DUMA'S PIGNUT.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1741, 5 May 1913, Page 8

DUMA'S PIGNUT.

STRIKING INCIDENTS OF ROMANOFF TERCENTENARY. "somebody blt;>:deked. ji St. Petersburg, March 1"-. ' Two incidents in which the President and members of the Duma played a prominent part during the Konu'noff Tercentenary celebration in Russia, are recorded for Die first time. At the solemn service in tho Kazan Cathedral tho members of the Duma were allotted places in the background, far away from the Imperial Family, \yliereas the Councillors of tho Etupiro enjoyed a favoured position. On discovering this M. Kedzianko, President of the Duma, was iudignnit, and without further ado led tho legislators of the Lower House forward in a Ixxly, and they look their stand close to the Senators prcsc-iif, The acting master of the ceremonies protested, but witheut avail. M. Kodziajiko declined to accept thb indignity to which be said tho Duma had been subjected, aud, in almost so many words, tcld tho Court official that he did not know his business, and that the deputies would stop where th?y wore.

The folloving clay, when M. licdzianko <i l i'ivcil At l.lio Will tor Palace to attend the bala banquet', lie found that' ho had irot boon allotted a scat in St. George's lfall, whvi-e llio Imperial table was set. lie told the Master of the Cere ironies that lie would .inly attend the banquet if given a plaeo corresponding to the'dignity oi' the Duma. The 31aster of the Ceremonies hastened to assure him that someone must have made a mistake, and M. Rodzianko sat in St. George's Hall during the banquet. The opinion is undoubtedly growing in Parliamentary circles that systematic of- - forts are lx?ins made to minimise the status, nullify the decisions, and limit the rights of the Duma. Signs are not wanting that the deputies will defend their privileges and prerogatives. For instance, the Octobrists have resolved to conlbat tlio "explanation" of the Senate, which in effect abolishes freedom of speech in the Duma. The Progressists, on their part, have introduced a Bill for the reform of the Council of tho Empire, pointing out that since '.90S the evident aim of that body' has been to block the legislative machinery, and oven to return to the regime condemned by the Imperial manifesto of October, 1905.