The Washington herald., 1916-01-23
Gar and People IN Silent Struggle. Though Both
Are Agreed on Driving Germans from Russian Soil
All Classes United Auocracy Suppressed Following
Dumas Magma Charta Demanding Political
for Jews and Control but Trembling
ey John R. RALpERsToN.

London, Jan. a-For many weeks past,
the attention Of the world has been di-
videds between the Kaleidoscope of the
Balkans, conscription IN England. the
formation OF the Allied War Council.
peace debates in the Reichstag. the att
titude OF Washington toward Germany,
and Austrian fntrigues in America Rus
sia has been well-night forgotten. except
ing for references Of her coming spring
offensive and speculations concerning
her munitions crisis
Never since telegraphy came Into com
mon use, has a great European country
80 shrouded itself In mystery as Russia
has done for the past month Not a
single telegram, other than official and
semi-official communiques. was permit
ted to leave the empire, for twenty-five
DAYS IN December. All outgoing mails
were stopped. No one was allowed to
leave the country, excepting few offi-
cials on government business.
The veil has been lifted little way
q mighty little way-within the past few
days and travellers, after being detained
for weeks, have reached London. This
means, IN the view OF the autocracy,
that immediate danger OF revolution
has been averted. The situation remains
fundamentally unchanged. The silent
struggle between the Gar and his people
continues, although the tension has re-
laXed LOr the moment anu the WIN
rumors which circulated throughout
Western Europe during the twenty-five
days when communication was severed,
have been proved untrue.
Challenge to Cssr.
An accurate and fairly comprehensive
description of the attempt to make use
Of the war to compel the autocracy to
grant free institutions to the people has
been obtained and is given below. The
point of supreme interest at the moment
to the few outsiders who know what Is
going on is the effect of the coming up
heaval on Russian relations with Ger
many, although ins ordinary times the
world would follow with breathless at
the Gar by his people in the name of a
political and religious freedom, IRE
spective Of its effect on Russia's foreign
policy.
People Oppose Peace.
German'sN chances to obtain a separate
peace with Russia went glimmering in the
early autumn. when, through the i'm
periaI duma and the zernstvos and urban
unions throughout the country, the peo-
pie made known their determination to
expel the invaders. This popular feeling
swept before it the court party, which
was ready to make peace. The Gar took
the supreme as q plbuB6 u
the nation that the war would be con-
tinued.
At present, the war is being conducted
by the autOcracy, the very body Of men
whom the Russian people believe would
end the war II they could. There Is con-
sequently little hope of peace for Ger
many, II the people, through the Duma-
Oust the autocracy and make of Russia
a constitutional monarchy. The avowed
.fv 30 ~ he pHa tn
sia, characterized by the authorities as
revolutionary. is to obtain a more vigor-
Bus prosecution of the war under lead
ers known to have no affiliations with
PTussian interests.
Count on Internal Trouble.
Internal trouble in Russia may con-
ceivably work to Germany's advantage
in two ways. Assuming the overthrow
Of the bureaucrats, the best intentions
Of the new officials, appointed by par
lament, might not avail to prevent
period OF disorganization, which would
demoralize the armies in the field. Rus
sian progresslves meet this argument by
pointing out the success of the French
convention, in fighting half Europe after
the overthrow OF Louis XVI, despite the
necessity to create a new governmental
machinery and the political inexperience
Of the delegates. The Kaiser's second
hope Is that the autocracy, to keep its
power, might prevail on the Car to
make a sudden peace and bring the
armies home to ruthlessly crush out the
movements for liberty. II there ever
was a chance Of this being attempted,
which Is doubtful, 1t has now, in the
opinion of my informants vanished; so
bitter Is the feeling Of the country to-
ward the Germans. that retribution, swift
and terrible. would fall on the govern
Ing rIa fha,r
for the success OF which, the willing
ness Of the army to make war on the
people would be necessary. And today,
for the first time in Russia's history the
army Is the people.
Autocracy Not Pro-German.
An explanation Of the charge, made by
the Russian Liberals, that the autocracy
and the court are ''pro-German'' was
given me by a member of the last
duma. TT would be absurd to say that
they want Germany to win," this man
said. for they started the war them
selves, hoping to crush the Teutonic
power. But they say that the great
eutocracies Of Prussia, Austria and Rus
sia are natural allies. 1t was their am
bition, by beating Austria and Prussia,
with French aid, to win the leadership
in a future union Of the three reactionary
Po"CAS dSdAALoN INC lDGEdA lElOs
England and Italy.
Now the attitude Of our oligarchs Is
that the Tetutonic powers have won the
war. unless they are crumbled to powder
by a process Of attrition which would last
for years. 1t Is far better for Russia,
they say, to accept defeat and make an
alliance with her enemies, recognizing
Prussia as the predominant ally, than to
permit Prussia and Austria to be utter
ly crushed In the latter case. they real
ize the autOcracy In Russia cannot stand
against the liberal influences of the
victorious Western allies. And from the
point of view Of the autocrats in Russia,
the aim Of this war Is the strengthening
Of autocracy. All else Is subordinate TO
that.
These schemes have been destroyed by
the Russian people, VINO sensed, even IL
they did not reason out, the state of
affairs. The people realize that in fght-
ing to destroy the power Of Prussia they
are fighting for freedom at home, and
they cling with all their hearts to the
entente with the great liberal powers of
England and France"
Political situation.
The political situation in Russia at
present, may be summarized as follows: