The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1916. RUSSIA'S ONWARD MARCH.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 83, 4 November 1916, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1916. RUSSIA'S ONWARD MARCH.

Russia's great successes both in the Carpathian and Caucasus fields con- I tinue notwithstanding every German j effort to prevent the advance of the Czar's soldiers. Russia, quite natur- j ally, is jubilant in a quietly subdued manner, over her splendid victories, | and is' s experiencing a change in her j national life. Barriers are gradually! being broken down, and the day of a greater democracy is surely dawning. | The Petrograd Dyen recently wrote! on this awakening, and pointed oU'fi| that the first year of the war wis; characterised by great sacrifices on I the part of the Russian people. The wave of patriotism that swept with hitherto unknown force across the, country in the early days of the conflict inspired the people with a desire ( to l)e the forgers of their own destiny. The challenge, thrown out to the Russian government, was taken up as a challenge to the empire and the various nationalities comprising it who had identified their cause with that of the government. Therein, the Dyen contends, lies the significance of these times, and goes on to say that the psychology of a nation is a strange and complex phenomenon, and abounds !' in paradoxes. The customary state of Russian society is that of opposition to individuals and institutions identiifvnd with government machinery. At j tie beginning of the war Russian soc- ! u>ly changed its attitude and calmly j agreed to let the government work : out its plans of self-defence. The prevailing opinion was that ii would be a blunder and a tragedy for all ! concerned to oppose the government ! in such times of crisis. Therefore it was given free rein and allowed to work out its own salvation, the ueoI pie's voice being scarcely heard. The j terrific blows showered upon Russia in the latter part of the first year of the ! war and at the beginning of the sec- ' oud awakened the people from their 1

lethargy, and they began to realise I the importance of co-operation ;ind the ' mobilisation of nil the vast social forces within the empire. This patriotic movement, the result of the awakening, at first took form in a general J mobilisation of industry, followed by j a large number of so-called militaryi industrial committees, local, provinj cial, and central. These organisations have played a great part in Russia's system of national defence. They also

have enlarged their scope considerably. The sessions of the duma were characterised by more spirited debates than ever before, and the progressive elements grasped the opportunity of pushing through several reforms and forming a strong coalition against the reactionary elements in and out of parliament. In conclusion, the Pctrograd journal says: "Now that the initiative lias been wrested from the Teutons and has been as-j sumed by our allies and ourselves, wo feel that our main objects have been accomplished. The utilisation of this advantage, however, depends largely on the extent and duration of our aggressiveness and the continuance of our enthusiasm."