WOMAN WHO RULES RUSSIA

Waikato Times, Volume 88, Issue 13432, 10 March 1917, Page 4 (Supplement)

WOMAN WHO RULES RUSSIA

Russia's great war leader is a woman. the Grind Duchess Anastasia, wife of Grand Duke Nicholas Nicholavitch, conqueror of the Turks in Asia, is the backbone of the Government, the driving power of the army, the idol of the people, the soul of the Russian body. "Auntie Nastya," as the Russians call her. exercises a greater power than did Czarina Catherine 11. Grand Duchess Anastasia is the will lie hind the Czar's armies. She is also the brain ; but that matters little—Russia has brains enough, but wills are rare. Sister of Italy's queen and daughter of Montenegro's king. Anastasia from the first resolved that the family connections should fight on Russia's side. To-day "Auntie Nastya" appoints ami dismisses Ministers, runs a munitions campaign, organises voluntceis. fights obstreperous peace fanatics, and keeps the blav ides alive. Married in her teens to the Duke of Leuchtenbcrg, cousin of the Czar, a dull and dissipated man, she spent seventeen years in sorrow, and then resolved to

divorce him and marry Grand Duke Nicholas. The Jloly Synod refused the divorce, all the more became Grand Duke Nicholas long before had secretly married Madame Bomenine. Anastasia u r ot the t'nder Pvoctiror of the Synod removed, and his successor arranged the divorce. Within four months Anastasia married C.rand Duke Nicholas. Nicholas is roush. overbearing, he hates women, and lie has the

strongest will (among men) in Russia. Anasteia's will is just one degree stronger than that of Nicholas. On this oueei basis deep love and respect arc founded. There is no more devotfd pair than Xicholas'and Ana-la 1.1.

Grand Cnhrss Anastasia's hatred of

Austria U old. During a visit to her home at Cet.linje. Anastasia drove to the modest. liuildim; which serves as Ministry for Forev.u Affairs. As she talked to the Minister, in cam" r, lackey from the Austrian I/elation, and bawled, "His Excellency the Austrian Minister wants you at once." That was then diplomatic etiquette at Cettinje. Furious. Anastasia declared" that if her native land stood such humiliation- she would leave it. and never return, and she so woiked on th" .Minister of Foreign Affairs that he put the lackey out

and sent to Austria's diplomat a message which marie an earthquake at Vienna.

Anastasia'* dislike of Austria remains, and to this Hay she would forget all .-cores with Kais-r Wilhelm if she wore onlv in a position to bid Austria's Foreign. Minis ter "come along at once."' Other Russians agree that the war must he prosecuted, but Anastasia sees that it is prosecuted. To her id duo the ammunition scandal. When Russia fell short of ammunition last spring, Minister of War Sukhomlinoff kept the fact to himself, lie had told the Duma in January. 1915. that there were shells enough. 'I he battle of Gorlice-Tarnow proved the contrary. In haste Anastasia ilew to Petrograd, took a room in the Hotel Europe, and organised publicity. She summoned Duma members Aloxeyenko, Petroff and others who might be counted on to make trouble, and gave them all the facts. The Duma members were to make a hi? shell agitation and defy the censor. Xo bureaucrat would dare to touch them. An ultimatum was sent to Sukhomlinoff that the famine in shells must be divulged to the newspapers, or the Duma would divulge it itself. The fads, were divulged, and Sukhomlinoff was thrown out.

Anastasia heard that former Chief of Staff and Assistant War Minister Polivanoff two years before the war broke out had printed a pamphlet predicting that shells would be needed by the million. Sukhomlinoff had used his influence to prevent the pamphlet's publication. Grand Duchess Anastasia resolved that Polivanoff was the right man for War Minister. From a tattered manuscript Anastasia had new prints made and copies were sent to Czar Nicholas, to nil Ministers, and to the Czar's influential courtiers Oiloff, Denisoff. and Voyeikoff. Nicholas 11. was made by her to see that Polivanoff alone had foreseen during ppacp the needs of a war; so he appointed Polivanoff. In shells and other items of equipment Russia's army is to-day well oft'. But Polivanoff could not work without Anas tasia : the skilled workmen took no interest in shell-making. Hands could not be had. Anastasia arranged for workmen delegates to sit on the War Industrial Commissions and themselves exercise control. The flattered workmen volunteered by the thousand : and now nearly every competent man in the Empire, is busy making shells. To diplomatic circles Grand Dnchess

she ai\'nngos the quid pro quo which Russia has to give in exchange for money and credit. In return. Auastaivia exact? agreement* from the Western Allies to keep in the field fixed numbers of men. In London. Paris, and Home An.stasia's band is felt.

('.rand Duchess Ana.stnsia played a role in tbe suppression of her husband, Nicholas, as Commando in-Chief. Astute Anastasia saw that the wai would pass through another stag* unfavourable for Russia ; she expected l! : f ;a. to fall, and she did not see why her husband should be made responsible for others' I,land ers. Nicholas himself wanted the change. The anny had lost confidence in Ins ' Chief of Stall, Vanushkevitch. and Viuiiiskevitch could not In got rid of unless the Commander left with him. Crealei e\cn than Anas tasia's devotion to Russia and the Slavis her devotion u» ; lit- husband who rescued lr-r from the unsympathetit Leuchtenherg. The army loved and loves Nicholas. 'I nice days hefo-e he depaited the grand ducbe.-s anived. put on a cavalryman's uniform and hreechts, and mde with him along the front. The' cheers kill-ed the gun roar. "You will come hack!" .shouted the warriors to their commander, "lie will!" shouted Anastasia. Just now Crand Duchess Anastasia i.s fighting the peace party. Some pei pic say that Anastasia herself rai-.d the peace party foi her o.vn tacti-.al .die.-. But the peace party had b, gun ! -iv\ . Thanks to ("irand Duchcs Anastu.-ia. tlrparty is now entirely sipiashed.

(band Duchess Anastasia get in :..;hii with hr-i friends the Liberals. She flatter* j the Radical party of Professor Miliukoff. promising a real constitution aitci vie lory. -'l'lie peace 11.en. she say;. u;e all! reactionaries; and they want petui to-dav I meiily because they could then dotio'v what little constitution there i.s. "Auntie Na.-tya." who so runs l!e-.-;a. and so influences Russia's Allies, is a middle-sued, dark-haired, ami ,\ellow faced woman, whose abilities cU'.d iittrae lions arc all inside. She is good humoured and fussy; and if she had not been bom royal would have made a ...oed niana.gei for a hotel. She has all the accomplishments which the other daughters . ; King Nicholas of Montenegro pr.ssess separately. She can ride as well a,- Queen Elena. who is the best horsewoman in Italv : and she can feme better than h«r sistei Militsa who fifteen years ago beat all l'etiograd's women fencers. Sue can play ,„, s j x instruments: play chess; and shoot with a revolver. She can walk thirty miles a day. She speaks Serbian. Russian. English. French. Italian. Herman, and modern Creek: and when the Albanian kingdom was established .-lie set to learning Albanian "for amn.-ement." She fears nothing on eatth. Since (Irand Duke Nicholas has commnnd.<l in the Caucasus, she has ridd.ll around the Russian post" tions: twice got under fire: and once watched with composure a. Turkish airman scattering bombs. Sometimes. Grand Duchess Anastasia blunders, she meddled disastrously in the quarrel which cost the able General Ru/ski his post :| * commander on the I'etn »;rad front. She is fallible. But if Russia can produce twenty other individuals with hei nerve, brain, and ruthlessnc.s?, Russia will win. If Russia lose, it will not be "Auntie Nastva's fault."