Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-03-02
REGENERATION OF RUSSIA
Correspondent Finds the Whole
Country Reorganized.
Cars New Army Set for Heavy OMEN
sive--Iucompetcuts Have Been
Ousted--IndustrfnI and Mill
tary Machinery Effective.

The beginning OF a tremendous. II not
spectacular. regeneration Of internal Rus
STA is Trking,y apparent to any observer
of Russian affairs, who, familiar with the
tisorderly condition in Russia six months
ago. compares 1t with the effective Indus
trial and military machinery of to-day
says a Petrograd despatch
An American correspondent left Russia
when it's military fortunes were at the
lowest ebb. The army was inadequately
provisioned and munitioned. An ineffi
Client internal management not only de-
feated the chances of military achieve
ment for the moment. but created a spirit
OF uneasiness and criticism among the
people which threatened national solidar-
ity. He has returned to find the country
thoroughly reorganized.
Graft and bribery seemingly TO r. great
eDctent has been weeded out. Of1cials
found to be incompetent and engaged in
intrtgues have been dismissed. These mer,
had held up munition contracts and clog
ged the whole machinery of army equip
ment and provisioning In general. they
had conducted the business Of war as II
It were an operation for their personal
profit The process Of the purchasing
been simplifed and improved. Formerly
It was encountered with countless inter-
mediate steps and fornalities. which seri-
ously delayed the arrivals OF munitions
when most needed The resut Is a Rus
sian army now splendidly equipped with
ammunition and rifles.
Under these conditions. with n large
available supply of ammunition, and
therefore the possibilities OF a successful
offensive increasing daily, the Russian
staff appears inclined to mark time for
a. few weeks. until weather conditions
allow the army to exert its new power
to tho fullest advantage
A great factor in the increased strength
OF the Russian army is the character OF
the new troops. They are vastly superior
in intelligence and training to those with
which Russia started the war, The whole
army has taken on greater confidence
and higher spirit in the knowledge that
the impediments in the war machinery.
which were painfully patent TO the SOL
diers during the last summers retreat,
have been overcome.
The Duma. which will resume sessions
a week hence. ia expected to carry forward
progressive reforms aimed principally at
perfecting Rusaas internal formation
One of the most prominent leaders in
the Duma informed the correspondent
that the principal questions wi:ich would
occupy the attention of that BODY were:
The creation Of a new system Of Coop
erative societies. which purported to elm
mate the present excessive profits by re-
ducing prices Of ordinary commodities to
the normal level. New legislation issuing
from towns and municipalities which are
flooded with refugees to care for and gov
ern the new population. Extension OF
the franchise in order to meet a stua ton
in which the major part of the enfran-
chised citizens is at the front and an at
tempt to improve transportation facil-
titles.
The cardinal aim Of the Duma. however.
will be a supreme effort to establish
greater harmony between Itself and the
government.