The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-09-09
Grand Duke Nicholas Was Too
Popular With Army.
Emperor Was Afraid He Would
Seek the Throne.
REMOVAL MYSTIFIES EUROPE
DepOsed Chief Considered the
Biggest Man in Russia.
Even His Retreats Were Bril-
liant Military Feats.

London, Sept. 9.-England ana
practically all Europe were mystl1leo
at the announcement today that the
car, in assuming personal COMMAND
of the Russian forces by land and sea-
had deposed Grand Duke N1cholas as
communicative chief of the Russian
comparatively obscure post in the
Caucasus.
Dispatches from Petrograd declare
that the nation was stirred by the an
nouncement as never before. II
brought CONSERVATION when the whole
world was hailing the ommander-in-
chief as the biggest man in Russia:
Aside from his brilliant feats IN
battle, even in retreat, the Grand
Duke Nicholas has been exceedingly
active ever since the war began. he
is credited with practically shatterlng
the graft bureaucracy and with being
largely responsible for enactment ana
enforcement of the vodka prohibition
order.
Had Eyes on Throne.
AS his popularity increased he in
CURED the enmity of the court in
Petrograd. 1t was recently insinu-
ated that, urged on by his ambitious
consort, the Grand Duchess Anastasla,
he planned eventually to seize the
throne.
command the emperor addressed to
him the following communication:
The invasion of the enemy on the
western front, which neceSSitateS the
greatest possible concentration of civil
and military authorities we'll as the
unification of command in the field,
has turned our attention from the
southern front. At this moment i
recognize the necessity of your as
sistance and counsels on the southern
front and 1 appoint you viceroy of the
Caucasus and chief of
the valiant Caucasian army.
Il express to your imperial high
nj a
of the country for your labors during
the war"
The RELOCATION of the grand duke
who has been acclaimed as one of the
greatest strategists of the war to the
relatively unimportant position OF
leader of the Russian forces opposing
the Turks in the Caucasus cannot be
comprehended either here or in Petro-
grad. Nominally and according to his
statement the emperor is to take up
the burdens that are being laid down
by the grand duke.
Not Active Leadership.
1t is generally conceded, however,
that some military man will assume
pressed forces. One dispatch from
Petrograd hints that the man will be
Alexiev. Even this insinuation added
to the CONSERVATION, as it is feared
the dispatch refers to Vice Admiral
Alexieff, former viceroy in the far
east, and prominent in the Russo
Japanese war, who was charged many
times with irregularitieS.
An announcement made last week
at Petrograd was of the appointment
of Col. Nicholas Alexiev to the grand
dukes staff. and it may be that this
obscure soldier is the man to be Sc
lected as his chiefs successor.
The only consolation that London
can get from the emperor's move is
that. as religious head of the Russian
nation, it should prove a great moral
stimulus to his troops.
At the time he dispatched his let
ter to the grand duke the emperor is
sued the following signed army order:
To-day 1 have taken supreme COM
mand of all my forces of the sea and
of the land forces operating in the
theater of war.
with firm faith in the clemency of
God and with mistaken assurance of
final victory, we shall fulfill our sa-
cred duty to defend our country to the
last. We shall not dishonor the Rus
sian land"
Grand Dukes Statement.
Then came the following statement
from the grand duke:
Valiant army and fleet: Today
your august supreme chief. his ma
jesty the emperor, places himself at
your head. 1 bow before your heroism
of more than a year and express to
you my cordial, warm and sincere ap-
probation.
IT believe steadfastly that because
the emperor himself, to whom you
=-----------