The daily morning journal and courier., 1905-12-18
FINAL STRUGGLE IN
 RUSSIA IS IMMINENT
WITTE PREPARES AND GIVES ALMOST DICTATORIAL POW-
 FRS TO GOVERNORS.

WOrIzmen's Council and League of
 Leagues Issue Declaration of a Gen.
 erRI Strike-GOvernment Fully Ex-
 poets PrOIetariat to Give Blow for
 Blow and Thus Answer the Recent
 Wholesale Arrests-TerrOrIsts Hold
 Secret Meeting-Witte's Life Supp
 posed to be in Danger.
 St. Petersburg, Dec. 17.-Apprehen- sion is convulsing Russia. While the government claims it has given battle only to the red" reVolutiOnists, the populace generally believes that the white terror has returned. Already the leaders of the preIetaria organiza- tions who escaped capture Saturday night at the economic society, and even men of the rank of Prof. Milukoff, are in hiding from the police, who are hunting them down. The government evidently anticipates g. battle royal and has made it's dispositions accordingly. It fully understands that the proIe- tariat will give blow for blow and thus answer the wholesale arrests.
 IIlG NsOut1Idl c%Llu lllC League of Leagues Saturday night is sued declaration of a general strike to begin immediately, and consequent ly by an imperial ukase published this morning all governors general and pre- fleets throughout the empire who are cut off by telegraph are clothed with almost dictatorial powers, being au- thorlzed, without consulting St. Pet ersburg, to declare a state of siege and if necessary, even martial law. As most of the provincial authorities are reactionary officials of the old regime the advantage they will take of such power to terrorize the populace can be easily imagined. They will be in posi- ton to become petty tyrants and wage war each in his own particular fashion against the revolutionists.
 Although practically all the ringlead- CTS of the proletariat organization were arrested Saturday night the resource fitness of the council Of workmen was proved by the fact that in less than an hour a new council, the head of which is M. Lenient, editor of New Life, had replaced the old and elected officers?
 The editors of the newspapers sus- pended for publishing the proletariat organizations manifesto including the famous M.. Hessen of the Prayo.. were. with the single exception of Professor Milukoff, who managed to evade arrest, taken into custody. M. souvorin, editor of the Russ, furnished $5,GO0 bail and was released.
 In addition to the general strike 1t is expected that the revolutionarias will have recourse to the old methods of fighting the government. It is stated that the terrorist organization held a meeting in he small hours of this morning.
 Count Witte's life is consiedred to be In danger and the annex of the pal ace, where is is residing, is heavily guarded.
 The most significant news comes from Tsarskoe-Selo where, in. view of the resolution of the government to put it's foot down on the strife, a regular cam paign has been conducted with the pur- pose of firing the loyalty of the guard regiments. Each day a regiment, from St. Petersburg is reviewed and address, ed by Emperor Nicholas, and with much ceremony his majesty passes up and down the lines and speaks person. ally to officers and men. The Grand Duke Nicholas is present at all these ceremonies. Saturday, after the review of the Preobrajensky regiment, Grand Duke Nicholas and the officers of the regiment in turn on pended knees kiss ed the emperor's hand, which called
 Continued on Eighth Page.)