The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-05-18
GREAT PRIZE
FOR RUSSIA
Cars Associates Expect to
Gain and Hold CONSTANT
nople Permanently
ENGAGED IN WAR FOR
DEFINITE RESULTS

Figure on the Extension of Russian
Influence in the Balkans and the
Gaining of a Large Slice of Territory
in Galaicia.
Russia not only wants CONSTANT
nople, but she fully expects to get it
and occupy it permanently. There are
no two opinions in official Petrograd
about this. Down in the Balkans one
hears hopes-rather family expressed,
to be sure-that Constantinople, in the
event of the allies success, will be
made neutral territory, along with the
! Dardanelles and the Bosporus In Eng
land there is significant silence, save
| for the purposely vague utterances off
Sir Edward Grey, expressive of sympa-
thy for Russia s desire for additional
outlets to the sea-
Here in Petrograd there is no silence
In official quarters as to what are held
to be Russia s rightful aspirations. Of
fetal Russia is in this war for these
principal things: The occupation of
Constantinople, the extension of Rus
sian influence throughout the Balkans
and the taking of as large a slice of
/ territory in Galicia and perhaps else
where from Austria-H Hungary as seems
desirable-or possible.
II What the fates of war may bring on
the Poland East Prussia front is unde-
eided and not much is said about the
future there. 1t has been. from the
first hard tussle in that territory,
and Russia, at the moment, is not look
ing for more than the establishment. if
fortune favors her arms, of the origina
lines. Later, there may be another
story as to this. But now Russia 5 eyes
are to the south and especially are they
!, fixed on the Golden Horn
4 People here who speak with authori-
~ absolutely will not be quoted; that
is, if they are disposed to say any
thing worth while. There are good rea-
sons for this. 1t is rather difficult to
get in touch with high quarters; it
takes time at any rate, and there is
more or less luck about it. One may
remark right here that the formal in
, teryiew with Russian dignitarv
amounts to so little that the person in
: search of real news comes to bend his
. energies in other directions. Real news
can be obtained when man who
knows things, can be, induced to talk
E on the assurance that nothing viii be
published as from him.
. Wasn't Prepared for War. .....-
1t is by means of such conversations
, that one comes to have some measure
: of understanding of official Russia /
!. aims, of the present situation and its
possibilities and of the events, SO fal
= as Russia is concerned, leading up te
r the war Here are certain statements
: which, in addition to those given il
= the first paragraph above, may b.
f youched for: .-...~
= Russia was far from being prepared
= for the war. She did not directly pro
g woke it. Undoubtedly her continue,
\ and consistent Vaccinations in thu
l. Balkans were provoking cause, Blu
i the blame of intrigue there Russii
= shares with other nations. 4 year ag
this month Russia made mobilization
D moves which were interpreted a
> threatening, and there were move
ments of troops some days previous t
q the breaking out of hostilities las
summer
But it is fair to put down that til
movements in April and July were 70
4 effect rather than with any idea 0
- bringing on war, or even with the ide
g that war was expected. 1t was, to b
sure, playing with fire. So far, how
or ever, as the question of intention ha
to to do with the matter, the answer ca
is be read in Russia S lack of prepare
tion,
le Russia has prosecuted and is carr,
- ing on the war under very great di1
- fculties. Restricted transportation f;
Il cilities constitute the chief of thes
| difficulties; this subject is taken u
in detail in another letter. Next come
III the terror of disease in the Russia
III lrp nd ha NV Ta%3
III in war areas and in large -eenters
II well. Military supplies of all sor
have been far from being abundant
il Conditions as to this are betterir
/ / slowly. but the problem still is pres
H ing. There have been enormous loss
in killed, wounded and captured, al
the loss of officers is very grave
1 felt. Russia's commissary departures
4 has been subjected to a tremendol
I strain; it has responded rather bett
II than was expected, but none too we
S~ Russia s government is both the mo
: rigidly systematic and the most Il
systematic, so far as opportunities f
Interruption are concerned, in the worl
And the defects of ridigity and t
evils of graft have been strikingly
III evidence since the war began.
4 Peace Party Quieted.
What has been printed in the Ne,
about the existence of peace party
by which is meant pro-German par
i'm Russia is perfectly true The 81
cesses in Galicia and above ALL t
! hope of winning ConstantinopIe, ha
4 quieted this peace party, which, frc
the frst-and this is highly importa
4 had TO combat the grim determir
ton of the Grand Duke Nicholas
sHnS carry on the war. But even now
. number of the persons close to the ca
! are credibly reported to have ~
German leanings, and if Germany VIZ
to offer to settle with Russia with II
terial gains to the latter, very stro
influence would be brought to bear
pa+roopad IN that end Tbara = /.