The sun., 1908-02-23
RUSSIAN TERRORISM FUTILE
GOVERNMENT STRONGER THAN
EVER, POLICE EFFICIENT.
Plots DOtected NJ soon ~ Matched and
Men and WOmen Pack Cd on 90 siberia
without q Ripple Of Excltement-In
sane % 900 600 600 Naval Programme
sptelal caAls DsspaleA . rnE suN.

LONDON. Feb. 32.--The sharp recru-
descence of terrorism In 81. Petersburg IL
thought by many 10 have been inspired by
the Lisbon assassinatiOns. There is no
special Significance 10 I've attached to il.
IL Ia merely what Is going ON all the time
The men and women arrested will be hauled
of to Siberia, the power Of Autocracy will
be vindicRted and in thousands of dim holes
and corners other bands Of remorseless and
reckless people will continue to meet and
arrange fresh attempts. " hich will be
equally futile.
IL is all symptomatic Of the utter hope
lessneSs Of the situation. On the one hand
the Government, now powerful again, in
still hated ON the other, a frantic portion
Of the people is trying To free itself by means
Of Aevolting crimes. The Russian reform
constitutional and revolutionary parties
have hitherto shown themselves utterly
unable 10 produce a true leader.
Meanwhile the Government is reestab-
fishing itself more powerfully all the time.
The police section was never more active
and never more carably managed. IL never
had firIner grip on the terrorists, whose
plans are successfully foiled time after
time, frequently nipped in the bud without
a word Of the event reaching the outer
world and then again openly. IA on the
most recent occasion.
Where trouble is now looked for by the
Government with the greatest anxiety is in
, Finland. 1t s we'll known that huge guam
titles OF arms and ammunition have been
successfully smuggled into that country
for a long time Tast and that only an oppor-
tunity il wanted for a patriotic people
with ranking sense Of injustice to use
them.
The Duma adopted a resolution yester-
day recording It's deep indignation at the
acts Of the teTrorists. II will be interesting
to watch how il will receive the Ministry;
of Marines prop osal, which has now beeu
placed before the Defence Committee.
After strong insistence on the Tart Of the
DlIma three alternative plans have been
drawn up, but the third really represents
the policy of the Government. In a word.
t proposes to spend the enormous sum OF
81, ,OOO. 600 600. spread over a decade, for the
reconstruction OF the navy.
Hitherto all parties. even the most con-
servative, have shown strong aversion to
the expenditure of any considerable sum
Of money for warships, partly on the ground
that the state of the imperial finances
does not justify the expenditure and partly
on the ground that there ia no guarantee
that the forthcoming money would be
honestly and intelligently devoted TO the
purpose for which it had been appropriated
The press has also spoken with remark
able frankness on another and more funda-
mental objection. Russia has no urgent
need for navy. Ali her relations are
friendly with ell the Powers. especially
with the great naval Powers II some
quarters seem TO threaten cause for anxiety
they are the very quarters in which feet
would be useless. Besides, Russia has no
oversea colonies and scarcely any oversee
trade. There can be no doubt that with
one-third Of her population on the brink
Of starvation, tho other two-thirds crushed
under excessive taxation and honey
cOmbed with discomfort. with an eX-
ohequer already unable to pay fhe interest
on the public debt without borrowing. the
expenditure by Russia Of one thousand
million dollars for r navy that is not needed
would be indefensible.