RUSSIAN SITUATION GLOOMY MESSAGES.

Waikato Times, Volume 88, Issue 13487, 18 May 1917, Page 5

RUSSIAN SITUATION

GLOOMY MESSAGES.

THE RESIGNING GENERALS. PEASANTS AND THE LAND. DEMAND A SHARE. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn). Received Mav 18, 9.50 a.m. PETItOGRAD, May 17. The Government has not accepted the resignations of Generals Brussiloff and Gurko. A conference of south Russian peasants demands the abolition of private land, and a share in tlie Government land with the soldiers and workmen. thb coalition * ,n,stry - FORECAST OF PERSONNEL. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn.) Received May 18, 10.50 a.m. COPENHAGEN, May 17. A forecast of the personnel of the Russian Coalition Government is as follows : Prince Lvoff, Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior. M. Mih'ukoff, Minister for Foreign Affairs. M. Kerenski, Minister for War. M. S'hingo, Minister for Finance. Either General Skobeleff (VicePresident of the Workers and Soldiers' Council) or Admiral Kolichak, who is commanding the Black Sea fleet, will be appointed to the Navy. Socialists will be appointed to almost all the other portfolios.

INCOMPETENCE OF LEADERS. INCAPABLE TO GOVERN. Received May 18, 1.20 p.m. LONDON, May 17. The Morning Post's Petrograd correspondent has sent two gloomy messages. The first, dated May 14th, says that what was forseen two months ago is now materialising with appalling rapidity. The men who spent nearly the whole of their lives in political agitation against any existing form of government are proving themselves incapable of governing and are quite unequal to the double demands made by a foreign war and internal anarchy. After two months of cheap jubilation, all European Russia has become like a jellyfish, at the mercy of the winds and waves. Even the bread problem is unsolved, and has actually gone from bad to worse with disorganisation of food and other supplies, and the steady exodus of the inhabitants from Petrograd, Russia seems to be rolling in money. The commonest forms of labour is paid for at astounding rates. The municipal street sweepers are paid at the rate of £3OO per annum, and the streets are worse than ever. -ae peasants in the country have seized all the land they want. The army is ruled by a company of regimental and divisional committees,* who freely discuss the orders of their superiors. The correspondent adds, "Amidst this pendemonium of freedom all things throughout Russia seem likely to go under. The war appears to be forgotten, and a miracle must come soon to be in time." The second message, dated the fifteenth, s-ta'es that the workmen and soldiers have been summoned to a full council to consider the coalition question; but whatever happens matters can hardly be worse, because the late Ministers' orders were altered and cancelled. TL (May resulting must be fatal. Though General Brussiloff and Gurko's resignations have not been accepted, their retirement is only a matter of time, and Prince Alexieff's position is unstable. It is possible to hold two opinions regarding Russia's home interests and the revolution, but, regarding Russia's share in the war no two opinions can be held anywhere. Unless a miracle happens Russiiw is out of the war, and Germany has a free hand in France, leaving Russia to be dealt with at leisure.

FUTURE OF GERMAN COLONIES LORD ROBERT CECIL'S STATEMENT APPROVAL IN AMERICA. lAustralian and N.Z. Cable Assn.) Received May 18, 2 p.m. WASHINGTON, Maf 17. It is stated unofficially that Lord Robert Cecil's re-statement of the Allies' war aims is generally approved, particularly the remark that it is not likely that Germany's colonies will be handed back owing to the atrocities committed there.