The Wanganui Herald (Published Daily.) THURSDAY, OCTOBER 4, 1917. PARTIES IN NEW RUSSIA.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15343, 4 October 1917, Page 4

The Wanganui Herald (Published Daily.) THURSDAY, OCTOBER 4, 1917. PARTIES IN NEW RUSSIA.

Outside of Europe little is known about the forces which constitute the Russian political parties so frequently mentioned in the cable messages. This is not a matter for surprise, because changes have been so rapid since the revolution, new parties forming one day and disappearing the nest. Of the parties four stand out conspicuously, and they practically comprise all the forces striving for power—the Leninites, the Bolsheviki, the Maximalists (who may be described as the Radical element) and the Zemstvos, The lastnamed really is not a party, but consists of a variety of sections of the community, mostly coming from the great middle class, the backbone of the country, and who, being unorganised in most cases, have no means of expressing themselves except in a partial way through the Zemstvos. Leninites is a convenient designation for the followers of Nikolai Lenine, who before the revolution was ranked as a publicist of considerable ability. All the recent troubles in Russia have been due to him and his followers. He is the archpacifist and advocate of a separate Russian peace. Recently he was exposed by the Government as the paid agent of Germany. His arrest was ordered, but he escaped and is now a fugitive from justice. His following is fast breaking up and probably has ceased to be an important element in the political situation. Bolsheviki comprise the extreme radical elements from all the parties. They are not an organised party, so far as, known, but merely a group with a decided anarchistic tinge, prepared to go to any length to accomplish their purposes. Maximalists are the radical elements of the several Socialist parties. Much was said-about their readiness to use extreme measures to attain their political purposes, but the excesses of the Leninites in the recent troubles in Petrograd alienated Maximalist sympathy and forced them to support for ihe moment the provisional Government. Zemstvos, in a general way, are the provincial assemblies, but the term has different meanings in different parts of Russia, and even a different meaning at different times. Shortly before the war the Zemstvos were stripped of practically all their power by the Czar. When the gross incompetency and venality of the Imperial Government became apparent a year or so later the Zemstvos were revived, largely thorugh the labours of Prince Lvov, afterwards Premier of Russia, and in effect they did what the Government failed to do in supplying the armies at the front with food, munitions and medical aid. Whatever was accomplished by Russia in the first two years of the war was dwe to tVie volvmteer efforts of the Zemstvos, and through them in all likelihood Russia will eventually find herself.