The Washington herald., 1917-07-30
RUSSIA AWAITS
VITAL Meeting
tuesdays All-Russia Con-
eOvershadows De-
feats in importance.
CBy the International News servIee.l


London, July 2s.-The Russian
reverses on the Galician and Car
pathian fronts which ordinarily
would have created q situation Of
the utmost gravity are viewed as
secondary in Petrograd to the
great all-Russia conference which
opnes at Moscow on Tuesday, ac-
cOrding to advices reaching here.
The outcome Of this congress at
which every class and race in the
new republic will be represented,
holds decisions of the utmost i'm
portance not alone to Russia but
to all the allies.
One thing is certain. Premier
Kerensky will be the dominating
figure OF the conference and Ker-
ensky is the man on whom all
hopes OF pulling Russia through
are now pinned. He is the New
! Napoleon" of blood and iroh-the
outstanding figure raised by the
war in the view OF every one OF
| Europe's diplomats here, and con-
| fidence is felt he Will 20 strengthen
his position through the conference
that he will be able to deal with
the freest OF hands with the ex-
tremists and other disorganizing in
fluences within the new state.
This means that he will extend
the iron rule of discipline into the
military forces and restore that
military obedience which is of
I prime necessity IL a successful Of
fensive, or even a successful stand
can be hoped for.
Retreat Continues.
The stern measures already taken
In putting down the desertions and
| treason in the army are reported to-
night to be having their effect
The retreat OF the Russian armies
continues on a wide front but Il Is no
longer the headlong rush that marked
the earlier stages OF the movement
| The stern hand OF Kornilof in deal
/ ing with the deserters is already be-
ginning to bring the soldiers to their
| senses. They are commencing to be-
lieve that. even though they don't
! want to fight, It is better to take a
chance against the enemy rather than
be shot down by their own artillery.
Thus has the first step been &C
complished. Kerensky is now report
ed to have sent hundreds OF speakers
w duuEeSS Ine troops 10 impress upon
them that only through their efforts
can they retain the liberty which the
| revolution brought and which at first
so overwhelmed the soldiers that they
| fell prey to the anarchistic and trea-
! sonable preachments Of extremist ora
: tors.
German Advance Not Feared.
The German advance is merely a
question of losing territory for the
moment and Russia can afford to lose
| territory. No fear is felt that the
present German offensive Will have
any vital effect on the Russian people.
Indeed, the further the Germans ad-
vance on Russian soil the more diff
| ficult they make their own lines of
| communication and the more men
they require to protect them. One ef-
feet OF this will be the forced en-
ployment In the East Of soldiers vital
\ ly needed by the Germans in France.
Russia cannot be defeated by inva-
/ sion. That has been demonstrated
before. in the view of military experts
here. The only question is: Will
Kerensky be able to rally the army so
that it will hold a new line? And the
belief here, based on the latest dis
patches Is that he is already accom-
plishing this purpose.