Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-08-05

determined that his posterity should
not bear the hated label. of royalty.
Before the revolution SPetrograd had
been 4 portrait gallery of the royal
family. Now it was alive with the
photographs of the revolution makers.
Every picture of the car had been
banned to the barbage heap; to try to
buy one was arch treason. Where por-
traits of the emperor could not be re-
moved-such as those in the chamber
of the council of empire-they were
covered with white crepe.
Indeed. nothing was more striking
than the swift contempt for the car.
A month before the revolution the
name of royalty was uttered with
hushed reverence. now the lowest
mujik speaks of the dethroned ruler
as Nicholas Romanoff, and spits as he
speaks.
The eagle-emblem of imperial power.
but likewise the symbol of American
freedom-had a hard time. His day of
trouble began, for he was wrenched
from every iagpole and removed from
every arch. When this was impossible,
his neck was swathed in red rags. An
American manufacturing firm. whose
imposing building on the Nevski was
surmounted by huge iron eagle, was
compelled to drape the proud bird In
the Stars and Stripes until only the
beak protruded from the red, white
and blue folds.
signs of some realization Of economic
responsibility. Nothing was more char
acteristic than the loan of liberty.
Scarcely had the shock of revolution
passed than the cry rose up among
sober-minded men:
Let us try to pay our way as much
as possible"
A great popular subscription was
launched for per cent bond. issued
at eighty-five and redeemable IN forty
years. Petrograd was placarded from
end to end with announcements of the
loan, which were also fastened to tur-
rets and even to the guns Of armored
cars that were sent racing through the
streets, reminder of the days OF
bloody battle when they were in the
thick of fighting. The newspapers car
ried full-Dage manifestoes from the
provisional government urging the
such a fine and patriotic appeal that
the first one is well worth reproducing.
1t read:
To you citizens of great emancipated Russia
and TO those of you to whom the future of
fatherland is dear. make passionate appeal.
The powerful foe has forced his way deep
into territories: he threatens to crush us and
to return to the old regime which is now
dead.
Only the accumulation of all strength can
give the victory which desire. To save
the country and complete the structure of
emancipated Russia on a basis of equality and
right, the expenditure of many milliards is
necessary. Our fatheriand demands this. not
a sacrifice but the fulhllment of duty. In
subscribing to the new loan. will lend money
to the state, and. by this act. we will save our
freedom and our property from ,perishins.
But all was not SO optimistic in
Petrograd's rejoicing. Up through the
froth of those hectic days poked the
head of labor, shaking its locks at
capital and inaugurating a reign of
discomfort that soon came perilously
near national disaster.
Equality. like strong drink. went to
the workers head. He seemed to lose
his whole sense of proportion. After
the fateful week Of fighting. and still
another week of parading. he went
back to his shop. but not to work. He
demands that staggered the employer.
He saw the soldiers dismissing their
officers and appointing their own SUI
periors by popular vote. SO he said:
We must do likewise, we win have
no more foremen. Industry must be
democratized like the army"
There was only one result-diminish-
ed output and near Generalization
Sixty per cent OF the munition plants
of Russia are in the Petrograd dis
trict and the effect on war operations
can be well imagined. The situation
went to an extreme that rivaled the
old reign of reaction. The employers
naturally expected requests for wage
increases. but the demands now made
were almost beyond belief. No advance