STORY OF RUSSIAN COUP.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 April 1917, Page 6

STORY OF RUSSIAN COUP.

A "PAINLESS" REVOLUTION. ARMY. OFFICERS' SECRET ORGANISATION. , London, March 21. The Daily Telegraph's Petrograd correspondent, in a message dated last Thursday, says that the revolution was not serious until last Saturday and Sunday, when the bulk of the workmen joined in. Even then Mere was an almost complete absence of violence. The troops wliich the Government called out to parade the streets were constantly cheered by the crowds. Tire attitude of the troops should have been a warning to the Government. ■

Only on Sunday dfd the police, with a few soldiers, begin firing, killing and wounding about.2oo. There was a dis-' pute - on Sunday evening among the regiments which had fired. One regiment of Guards on Monday killed one.or two oft';cers wiio bad ordered them to fire. Another regiment,, which the Government sent to reduce the Guards who had revolted, took the revolters' side. These regiments, wbich were speediiy joined by a third, stormed the arsenal, freed political prisoners* from the prisons, and set fire to the Central Court.

Thus armed, the revolutionaries began shooting. Thin was almost entirely against the police, who had machine gun's posted on the of high buildings, and constantly fired on the crowd.

The Duma on Monday evening presented an extraordinary eight, and became the centre of the 'whole movement. 'Regiment afte." regiment, led by sergeants, came up a::d offered to help. Boy and girl students ran on various errands, and veteran soldiers obeyed them. Arrested policemen wore dragged in, and imprisoned with better-known reactionaries. The soldiers meanwhile were restloss without their officers, but the colonels and others began to return on Tuesday. Soon all the commanding officers of the Petrograd garrison and General Staff joined the' movement. The soldiers displayed jubilation, filing at sparrows and joy-riding in commandeered motor cars, but the freedom from disorder was noteworthy, being due to the absenco of vodka. 'Red ribbons were I seen everywhere, fixed to the lances, rifles and caps of the troops. There were many processions, usually headed by flags inscribed "Liberty, Equality and Fraternity." .

The Dagens Nyheder (Copenhagen) states that at noon on March 10 a rumor was spread in Petrograd that steps would bo taken to remove the Government. A thousand people gathered outside 111. Rodzianko's home, where a great Liberal conference .was proceeding. All tiie leaders were present, including Polivanoff, the military leader of the re-' volution. The "Retch" on Sunday announced, that the Duma had beon dissolved. -Rioting began on Sunday night. Chabolov, the city's military commandant, left for headquarters in a special train early on Monday. The ..garrison, left without a commander, joined the revolutionists, ■ who, by mid-day, had seized all the railway stations, post offices and Ministers' houses. Then the real organised revolution commenced.

A Russian official in London, interviewed by the "Morning Post"'stated that ever since the pro-Germans showed their hands, the army officers had bad a secret union, and have .been distributing pamphlets and making verbal statements to their men. The army no longer was commanded by the old type of officers, but. like the £ew British army, was controlled by .middle-class men. Knowing the country's circumstances, they resolved on a painless revolution to kick out the Government. The official suggested, 15 conclusion, that what Russia happily has done will.lead to a revolution in Germany.

OLD REGIME AT WORK. • INSIDIOUS PROCLAMATION) STIRRING UP EXTREMISTS. (Delayed Cable.) London, March 21. A most important cablegram from a Times correspondent •at Petrograd throws light on the anxious situation in Russia. He cabled on Thursday, at midnight, that the work of mischievous, demagogues and agents provocateur of the old regime, who appeared to hold their insidious operations (behind the backs of the patriots, rendered the appointment of a Government enjoying the confidence and support of the elements imperative. It was impossible to await formalities concerning the Czar's abdication. Had the Czar not delayed his decision, things would have been much easier, and tlie situation was less critical, but he held out for a considerable time. Therefore, M. Rodzianko was compelled on Thursday to appoint a Ministry which does not derive its authority from the Sovereign. Late on Wednesday an incendiary document, entitled an order purportng to be signed by the Council of Labor deputies and soldiers' delegates, summoned the troops to disregard the authority of the officers of the Duma, and assume charge. This act of direct provocation has been most disastrous. Today M. Kei'enski (Minister for Justice) persuaded the Socialist leader (M. Gheidzke), who is president of the Labor deputies, to repudiate the document. It was discovered to be a treasonable pronouncement wliich had been mysteriously printed and circulated wholesale. It was even posted in the lobbies of the Duma by secret emissaries of the old regime. To educated minds it wns clearly an attempt to disrupt Russia's armed forces and bring ignoble, surrender to the Germans, but, unhappily, the masses of the soldiers and the people were not sufficiently educated to appreciate this under the stress of revolutionary excitement.

M. Kerenski has issued an emphatic categorical decree, which M. Cheiidzke supports, ordering the soldiers to obey their officers. The Minister declares: "The printers and distributors o,f the document would be treated as traitors.

"Obviously the Labor Council has arrogated to itself importance to wliich it is in nowise entitled. The- workers were not responsible for the downfall of the regime. This was not the reanlt of strikes or of Socialist propaganda. The whole of the people simply clamored for 'bread,' which an incapable Government was unable to supply., -,

prefision failed, because the troops refused to fire, wheh led to the break-up of Government authority. The revolution was therefore clearly the work of the army. Now irresponsible bands ol demagogues are endeavoring to operate with the soldiers' delegates in an underhand game, the stakes of which is Russia's prestige. The dream of ;i democratic repxiblic, founded upon the defeat of Russian arms, and inevitable starvation, would bring us through seas of blood to certain reaction. We have already bad a taste of the freedom prescribed' by these theorists. They forbade compositors to work daily newspapers, because these refused to publish their wild lucubrations, with the result that newspapers are still not being published, and the atmosphere is full of the foetid vapor arising from the blood of victims." .

The reappearance of newspapers on Friday made it clear, that the people had turned their attention toward the war. Moscow and the provinces enjoyed newspapers throughout the revolution, andjjiave a better .perspective of the situation. M. Rodzianko appeared In tlie streets on Friday, and received an ovation. Huge crowds of young and old civilians and soldiers followed bint everywhere. General Kpenilov has been appointed Commander of Petrograd. The troops are extremely popular, particularly the heroes of the war, who fotfght against desperate odds in the retreat from tlie Carpathians and escaped after, untold hardships from an Austrian prison. On Saturday the English cloth mills, employing 10,000 hands on army work, reported that the employoes were quiet and disciplined, but feared to return to work until the Labor Council agreed. The majority of the industrial concerns are in a similar position. The Grand Duke Michael's manifesto does credit to his qualities of heart and mind. No.doubt he will be elected Czar by an overwhelming majority. Orthodoxy and Czardom are indissoluble the base of Russian mentality, but until the elections the Provisional Government must continue.

The Provisional Government is not yet able to enforce authority against the extrinists.

It has bnen announces by the Czar that ho signed a ukase*- appointing Prince Lvoff as Prime Minister before his abdication. Thus legal difficulties have been removed.

The immense popularity of the Grand Duke Nicholas, and enthusiastic admiration for General Alexieff have relieved anxiety at the front.