The Dominion. FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 1917. THE NEW REGIME IN RUSSIA

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3035, 23 March 1917, Page 4

The Dominion. FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 1917. THE NEW REGIME IN RUSSIA

It is doubtful if any great Nation ha-B ever recovered bo quietly from the first Btages of the shock of revolution as Itussia appears to have done, and never has a- political change of such magnitude been made 'with so little bloodshed. Yet it is clear .that the situation still gives grounds for some anxiety. It is satisfactory to have the definite assurance that the new Government realises the supreme importance of carrying the war to a victorious, conclusion with all possible speed, but there are disturbing influences at work which may hamper their efforts. Information contained in the newspapers which arrived by the last _ English mail indicates that conditions in Russia had reached breaking: point many weeks ago, and that the moderate reformers were having difficulty even then in restraining the extremists. From' the beginning of the year one event after another had paved the way for the startling climax which has now been reached._ The Duma had been asserting itself for some time before the . culmination of the crisis. Strong articles on internal politics had beon'appearing in the leading newspapers. The nomination of eighteen reactionary members to.tjie Council of Empire and the quashing of the Mpscow municipal elections evoked emphatio and widespread protests. This, policy of blind opposition to the public opinion of the country naturally stirred up bitter resentment. The ■appointment of Peince Galitzinb as-Prime Minister was'another unpopular step. The Tsar's rescript to this reactionary Minister enunciated some admirable principles, but, as the Times correspondent remarked, it afforded no response to ■lie insistent demand clearly voiced by the representatives of the nation and re-echoed by the people and the Army for a responsible Government,. which was obviously unattainable so lfing as the most influential Ministers remained unacceptable to the 1 general public. Seventeen of -the highest and' most influential persons in the Empire drew up a memorandum urging the abandonment of the old system of irresponsible government, and the Press called for radical changes, pointing to the example of Britain and France, who under stress of war had adopted nbw forms and methods at variance with their traditions, with the greatest benefit to the common cause. But the Tsar was obdurate and uncompromising, and, as we now know, his_ inexplicable obstinaoy cost him his throne. The leaders of the reform movement were, no doubt,, well aware of the danger of making far-reach-ing Constitutional changes while the country was in the midst of a great war; but they could not shut their eyes to those malign influences in high places which were paralysing the nation's fighting arm. The Novoe Vremya spoke out very emphatically on this point, and declared that

the patriotic enthusiasm which tho nation manifested at the beginning of the war and all the practical demonstrations of this spirit displayed in the public elforts to develop tho supply of munitions, and in every way to co-operato with the Army, have merely been intimidated by order of tho bnreaucracy which saw in them ft danger to its monopoly of the Government.

The result was that popular enthusiasm subsided, tho expected union of all for the war was not fully realised, and the breach between the nation and its rulers grew wider and wider. A situation was thus created which made a revolution almost inevitable. The difficulty which now confronts the new Government is to carry out its programme with such promptness aud thoroughness as to avoid dividing the country into two hostile camps. Tho Potsdam gang has received a sharp rebuff., but it has not been exterminated, and it will assuredly do its utmost to incite the extremists to make demands which cannot bo granted. The Provisional j Government is, of: course, antiI fierm&B out and out, and it Jiaa the,

f'>il support of tho vast majority of the people in its determination to prosecute the war with the utmostcnergy. But it is an extremely difficult matter to control a revolution and wage war at the same time.- The trouble which confronts the Government arises less from the reactionaries who have been defeated than from the extravagant demands of the extreme Socialists and anarchists, who have been associated with the revolutionary Movement. It is doing its utmost to mollify this section and prevent the country from being torn and weakened by internal discord. But there is always the danger that a revolutionary movement onoe started cannot be checked when its leaders would desire to check it. The Government has appealed to the Army to fight on, but complete success cannot be achieved unless the offorts of the soldiers are backed up by a united and resolute'people. We are told that order and reason are now gaining ground, and there is_ justification for the belief that with the provision made for ample food supplies and the adherence of tho troops to the proposals and programme of the new Government, the efforts of the extremists may be successfully countered and. something like normal conditions soon bo restored.