeling of compassion, for the la.te Czar, who for three years was our loA'al Ally, and. upon whom was laid, by Jbirth, a burden ; which; has proved froo heavy;- Nevertheless, we cannot forget that of the greatest issues of the war' is whether free institutions can survive against the onslaughts of military despotism. We cannolt but rejoice in the hope that the final; stages of the conflict will find all the Allied Eowers under the direction of Governments which represent the< people." (CheersY. Mr Bonar Law x added that the Goyernmenic 0 submitted the resolution in the hope and. belief that it. would strengthen ,lbhe hands of the new Ewssiaiv Government in its difficult-task.

OTHER OPINIONS

Mr' Asquilch said the resolution expressed the opinion of the -whole.Empire. The momentous events in Russia commanded; that special and immediate recognition; Autocracy had been "blotted ou'fc in a few days without any ef- • foetive resistance tor- even defence. He was glad to know that ithe form of the future Government would he submitted to the flree judgment and franchise of j the people. Russia would thus 'take its ; place beside the great democracies of the world. Britain would he.'the first to,rejoice at Russia's emancipation and +<> welcome hpr into the fellowship of free peoples. We had confidence in the men who had formed the new Government We felt assured that 'they would concentrate resuoroes to bring Ithe war to an end which -would justify the Allies' sacrifices. Mr Devlin said the Russian revoltion was a warning portent to autocracies everywhere. He desired that 'the voice of Ireland should join in the united harmony and in expression of profound sympathy with Russia's ' emancipntion. Mr G! ..T. Wardle supported the resolution on behalf of Labour. - Mr A.- Ponsonby. who was much interrupted, cast doubts on the assertions of the leaders. FINNISH INDEPENDENCE. Reports from Berlin state that the Finnish Independence Committee has proclaimed the independence of Finland at AVasa. . GOVERNMENT MANIFESTO! PETROGRA'D, March 22. A Government manifesto ratifies the •constitution of the Grand Duchy of Finland, and promises a general amnesty and the immediate convocation ; of the Diet with enlarged powers. '.FORMER MINISTER ARRESTED. The Government has ordered the immediate prosecution of M. Soukomiinoff, a former Minister off War, for high treason.