The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-09-29
Believe Slight Majority of Con-
gress Will Stand by Him.
Soldier Heckler Calls Premier
"Great Mischief Worker"
ELICITS TORRENT OF Kisses
War Minister Pledges to Final
Victory Over Kaiser.
But Shames Army for Lack of
Discipline and COwardice.

Petrograd, Sept 26-(Delayed)-
Premier Kerensky took the initiative
today and faced coldly what may be
the supreme test of the power of his
government. At the very beginning of
the democratic congress called by the
Maximalists and the council of work
mems and soldiers delegates to Ques-
ton his power and perhaps to demand
a new government the premier accept
ed the challenge.
He told the congress that his
regime had saved Russia in its dark
est hours. The government also indi-
Gated its policy of a firm continuation
of the war and General Verhovsky
minister of war pledged the conven-
ton to a final victory over Ger
many if discipline in the army was
restored. The generals reference to
the return of discipline and his an
nouncement that the officers would
be named by the superiors instead
of elected by the soldiers was ap-
plauded only mildly but his address
as a whole evoked more cheers than
did the premier's.
Destroyed KorniIoff Revolt.
NJ. kerensky in his speech, referred
to the revolt of General Korniloff and
declared:
II prevented it. I destroyed it.
its existence"
When the premier declared that the
good of Russia necessitated the OBJ
servance of order and discipline one of
the most dramatic heckling incidents
which punctuated the address occur
red. He had reached a pause in his
address when a voice in the gallery
shouted:
You are the great mischief worker
of the country"
From a bedlam of misses and ap-
plause voices from the floor chal-
| lenged the heckler to arise. A COM
mon soldier in the back gallerX-aro
and with arms folded across his brown
blouse stood calmly facing a torrent
of Misses from the supporters of Pre-
mier Kerensky. This was only one of
the unusual scenes. There was an air
of tense excitement as a result of ru-
mors that the agitator, Lenine, was in
! PetrOgrad and would attend the con-
vention. However he failed to appear
Crisis Due Today.
| The applause which greeted Pre-
mier Kerensky indicated that he had
a small majority with him. The So
cialists supporting him contend that
| he has a majority of the convention.
! A crisis probably will come Satur-
I day when the work of the preliminary
| organization has been completed ard
! the radical left presents it's extrem-
/ ist program. The Bolsheviki and the
Z
! fort tomorrow toward lining up their
/ strength thru party conferences. An
/ instance of a split even in the closest
party ranks was given the congress
today when NJ. Tchernoff, the spokes-
I man for the wOrkmen and soldiers,
referred to General Kalendines, the
chief of the Cossacks as that "NIisera-
BILE Kaledines."
Unusual vigilance was observed by
the military authorities of Petrograd
rI,A
gress. The guards at the winter pal
General Verkhovsky's speech concern
peace at the expense of Russia evoked
great applause.
Our gallant allies" the war min
lister said, have replied to the uas-
tardly offer by Internationally rel Nct-
ing it. believing as L believe, that tho
Russian army still will bare its breast
to free the fatherland.'
Points Out Army Defects.
The general said he would handle
the army without gloves, altho it had
plenty of good intentions. He pointed
out defects saying:
The Twelfth army before Riga did
not refuse to fight and die but We
need men to fight and win victories.
. The fleet does not refuse to fight but
at the same time it murders its Of
ficerS. We hear many worthy words
about the army and fleet but we have
a great many deserters. The glorious
victories on the southwest front in
Continued On Page TwOI