Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-09
CIVIL WAR THREATENED.
Russian Zemstvos Address Gear in
Remarkably Bold Tone.

The voice of the delegates of the zemstvos
and municipalities demanding In no uncer-
tain tone the immediate convocation of a
national assembly to pass upon the question
of peace or war, to heal internal strife and
to unite the people for the rejuvenation of
Russia will be heard in the address adopted
by the all-Russian zemstvo congress at Mos
COW. which a deputation. headed by Count
Hayden and M. Shipoff, is bringing to pre-
sent to the emperor. The document bids
fair to become historic. The customary
phrases of respect at the opening and the
closing are omitted, and it is otherwise un-
ceremonious, employing the direct personal
pronoun.
The address arraigns the bureaucracy and
reminds the emperor that his pledge to con-
woke a national assembly is slow of fulfill
ment 1t says the country is on the verge
of civil war, and even ventures to critfcise a
royal measure, contrasting the increase of
the police power by the ukase issued Sum-
day with weakening of the administrative
process which the country had cen led to
expect.
The address urges the summoning of a ma
tional assembly, that the war may become
national or cease, and concludes with a SOL
emn reminder of the soyereign's duty to God
and the fatheriand. and a prayer for action
before it Is too late.
There is intense interest to learn whether
the emperor will receive the bearers of so
bold a measure, couched in terms such as
have never before been used between the
emperor and his subjects. The address is
buttressed with a stream of petitions from
individual zemstvos and municipalities.
The doumas of nearly all the principal
cities have addressed the throne prayinp
that the representatives Of the people be
summoned at once.
The address adopted at Moscow is a
lengthy document, from which the follow
ing are extracts:
Sire Russia has been drawn into a dis
rrro -fv-,tv
ligence of your counselors
Our army Is pOwerlesS and our feet has
been annihilated. but more menacing than
this exterior peril is the prospect of a civil
war waged by your people against all the
Vices of a dangerous and ignorant bureau
cracy."
Proceeding. the address declares that the
eniperor's reform Intentions have been dis
torted and miScarried, while the police have
been given unrestricted power.
Martial law has been declared" the ad-
dress says. land the path to enable the
truth to reach you is BARRED to your sub
the welfare of Russia. command a conv0ca-
ton Of representatives of tho nation, elect
ed by equal franchise. and let these elected
represe natives decide with you the vital
question of war or peace. thus Transforming
the war into national one Let
them establish. in agreement with you.
renovated national organization. . =
Sire. don't delay. Great Is your RESPONSE
bility before God and before Russia In this
terrible hour OF national trial
The address will not be rsabsished IN the
newspapers, but its ssontents will Sc spread
with the mysterious rapidtsy characteristic
of Russia.
Throughout the address the word ..mai-
esty' Is not used. ana there Is not single
conventional expression Of loyalty.