The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-08-04

cling appropriation for the purpose OF
correcting inequalities in cases whore
the communal allotments have been
divided into private holdings, and also
the abolition OF the death penalty, except
in the army and navy and In places
where martial law may have superseded
temporarily the civil administration.
Such measures, Of course, are but pallia-
tives at best, yet they might be looked
upon as ian earnest Of better things by
the considerable section Of the Russian
community which 10 not prepared for q
violent break with the traditional regime.
1t was understood before the mutiny at
SvSaborg was known to have occurred
that the ukases just mentioned were to
be signed on Friday, August 8. II they
are not, the inference will be that the
Car in a panic has r~epudiated the adj
vice of Moderate Liberals and has flung
himself into the arms Of the implacable
Reactionists, who desire to disavow all
the promises and wipe out all the con-
cessions Of the last nine months.
The collapse Of the i'll timed and III
concerted mutinies at Sveaborg, Skatud-
den and Cronstadt on the one hand
and among the Baltic war vessels on the
other should enforce upon the revolu-
tionary leaders the vital necessity OF a
better organization. Hitherto they have
evinced considerable sagaoity and fore
sight by deferring q general strike until
it could be made effective, on railways
and telegraph lines, in spite Of their wish
to avert the payment of Wednesdays
instalment Of the foreign loan; and they
seem not to have been responsible for the
Sveaborg affair, which was precipitated,
it Is said, by the non-payment OF money
due to sappes and miners. From the
viewpoint, indeed, OF revolutionists, the
outbreak at Sveaborg was a d~eplorable
blunder, for it forced their hand at a
moment when preparations were made
quate. The propaganda which has been
carried on so assiduously in the army
and navy will 60 for nothing II the out
bursts OF disaffection are isolated and
short lived. That wen veteran soldiers
may be discouraged permanently was
shown in 1925, when q large fraction Of
the Russian army revolted and brought
NICHOLAS l. within a hairs breadth Of
ruin: yet, that formidable rebellion nce
put down, there was scarcely a sign Of
disaffection among the soldiers until
within the last twelve months.
1t is yet too early to learn whether the
programme Of passive resistance urged
in the manifesto issued at Viborg by q
remnant Of the outlawed Duma will be
adopted by the mass Of the ~peasantry.
Weeks must elapse before copies Of that
document, which has to be printed and
transmitted surreptitiously, can perco-
late into the interior Of Russia. II the
peasants, who undoubtedly are e1asper-
ated by the failure to carry out agrarian
reform, should generally refuse to pay
taxes and furnish oonscripts, the Gov
eminent would find itself pretty near the
end of its tether, for 1t would prove prac-
tically impossible to oerce eighty mill
ions Of human beings in the agricultural
districts while at the same time main
tanning order in cities and large towns.
The paralysis OF the fiscal system would
become known instantly, Of course, to
the financial centres of France, Germany,
England and the United States, and the
underwriters Of the latest loan would
no longer feel themselves at liberty to
advise the payment Of the third install
ment, due on November 1. They would
feel that both for themselves and for
the subscribers at largo It would be
better to accept the loss thus far incurred
than risk a greater one. The moment
the stream OF borrowed money ceases to
flow from western Europe to St. Peters
burg the Cars Government is doomed:
forthe loyalty Of the army, already under
mined sporadically, would not survive
the Withholding Of pay.
The elimination Of the desperate strug-
gle between reaction and reform In Rus
STA should be reached within ninety days.
Reformers can live for q while on hope,
but without an ample ~inpouring Of funds
reactionists must succumb.