SENSATION IN RUSSIAN DUMA

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2935, 22 November 1916, Page 7

SENSATION IN RUSSIAN DUMA

SEPARATE PEACE MOVE REVEALED

MEMBERS OF THE COURT AND GOVERNMENT

INDICTED

(By Tolegraph—Press Association—Copyright) i Australian-New Zealand Cable Association. Rcc. November 21, 10.30 p.m.)

■'''.'" ' ';■ ..'.',- London,. November 21. The "Daily_Chronicle" says: "The Russian political/crisis is explained by a speech wliich M. Milukoff, Leader of the Constitutional Democratic Party, delivered in the Duma, and which was suppressed, but mimeographed copies are now in circulation in Petrograd.and Moscow. In the course of his speech he revealed a plot by Pro-German members of the Court to foster the idea of a separate peace with Germany, in which plot many Ministers were implicated. The effect of the speech in the Duma, was extraordinary. Ministers did not dare to face M. Milukoff's attack. Only the Ministers for War' and the Navy remained in the Duma Hall. M. Petropopoff, the new Minister for the Interior and Leader of the Pro-German Party, is aiming at a Rn6so-German peace for defending the interest of tho banks, which are closely connected with the Deutsche Bank. M. Petropopoff represent the Russian bureauracy, wliich fears that the crushing of Prussia will mean : the end of bureaucratic power. Tho bureaucrats are chiefly recruited from [ the Baltic provinces, which are more allied to Prussia than to Russia. j The Minister for War and the Minister for the Navy now have openly dissociated themselves from their colleague's and proved that they 'themselves are ready to co-operate in a "bloc" to prevent a patched-up peace. The Minister for War indicated that Generals Alexieff, Rusky, and Brusiloff hold the 'same view, showing that four millions of bayonets were now behind the ■progressive bloc in the Duma. Tho bloc has another strong weapon in the food problem, which demands immediate settlement. Further political problems are awaited with anxiety. It is possible that M. Milukoff will he prosecuted. TThe "Daily Chronicle's" correspondent at Petrograd reported on November 16 that the Duma had resumed. Tho speeches in both Houses emphasised the necessity for fighting to a victorious finish. The only severe criticism of tho Government was aimed at removing causes which prevented the nation, from developing its full energies to win the war.- A member of tho Right characterised tho advocates of a separate peace as State criminals. The main theme of the speeches dwelt on the necessity of bringing flic Government into closer touch with Russian public opinion.] [An interesting article on "The- German Canker, "in Russia" appears in another column.]