The Washington herald., 1916-01-23

Control Of Army.
The agreement of the government with
the legislative institutions Is asked for,
''all bills having immediate connection
with national defense. the equipment OF
the army, security for the wounded, set
tiement of the lot of the refugee and
other questions Indirectly connected with
the war"
while ostensibly leaving questions "di-
rectly'' connected with the war IN the
hands of the government, secures con-
Ntroi over the equipment of the army
and hence over the finances necessary
for carrying on the war. This was the
point OF the struggle between Charles /
and his parliament over who should gov
ern England.
As has been said, the Car dissolved
the Duma when the Block was formed
and the Magma Charter. drawn up. For
several days, an outbreak was feared; a
general strike began in many cities and
even munition workers went out. Troops
nad been concentrated in Petrograd' and
Moscow before the dissolution was an
nounced and nothing happened. The
striking workers, urged by their lead
ers TO go back for the sake of the army
at the front, returned TO work and Of
their own accord put on SO much over
time that In week they were able to
boast that their protest had not cost
the army a single shell or overcoat.
Playing for Delay.
During the succeeding weeks, and up to
the present time the autocracy has play
ed for delay 1t was announced when
the Block was formed, and the duma
dismissed, that the prorogation was tenn
porary, and that Parliament would be
reconvened November 30 During Novem-
Der the provincial parliaments unani-
mously backed up the action of the
Block" In the duma, and a great con-
gress of zemstvos in Moscow was called
for December. There is little doubt that
II such congress had met, IL would
have attempted to bring pressure on the
government to reconvene the duma, and
the congress has been ordered "indefi-
nitely postponed"
The opinion of liberals that the Czar
had no intention of calling the duma to-
gether, was justified when, on November
30 the government again postponed the
session. The pretext given was that the
budget commission of the lower house
had not prepared its reports in time
What happened was that the government
dumped fifty-two estimates on the COM
than they are usually submitted, and
only few weeks before the duma was
to meet. The comission, as NJ Rodrfan-
ko, president Of the duma. courageously
announced, discovered a little error Of
sI5,oo,00O in the governments accounts
and accordingly added that sum to the
deficit. The Car ordered NJ. Rodzianko
to report to him as soon as the budget
commission was ready to report, and this
Nra HrRlA AWWs
duma Is still being put of on various
pretexts concerning the irregularity of
the procedure Of the budget commission
Meanwhile. during December, the
minister monarchist congresses have been
meeting in Moscow and Nishni Novgorod
They consist of supporters of the exist
ing regime, and the reactionary minister
OF the interior, NJ. Khvostoff, sent them
his compliments when they met, while
the Gar received from representatives
OF these congresses an address urging
him to maintain the autocracy "as the
sole means of saving the country from
the rising tide of revolution"
The leaders of the monarchist orRaniza-
tions were In favor of an alliance with
Germany before the war, and are thoug ht
to still cherish the same aim Their
leader. NJ Maklakoff, urges the total
suppression Of the press during the war
The congresses petitioned the Car to
entirely abolish all constitutional pledges
given in the past. They pointed out in
the address to the throne, that the de-
mands of the parliamentary Block"
are inadmissable, because of the necessity
for guarding the buttresses of Russian
public nfe," and that the memorial OF
the duma ''is in insolent disrespect of the
supreme authority, and directed to the
usurpation of the prorogatives of the
monarch" In any case, the congresses
urged. this is no time to raise issues
Affecting domestic politics.
Far more important than the attitude
Of the members of these congresses, who
are creatures of the autocracy and rep
resent nobody, excepting the official
class, is the benevolence of the govern
ment toward their fiery sentiments of
reaction. The Gar was noncommittal
when he received the address Of the
monarchists; but he would not receive
at all the Magma Charta" Of the duna
At the very time when the monarchists'
congresses were meeting, with the good
wishes of the powerful minister of the
interior, NJ. Rhvostoff, forbade the con-
vention Of the representatives of the
zemstvos and urban councils, elected by
the people, on the ground that the atmos-
phere Of Moscow was at present unfav-
is a newcomer but he is already called
BY the liberals ''the strong man of the
reaction" and many expect him to sup
plant the venerable reactionary Gorym-
kin as premier.
Csar Is Boss.
In this summary of the present situa-
tion in Russia, the personal attitude of
the Gar has not been considered, and
manifestly that is of the utmost import
ance. Under Russian law, the Car is
the supreme boss, and can make peace or
fight for a decade just as he likes. The
career of the present monarch has shown
that he is in sympathy with reaction
aries who surround lin and take good
care that dangerous influences are not
permitted to approach the royal presence.
Judging from his past record, Russian
liberals see no reason to suppose that the
emperor will yield anything to his sub
jects which he does not have to grant.
They have little hope that he will, of his
own accord, become a constitutional
monarch by accepting the demands made
by the duma.
No Separate Peace.
On the other hand, there are personal
reasons why the leaders of the duma
have little fear that the Gar win make