IN THE DUMA.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 4, Issue 107, 12 November 1915, Page 3 (Supplement)

IN THE DUMA.

jtrSSU s WAK Of'FMJE FAILURE. BUKHOMLINurF ]ATTACKED. L Mr. Hamilton Fyfe sends a picturaccount to the "Daily Mail" row retrograd of the historic scene at he War Session of the Russian Duma. "Sumoned to meet on the anmverary of the outbreak of war, tho memfere of the Duma took no heed of the act that this fell upon o Sunday, [here was a great crowd round tho riests in their magnificent robes of tiff silk, and when the president rang Is bell and declared the War Session

pen there were, except on the Exreme Left, where the Extreme Radv lis sit, scarcely any vacant seats. " Let us look round the Legislative 'hamber before the sitting begins. It i in shape like the French Chamlier of •eputies. Imagine a large oblong hall, a the middle of the side which faces ou as you enter is the President's ins. Thero he sits, raised above everyne else with a Vice-President on either ido of him. Below him is the plat>rm for the orator who is addressing bo House. No member speaks from i 6 place. He goes, to the 'tribune.' [ere he is a little above his audience, rhich makes speaking more easy, it lso makes him more easily heard. "Most of the priestly members are n the Extreme Right. Here sits the arty which opposes all change. At rat sight the desks in this quarter apear to be occupied entirely by ecelesistics. They look very fine in the'r issocks of blue or grey mulberry silk, 'ith gold or silver chains round their ecks and crosses on their breasts, lost of them are big men, broad as ell as tall, with a solid dignity which Jems to defy the world to alter. Here rvlr. Rodzianke, President of the luma, burly himself, more than comlon tall, with a noble voice and pracised oratory, declaring in his opening is course that not only have there been hanges in the Ministry of late, bui fiat the whole spirit of the Adminls■ation has become different. "Before Mr. Rodzianko begins his leech he reads the Tsar's summons to le Duma and calls for the National nthem. It is sung with good effect, hen he points dramatically to a acant place, and_ bids the assembly onour, by standing in silence, the temory of one of their number who ied from enteric fever while serving ith the Red Cross. A reference to le loyal co-operation of Russia 6 Ales raises a hearty cheer and all the tembers turn round towards the box here the Ambassadors sit. Sir George uchanan and tho French, Italian, and ppanes> representatives stiuyl up in row and bow their acknowledgments. " The private members have their mings, and devoto it to a denunciation f the War Office. "All parties are agreed that the hilty officials in the War Office must 8 brought to justice. The resolution emanding their heads is to be proosed not l»y a Radical, but by a ™e m " er of the Conservative Party. This lember, Count Bobrinski, soon has Ins udience cheering and laughing, too. [e is vigorous, eloquent, down-right, have proof here that the Artillery epartment on 18th June replied to a ►munication from the Council of Comerce and Industry concerning army ipplies that it could do nothing until ie council sent two roubles for the scuments to be stamped!" » e call son tho Government to abandon rcdipe methods and work energetically ir the armv.' 'Let us remember the idfc of Hindenburg, that the nation firHi shows most character will win. "Then follows speech after speech in ie some vein. Some are sarcastic. >me are charged with bitter invective. 11 aro to the same purpose. Not one jputy defends the Government. 'Do ot think it is enough,' cries .Uiliu»ff, the man who is best known irond as Russia's reform statesman, hat you hare dismissed the Minister ir War. This will not satisfy either ie army or tho people. There must i a legal investigation. Those who •e responsible for our shortage of inuitions must Uo punished, however hi{;l lev may have stood before. "It is against General bukhomUnotf lat the speeches are mainly directed, [e had a great reputation. He was ipposed to have reorganised the •my. Someone called Inn 'the Rus an Kitchener." Now there is 'none , poor to do him reverence. Not a jice raised to excuse him.