RUSSIAN REVOLT

Western Star, 20 March 1917, Page 3

RUSSIAN REVOLT

STOCKHOLM, .March 15

Regarding reports of outbreaks in Russia publ'shed by anonymous travellers Irom Petrugrad in Swedish and other neutral newspapers, a representative of the Swedish General Electrical Corporation who left Petrograd on Friday states that it is untrue strikes are taking place on a large scale. The military and civil population has not come into collision in connection with food demonstrations. It is announced that General Brussiloff has again taken command on the Southern Russian front.

ACTION BY THE DUMA. NEW YORK, March 15. A trans-ocean wireless message from Berlin says that an official announcement from Petrograd states that the Duma on March 11 refused to obey the dissolution ukase, and because of the breakdown of transport and the food situation formed an executive committee which declared itself a provisional government and arrested all the Ministers. The Petrograd garrison supports the revolution. The Duma declared that the Cabinet is no longer in existence, and appointed Deputy Engelhard, Colonel of the General Staff commander of Petrograd and appealed to the population and troops. The railways and banks have resumed their normal place and order is swiftly returning. PATRIOTISM OF THE DUMA. Discussing Russian politics the Petrograd correspondent of the London “Daily Telegraph” recently said : —“One thing is quite certain; so long as M. Protopopoff is a member of the Cabinet cordial co-oper-ation between the Government and the elected chamber of the Legislature is quite out of the question. Indeed, so bitter are the feelings against him that he would assuredly be howled down if he should venture to show himself in the Taurido Palace. The Duma has throughout the wan shown magnificent patriotism and selfrestraint, and it has more than once suppressed its own views and wishes in the interests of the great national cause, but there are limits, even to Russian endurance, and after the Chamber has repeatedly and emphatically declared its determination to have no commerce with the man who has deliberately ‘deserted it and ranged himself on the side of its enemies, it can hardly be expected to go back upon its word. Nor would it be fair to throw any blame on the Duma for the acute conflict that seems likely to arise out of the {present situation, for it is undoubtedly the firmest and most stable political force on the side of the Allies at present existing in Russia.” SWIFT AND VITAL CHANGES. LONDON, March 16. ✓ Reuter’s correspondent at Petrograd. describing the stirring events at the capital, says he has Been day and night in the streets for the last three days, and has seen long queues of hungry men, women and children outside the bakeries. He has seen wanton firing with rifles and machine-guns, and has seen civil war in the main thoroughfares. Yet he has not Heard a single word against the war. The shortage of food, the lack of organisation, and the neglect of the most elementary precautions are popularly ascribed to German influences. A patriotic determination to exterminate these influences was fired by the recent killing of the monk Rasputin. The conflagration burst on the -12th, when regiments declared for the Duma and the people, and the naval barracks were opened to enable the participation of sailors. • Troops With The People. Describing the scenes in the streets, the correspondent says that the troops when ordered to use their rifles and ma-chine-guns had only a few cartridges in the belts of the machine-guns, but the crowds were so dense that many fell. The riflemen either had a large number of blank cartridges or their shooting was intentionally bad. The garden fronting the Qslhedral was packed by the populace when a large force of Cossacks came up. Ail kneeled down, and the Cossacks did not fire. TTio people are particularly resentful against the police, because several were employed on Sunday to fire on the crowd in consequence of the refusal ot many of the military to do so. Several police, including a high official, were shot later. Several Guards’ regiments, numbering 25,000, joined the people with then arms.” Some of their officers were shot. Another Guards’ regiment refused to lire. The arsenal and artillery headquarters were taken and the commandant killed. A British military attache who was there at the time was escorted to the Embassy bv a guard. The main fortress was also entered, and this is now the headquarters of the revolutionary forces.

Suspension Of the Session. Duma members assembled on the 12th, and found an Imperial rescript suspendm the session till April. Thereupon party leaders decided not to disperse, and ■ historic sitting was heid, at the conclusion of which the President (M. Rod ziankol telegraphed to the C/.ai de scribing the prevailing conditions. He mentioned that the troops were firing against each other, and iequested that a person enjoying the com Jidenco of the country should be char ea with the formation of a new Goremme . He proceeded to say that delay va. impossible, as any delay meant death. “I 1 pray God that the responsibility for this will not fall on the wearer of the Grown ” The Duma President similarly wired the Chief of Staff General Alexieff and the Commanding Generals, asking them to use their influence rdtli the Emperor. General Brnssiloff replied: “I have fulfilled my duty to the Czar and my countiy. General Russky replied: “I have carried out the request.” The Premier tele"ranhed to the Czar that the situation was worse, urging immediate measures, and savin": “For to-morrow may be too late. At last the hour has arrived when the fate of the country and the dynasty will be decided.” . . ... Renlving to a deputation ol revolting troops who enquired the Duma s attitude the President communicated the resolution that the hour had struck for a change of authority in which the Duma would take the most active part. Ihe President dwelt on the urgency of preserving order, and the Duma had appointed a non-party committee with that object nr view. Later more troops and armed citizens arrived at the Duma, where the Guard was replaced by the troops in revolt, who took over the charge of the building. Arrest ol Ministers. At 5.30 a revolutionary escort brought in the President of the Council of Empire under arrest. He and the ex-Minister uf Justice, one of the prominent reactionaries) were lodged in a Ministerial room in the Duma. It was intimated that steps had been taken to remove the so-called German gang once and for all. r lhe news spread and the revolutionaries seized the haled Kresty prison after a short resistance. All political prisoners were liberated. The same followed at other prisons. The prison headquarters were demolished and the archives relating to political persons and organisations were burned. Early in the afternoon ®the Premier, Prince Galitzin, telephoned to the President of the Duma that he had resigned. Ihe revolutionaries searched the houses ol several Ministers. The council of workmen’s delegates issued a manifesto to the revolutionary' troops and factories, inviting them to attend a meeting at the Duma on the basis of one representative per battalion, and per thousands or less workmen respectively. They also appealed to the people to assist in provisioning the troops pending organisation of the supplies. Civilians continued to arrive at the Duma, some in motors and lorries, bringing large reserves of cartridges which were promptly distributed. Orators from the Duma steps dwelt on the necessity for the preservation of order and the need for the immediate resumption of work in all the factories, lest the armies at the front be handicapped when on the verge of victory. Law Courts Aflame. The correspondent, after listening to the speeches, returned to the centre of the

city, where he found the district law courts aflame. A little distance off he saw signs of the recent fight between the factions. The guards had machine guns and rifles, but there were few casualties. Generally the Government troops showed little reluctance in accepting the inevitable. Naval and Military Forces United.

Telegraphing on the evening of the 13th, the correspondent says tnac all the naval and military forces in Petrograd have now' declared themselves on the side of the people. Troops from Kronstadt, with a few officers,, arrived and also joined l . The streets are now perfectly safe, though there is occasional exuberant firing. There has been wholesale demolition and burning of police stations in revenge for the police, in soldiers’ uniforms, manning machine-guns and dropping grenades from buildings and houses. A naval brigade thus machine-gunned retaliated with a sharp fusillade, and broke into a hotel which was used as a hospital. They arrested 200 Russian officers and took them to the Duma. Foreign officers wounded, including Britishers, were treated with the greatest courtesy and transferred elsewhere. It is estimated that the civilian casualties are a few hundred, mostly wounded. The streets present an animated appearance, with troops, hospital vans, and ceaseless cheering. There is a feeling of deepest thanksgiving fop what lias been accomplished with so little bloodshed.

The Culminating Scene. IV hen the disturbances culminated the Ministers were sitting at the Admiralty, which was defended by troops, but the Guard finally went over to the revolutionaries. The Minister of Justice took refuge at the Italian Embassy, from where he telephoned to M. Rodzianko, President of the Duma, to send a motor to take him to the Duma committee. Dubrovin, the Black Hundred leader, was arrested and taken to the Duma late last night. ExMinister Protopopoff voluntarily surrendered. Commissioners of the Executive Committee of the Duma have taken over the Ministries and other important appointments were made. There is little doubt that tKe army is now unanimous, including a number of officers in the crack regiments. BERLIN OFFICIAL ACCOUNT. VANCOUVER, March 15. The Berlin Official Agency gives details of the revolution at Petrograd, alleging that food riots, following general disturbances at Petrograd and Moscow, and street parades, led to a clash between the mounted police and the populace. An uproar broke out in the Duma when M. Rodzianko and M. Miliukoff fiercely assailed the Government. The Premier (Prince Galitzin) closed the sitting, and members actually threatened the Minister with their fists. Excitement in the streets was great, and printers struck in the printing offices, leaving the city without newspapers on Saturday. -The troops fraternised with the people and allowed it to be known that they would not fire, despite orders from their superiors. Looting occurred, and the police and the strikers frequently clashed. Finally M. Rodzianko despatched a special courier to the Czar, demanding the dismissal of the Government, and declining responsibility for coming events if the Czar supported Prince Galitziii (Premier). The latter answered the letter by dissolving the Duma. The Czar thereupon left Petrograd for Tzarskoe-Selo, en route, to the army at the front. The revolutionists then entered upon the final stage. Particulars are not disclosed, hut it ended in the establishment of a revolutionary Committee and a revolutionary Government. At Moscow the revolt was also successful, the troops joining with the Zemstvos whole-heartedly.

VIGOROUS PROSECUTION OF THE WAR. LONDON, March 16. The Central News states that Petrograd is gradually assuming a quieter aspect, but desultory shooting continues in most streets. Few are venturing out of doors at night. The workmen have declared their determination to work overtime to make up arrears of -work and prosecute the war to victory. Soldiers have taken over the Imperial palaces. The Commander of the Palace visited M. Rodzianko, the head of the Provisional Committee, stating that the Empress wished to see him. The Grand Duke Cyril lent his motor to the troops detailed to meet the machinegun sections which joined the revolution. He addressed the troops ; “We are all Russians and must try and avert superfluous disorder and bloodshed. We all desire a real Russian Government.”

The revolutionary movement is spreading like wildfire, and enormous quantities of provisions are arriving at Petrograd. M. Protopopoff personally surrendered to the Duma.

The Ambassadors have acknowledged that the Provisional Government of the revolution has completely succeeded, and order has practically been restored. EMPRESS UNDER GUARD. LONDON, March 16. The “Daily Chronicle’s” Petrograd correspondent states that the Empress has been placed under guard. AN EYE-WITNESS’S STATEMENT. _ STOCKHOLM, March 16. An eye-witness of Saturday’s events in. Petrograd states that the authorities from the first feared to employ troops against the revolutionaries. Fighting between the populace and the police, supported by some Cossacks, was very sanguinary, bid part of the Cossacks sided with the people. When the Superintendent of Police in the Vyborg quarter, ordered the Cossacks to charge, he was cut down. EVENTS PRECEDING THE OUTBREAK. PARIS, March 10. A wireless from Petrograd describes the events leading to the outbreak. After the Duma adopted M. Miliukoff’s motion demanding immediate revictualling, a Council of Ministers was held. M. Rodzianko urged trusting the Zemstvos with revictualling. Prince Galitzin stated that this necessitated a complete remodelling of the laws. M. Rodzianko promised to secure a vote for remodelling, but the Duma was dissolved next day.

STUEMER AND PROTOPOPOFF

COPENHAGEN, March 16,

It is reported that the pro-German cx-Premier M. Stunner, and M. Protopopoff have been murdered. STATEMENT BY ME BONAR LAW. LONDON, March 10. In the House of Commons Sir 11. J. Dalziol asked whether the Government had any information to give the House regarding the wild rumours as to the condition of affairs in Russia. Mr Bonar Law (Chancellor of the Exchequer) said that in a matter of this gravity it was the duty of the Government to give all information possible. Only to-night had the Government received definite information of the happenings in Russia. Rebellion was a serious Rung at any time, not only to the country affected, but to our Allies. The first news the Government had of any serious trouble in Russia came by telegram on Friday night. It simply said that there were disturbances in the streets. Since then there had been daily telegrams, giving more or less tentative information. The Embassy had been unable to send full information, but by degrees it became plain that Petrograd was becoming more or less under ordered rule, that rule being a rule over which the President of the Duma was exercising control. Almost from the outset the soldiers and sailors had taken the Duma’s side in the revolution, the result being, as far as information had reached the Government, that there had nut been any serious loss of life. ’1 ho discontent in Russia was due not to a desire for peace, but because the people were dissatisfied because the war was not being conducted with sufficient energy. Mr Bonar Law added that he would be glad to give a reassuring statement. In what he had said there was some comfort in the comparative tranquillity yitb which the change had been conducted. He had just received a telegram Horn Russia ttating that railway s stud public m-

vices were again working. He appealed to the House not to continue the discussion, and the House adjourned. THE CZAR’S WHEREABOUTS. LONDON, March 16. Mr Bonar Law announced that the Czar’s abdication has not yet taken effect. He added that a regency had been arranged, but the Czar’s whereabouts were unknown. LONDON, March 16. The Central News correspondent at Petrograd wires : It is understood that the soldiers held up the Czar’s train, but the Czar is safe at Pakolf. The Empress is hysterical and the Czarevitch is ill with measles.. Food prices have fallen enormously. RUSSIA’S LIBERATION. LONDON, March 16. The “Morning Post’s” Petrograd correspondent says it is satisfactory to note that concurrently with the revolt against the Government is the determined effort to root out anything suspected of being pro-German. Many German houses were looted and burned. The people declare that the movement will infuse fresh vigour into the war. The soldiers co-operated earnestly and, after the first exhilaration, co-operated in restoring order. Machineguns mounted and armoured fusilacled heavily the Astoria Hotel exclusively occupied by officers from the front with their wives and families, and also by the Allied military representatives, but later it was explained that the fusilading was due to pro-German provocation by firing from a window on the mob. Armed men —soldiers, sailors and civilians—searched the hotel disarming the Russian officers and treating the Allied representatives with respect. There was heavy fighting in the factory quarters for days until the alleged excessive cruelty of the police caused the soldiers and Cossacks to take the side of the people. LONDON, March 18. Mr G. H. Barnes, Minister for Pensions, in a speech at East Ham said ho believed the Russian revolution would prove the chief event on the asset side of the war. The Russian people had made a long stride towards freedom. “More strength to the Duma,” he said. “ May it gather up all that is best in Russian life.” For months Russia had been torn asunder by internal strife; thousands of her soldiers had been sacrificed by the bureaucracy’s rascality and greed, which was as corrupt as existed in any part of the world. He believed the revolution would have a reflex influence on the German bureaucracy and re-echo world-wide. PETROGRAD, March 18.

The Grand Duke Nicholas has_ ordered the release of political prisoners and exhorted the officers to impress on the soldiers and sailors to quietly await the expressed will of the people, obey their lawful chiefs, defend their country, and support the Allies.