RUSSIA’S BLACKEST HOUR.

Waipawa Mail, Volume XXXVII, Issue 7921, 21 August 1917, Page 4

RUSSIA’S BLACKEST HOUR.

GUNS AND EQUIPMENT.

SWEPT AWAY IN ROUT.

LONDON, August 1.

The bad news pours in from Russia in unfortunate feature of the retreat is the large proportion of heavy guns captured, and the loss of the reequipments which had been laboriously provided by Great Britain, France and Japan. Mr Bouchier (“Times”), telepraghing from Odessa, says that the situation is most critical. The view expressed in various quarters is that only a military dictatorship can save the country. Utopian theories must be deferred until better times. If the German victories continue there will be no Russia to reform.- Germany chose the critical moment, when the agents of the Maximallists were most powerful, for the dealing of this terrible blow. The army, which had been demoralised by insidious propaganda, made an ignominious flight without the slightest pressure from the enemy. The evacuation of positions without resistance, and the neglect of elementary duties, show how the poison had worked. Fugitives from their posts left their comrades to their fates at the most critical moments. Instead of being an army, they are an armed rabble. Free Russia is facing a stupendous danger.

j A military correspondent at Odej sky-Listok states that the catastrophe i at Tarnopol was not the result of fightj ing, but of pusillanimity, cowardice, . ignorance, and criminality. The fugi- | tives abandoned positions in confor- | mity with high-sounding precepts which had poisoned their minds. POISON FROM GERMANY.

The “Times’ ” correspondent af Petrograd (Mr Wilson) is equally pessimistic. Cabling on July 27th, he said: 1 * The Guards ’ Corps and ; three divisions abandoned the Tarnopol district unnecessarily. The slightest j effort would have reversed the situaI tion.” The loss of morale, which is ! widespread, the correspondent traces j to the notorious pamphlet, ‘ * Order No. , 1” that was issued by the German j agents who are members of the Soldel, behind the back of the majority. I Though efforts were made to suppress I and cancel it, the astute men responsible for its issue had already disseminated it throughout the front and rear. The idea of passive disobedience then propagated has since steadily spread. Recently outward appearances were reassuring, but an army which has thrown away discipline cannot resume it readily. Directly the troops thus shaken in morale were called to face the dangers of an advance, in which the line itself must offer sacrifice, the poison of the ! propaganda came into effect. THE WRONG WAY WITH MOBS. 1 Petrograd to-day is calm, the rioters I having been cowed. Many workers and members of the Red Guard have been disarmed, and muntinous troops have been disbanded. Experience has proved that a mob cannot be dealt with on lines of persuasion i along the policy, “You have been a naughty boy, now run away and be ! good. ’ ’ Therefore the Government i has decided terribly to punish rioters. | To-day’s situation is anarchistic, in which the forces of reaction, anarchy, I and German agents are trying to 1 bring about a counter-revolution. The Minister of Justice to-day intimated

that he possessed documents clearly proving that Lenin and others were connected with a German plot against Russia.

Shootings at the front and in the interior continue on a large scale, and conflicts between the Moderates and the panicky Extremists are causing very heavy loss of life.

KERENSKY THE WHIRLWIND. Mr Alexander Thompson, cabling to the “Mail” on Friday, describes M. Kerensky’s first days of Dictatorship : “He came perturbed to Petrograd and, like a whirlwind, swept out the disturbing elements. He scrapped the dilly-dallying, faint-hearts of shilly-shallying dastards, packed the military idlers to the front or to shameful retirement home, where their kindred will scorn them. By a show of real soldiers in the streets he restored the capital without bloodshed to calm. To-day he issued an ultimatum to the rebellious crews at Kronstadt demanding instant surrender of the mutinous leaders, under penalty of blockade. He has established numerous courts-martial, and compelled the insubordinate Baltic Fleet to lower the rebellious flag which the mutineers had raised on the former Imperial yacht. ’ ’ As Brussiloff says:—Kerensky is a man gifted with the Divine spark. Brussiloff points out that there has been little patriotism in Russia. She has cultivated everything German for three centuries. Even the Court was German. Only a Kerensky has been able to kindle the flame. THE SPECTRE OF FAMINE.

Already famine stalks across the land. Peasants in the north are committing suicide and killing their children to avoid .the pangs of hunger. A terrible winter, with an industrial and financial crisis, is certain, even if the military and political situations improve. The effect on the Allied position is serious, but not alarming. France has recovered from her wave of depression, and is optimistic about American energy, whilet the British Army imperturbably continues its exhaustive preparations for the next offensive.

Despite the long days submarine warfare remains indecisive. The losses are serious, and cause hardship, but they are not blunting the Allies’ sword. The German efforts on the Aisne are proof that the Kaiser, Hindenburg and company are aware of the failure of the submarines. Otherwise why do they allow the slaughter of their reserves?