The Daily News. SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 1917. THE RUSSIAN UPHEAVAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 March 1917, Page 4

The Daily News. SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 1917. THE RUSSIAN UPHEAVAL.

The news , of tho revolution ''i Russia, iind the consequent abdication of the Czar, cannot fail to produce a profound impression throughout the world. Those who merely take a superficial view of 01 tnts are likely to be excited and farmed at the turn events havi taken in Russia, but there is no justification either for alarm or for anxiety. The re volition is the result of that protracted and bitter struggle between reaction and progress—between bureaucracy and democracy—and the happening of the unexpected turned tho scale in fa-; or of the people. The gathering of the political storm clouds in Russia liai been r'oing on for many years with varying periods of ominous density ar.d flashes of brighter day 3 to come. The one thing needed to consolidate and unify Ibc- Russian, people was some great national danger, and the outbreak of the war with Germany supplied this factor. The history of Russia teems with tempestuous incidents, hut now that tilt •itorm has hurst the marvel is that it should have remained unbroken 50 long, for tho people havo been sorely tried, rigorously repressed, and have nursed il'cir wrongs until the pent-up pile of oppressive enactments and the gross ineptitude of the Government has burst th<> dam of national patience, and opened the way to freedom and popular government; and this has been made possible hy the army .withdrawing iis support from the bureaucrats ar.d championing the cause of the people. Russia luts now emerged from the most vital crisis in its history. The people have triumphed through the dramatic action of their representatives in the Duma, and a new era lias dawned upon this vast nation that is destined tovbecomo the greatest Power in the world. In order to justly estimate the position in its true perspective, it is necessary to trace the trend of the most recent events in Russian politics. But it is of primary importance to note what is the most vital thing in Russian national life at the present time. It is the resolute and unanimous intent to prosecute the war to ■1 successful issue. Russian democracy patiently stood the suffering inflicted upon it by the bureaucrats for the sake of unity and victory, for it is in victory that tho people saw the promise of a new, regenerated country.' That was why the fight for internal political reformation was postponed by all the radical elements in the Empire, in order to win the war, and it is because t the Duma became convinced that t':ie bureaucrats Were more interested in losing than in winning the war that the long-threat-ened upheaval has taken place, and lor J Mit> first time in. ttuiwmn history the

vi!l of tlio people lias become supreme. It is remarkable that the unbridled an- ' tocracy of Boris Sturmer, in repressing the Duma during his Premiership, should have been the chief factor in opening' the way of freedom to the people. A ' reactionary of the strongest dye, he brought Russia to the brink of a, revolution, leaving to his successor the : obloquy of forcing the final plunge. Stunner was a descendant of the Baltic Germans, and was above all others the most dangerous man in Russia to hold the position of Premier. He began his Ministerial career with a drive against the popular forces which were making headway. He tightened the muzzle on the press, made censorship more rigid, curbed publie opinion, and appointed re- ; aelionarics- to the Cabinet, with the result that some Ministries changed heads three or four times in 1013. His fatal ollcnce, however, was that of encroaching on the prerogatives of the Duma, and passing some very obnoxious and revolting measure; without the help of the- Duma, thereby making a dangerous dab at the vitals of the Russian nation, filling the people with rage and rebellion. His placing all meetings and confeienccs under the supervision of the police was regarded as a desire to hamper the progress made by the people towards winning the war. He further fostered the hostility of the people by forcing the resignation of M. Sazanoff (the Foreign Minister), who enjoyed the fullest confidence of the people, and then took over the portfolio himself. This was the final straw, for soon after Sturmer assumed the office rumors of a separate peace between Russia and the Central 'Powers made their appearance, and threatened disaster for the nation Additional anxiety was caused 'by 'he appointment of M. Protopopoff as Minister of Internal affairs—a shrewd, affable, ambitious, spectacular and-vain-glorious politician —who headed the Russian Parliamentary Delegation to the west of Europe, and on the return journev made it his business to confer at Stockholm with the attache of the Ge--r..:in Legation there. Protopopotf proved the mere tool of Sturmer, and became an object of grave suspicion, increased by the fact that the most important posts of the Empire were held by three men strongly suspected of proGermanism. The postponement of the Polish question was another cause productive of irritation and stimulative of the growing intensity of the opposition to the Government. On the top of-all this arose grave economic conditions eo"ser[iipnt' on the failure of the Gov cr'menl. to deal with the problem ot i'ood and other supplies. lamine was threatening the nation, despite the fact that Russia had hundreds of mi 'ion?, of Sui'uhi.s bushels of grain, held back by the peasants, the landlords, and ospeeia'ly the speculators. The prices fixed by the Government wert. too low, and holders would not. sell. A nation never uocciues so dangerous as when sUirvatin'.i is staring it in the free. In one case the governor of u province held back 50,000.000 bushels of grain, only !ivc of them being given over to the 51 my and the rest kept out of reach oi the market. It was at this stage that the Government's incompetence reached :■ revolting point, for the exasperation of tho nation knew no bounds. Stormy scenes in the Duma followed, ail factions aiid groups joining in the attack on the Government, there, being one note ever -present —Sturmer must resign, and a Cabinet having the confidence of the Duma must be appointed—and eventually Stunner resigned. The Duma had won its first real victory, and if was backed by tho army. Trcpoff then became Premier, the food crisis was mitigated, but the political crisis still remamed. In due time Trepoff was succeeded by Prince Golitzini, and the smouldering embers of revolution took new life as the food problem again became acute, and the incapacity or the Government became clearly demonstrated, ;o Unit it Is not surprising that the Duma has at last taken over control and formed a provisional government, the main object of which is to have a Ministry directly responsible to the 'Duma. The storm has burst, and it is sincerely to be hoped the nation will now settle down peacefully and determinedly to accomplish its dominant purpose—the winning of the war.