RUSSIA’S PERIL.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 13 September 1917, Page 6

RUSSIA’S PERIL.

WHO IS TO RULE? URGENT NEED OF A COMPROMISE. LONDON, Sept 10. Mr Harold Williams, telegraphing from Petrograd, says: The most nrgent tas kbefore the rulers to to effect a compromise between the conflicting elements in the army. One stands for the restoration of discipline in the form of the complete subordination of the lower grades in the army to the higher. The .other insists on the retention of army committees, political comissaries and the limitation of the functions of officers and the higher command to the purely technical sphere of military operations. The conflict between the elements has been increasingly acute during the last few days and has taken every undesirable form of dispute between the coiftmissaries and the Headquarters staff regarding the causes of the Riga retreat. The commissaries accuse the staff of exaggerating the cowardice of the troops. The “Novoya Vremya” actually accuses the high command of• intentionally abandoning Riga in order to frighten the public opinion into the acceptance of repressive measures. Thus far there has been great confusion between the respective factions of the military authorities, the commissaries and the “committees. In a few cases the' three authorities have worked in harmony, but more frequently .one authority has overstepped the bounds to the great Injury of discipline and efficiency, many commissaries indulge in harmful demagogy. Regimental committees have done great service among the •tftoops, preventing insubordination and excess. Their position resembles trade unions, but the position is precarious as they are liable to reelection any moment if a new agitation appears, or the soldiers suspect the committee cf being too intimate with the officers. It is apparently impossible to abolish politics from the army. Korniloif therefore proposes a middle course, whereby the committees wiL remain but their functions shall be 7 clearly defined. They shall not be allowed to interfere with military operations or the appointment or dismissal of officers. It is equally necessary to find a means cf enforcing authority in the soldiers’ training depots. The men do no drill, and live comfortable, idle lives, exposed to various forms of extremist agitaTTon, and when sent to the front are useless owing to lack of training. They only spoil good regiments and in-

create the army’s demoralization. Armed bands of reservists are sometimes the centres of brigandage and rapine, but the bulk of the men are decent, peaceable fellows. Bitter experience of abuses of liberty proves the necessity for re-establisi-hng the death penalty. RUSSIANS HOLDING UP ATTACKS. ACTIVITY IN THE BALTIC. LONDON, Sept. 11. "Wireless Russian Official—ln the direction of the Riga and in the region of Pshov, our rearguards arc holding back attacks on the Burtnk line. Enemy ft planets' in (the Baltic dropped forty tons on the Tzerl batteries, without result. Sixteen air machines twice attacked our torpedoers in the Riga Gulf, but occasioned no damage. Enemy minesweepers are working at the entrance to the Riga Gulf. . KERENSKY’S .PROCLAMATION.. HORNILOFF AND LUKOMOSKY. DECLARED TRAITORS. POSSIBILITY OP CIVIL WAR. LONDON, September 10. A Petrograd wireless says: Kerensky has despatched a message to the military and civil Authorities throughout Russia declaring that General Korniloff had betrayed the Fatherland and the Revolution, and that Lukomsky was also a traitor and had refused to the Provisional Government's order to take over General Korniloff’s command, indicating the possibility of civil war on the front. Korniloff would be punished for treachery and the Government were taking measures to prevent Korniloff directing detachments. The Petrograd Workmen’s Committee suggests that the army and navy refuse to obey Korniloff’s and Lukorasky’s orders.

COSSACKS TO ASSIST KERENSKY. PETKOGEAD, September 11. A denotation of Cossacks assr—-'d M. Kerensky that the Cossacks would do their utmost to settle the dispu+c between Korniloff and the Provisional Government, in order to avert civil war. The deputation goes to the army

headquarters with this otgiect after reaching an agreement with Kerensky. FURTHER DETAILS. TERMS OF THE PROCLAMATION. LONDON, September 10. Another wireless from Petrograd gives the following details of Kerensky’s proclamation: Korniloll; on Saturday sent Prince Lvoff to demand that the Provisional Government should hand over to Korniloflf all civil and miltary powers in ordef~lacu’ he might form a new Government. Korniloff telephoned me later confirming the demand. The Provisional Government considered that Koriy&)fT’s demand indicated that certain circles of Russian society desired to profit by the coun-

try’s grave condition, and to establish a contrary Revolution. The Provisional Government empowered me to take immediate dje.cisivfe measures to cut short at the root all attempts to encroach on th e citizen’s rights, won by the Revolution. AH necessary measures to safeguard freedom and order are being taken. I order Korniloff to surrender the functions of commander-in-chief to Klembovsky( who is commanding on the northern front, barring the way to Petrograd. Klembovsky will remain at Pskov. I declare the city and district of Petrograd in a state of war and call upon the citizens to remain absolutely calm and maintain the order necessary to preserve the Fatherland, and I appeal to all members of the army and the fleet to rigorously and calmly fulfil their duties in defending the Fatherland against an external foe. PLOTTERS FOR SWEDEN. STOKHOLM, Sept. 10, M. Badnajoff (the ex-Czar’s secretary), Generol Gourko, Mademoiselle \ or.obova (ex-lady in waiting),, and several others implicated in the plot in favour of the Czar are now in Finland. They are going to Sweden,

SW'EDISH PRESS VIEWS. AMERICAN GOVERNMENT DENOUNCED. STOCKHOLM, Sept. 10. Conservative journals, except the Wagblad, are silent regarding the revelations. The 1 Wagblad doesn’t yf'jtempt to extenuate the breach of neutrality, and denounces American agents for stealing the cypher and intercepting telegrams. It declares that if these charges ar e correct, America’s attitude is discourteous. If Mr. Lansing aims at exposing Germano-Swed-ish relations his action appears to be a grave insult against our Government.