RUSSIA NTREASON TRIAL.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume XLV, Issue XLV, 16 November 1917, Page 1

RUSSIA NTREASON TRIAL.

At the recent trial of ■General Soukhomlinoff, former Minister of War at Petrograd, and his wife, who were charged respectirely with high treason and with complicity in the crime,- a startling denunciation of M. Soukliomlinoff was made by M. Eodzianko (President of the Duma), whose testimony amounted to a direct accusation against the former.War Minister. M. Eodzianko testi r fled that even long before the war M. Soukhomlmofi's activity alarmed the Duma, which perceived his muiinal negligence in the organisation of the army. M. SoukhomliHoff, he said, always showed contempt for the Duma, and when the situation at the front became threatening owing to the lack of ammunition, and the Duma, sounded the alarm and appealed to the workers, M. Seukhonilinoft at first feigned great interest, butsoon began to oppose a systematic resistance to the efforts of the deputies for a betterment of conditions. This resistance aggravated the terrible situation of the army, itself compelled to fight without arms. In March, former -Grand' Duke Nicholas declared that a continuation of the war under these conditions was becoming impossible. "I then went to Galicia," added M. Rodziauko, " and what I saw there filled ■me with terror.' I affirm, that the responsibility for the enormous losses we suffered during the retreat falls entirely upon Souklioniluiofi. A committee of defence was created to investigate the situation, and immediately established' Soukhomh'noff's culpn■bility. 1 then appealed to the former Tsar. and persuaded him to convoke the Duma and dismiss Souldionilinoff."--'SSL Gutehkoff; President of the third Duma, a long statement to the effect that as early as 1908 the Duma realised that Russia was on the eve of important events, for the reports o.f all Russian "military attaches agreed concerning the Austro-German war preparations. The -members of the Duma also believed that if Soukhomlinoff remained in power Russia would be taken by surprise. The woman was acquitted.