New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-14
KorniloH, Stern Soldier,
But Always F atriot
His Demand for Death Penalty Grew Out of Conviction
That Only by Harsh Discipline Could Army
Be Kept With Face to the Foe

loving statement 10 correspondent
OF Russian newspaper:
81 am giving up my post as com
mander in chief Of the Petrograd mill
tsry district and am leaving for the
front. ! shall obtain the command Of
one Of the armies. ! reached this de-
cision some time ago. when | learned
Of the absolute impossbility OF my
continuing to remain at the head of the
Petrograd military district"
At the front kornilof accomplished
marvels. While Kerensky toured the
armies to inspire them with the mar
tial spirit Kornilof put the southern
front in first-cass fighting trim. And
then he struck that blow in Galicia
which astounded the world. He
smashed the Austrian front early in
July.
Army Responded
Forward Korniloff's army went, and
the prospects of a tremendous Austrian
dcbacle daily grew brighter. But in the
midst of his triumphs lie was stopped
by the Maximalst hand. The pacifists.
in unwilling cooperation with legions
of German spies, halted the Russian
advance. and soon il turned into re-
treat. Then the great crisis began.
The vast military organization OF Rus
STA disintegrated before the eyes OF
its helpless leaders. Korniloff was bur
dened with the supreme task OF saving
the arm".
He knew the remedies. lie knew how
to apply them. But he was not allowed
TO do it. He believed in discipline, in
undivided authority. in concentrated
mower. But. as in Petrograd, he found
that at the front the masters were
really soldiers committees, not the
commanders. In telegram which he
sent on July % TO Kerensky he fore
cast rs an eventuality such counter
revolt as he now attempted TO lead.
He wrote:
IAN army of ignorant men gone mad,
of men who have lost all sense OF hu-
man decency and who are not protected
by the government from corruption and
Generalization, is in full fight.
There now exist universal terror.
shame and disgrace on the fields which
can no longer be described as battle
fields. These are conditions which the
Russian army has never known in the
entire course Of its existence.
Either the present desertion Will be
halted and the revolutionary govern
mcnt will put an end TO this disgrace
or, if this is not possible, the inevita-
bic course Of history will bring to the
foreground other personalities, who
will remove the disgrace, but who VIII
also annihilate the conquests OF the
revolution. and thus be unable to give
happiness to our country.
Points Out the Danger
There is only one alternative: The
revolutionary government must follow
firm and revolutionary path, the only
one leading TO the salvation or the
country and of liberty.
at is necessary Immediately, as
preventive measure ncccssitated solely
by the hopelessnees of the present
situation. to introduce the death pen
atty and establish court-martials at
the front. One need not be deceived.
The governments mild measures have
shaken the indispensable army discip-
line, and they provoke disorderiy
atrocities on the part OF the totally
unrestrained masses.
81 declare that. ascending to re-
sronsible position. | will never in my
life agree 10 become one OF the instru-
ments of my countrv's ruin. Enough.
~ declare that if the government ,wiIl
not approve the measures proposed by
me. and thus deprives me of the only
means 20 save the army. then !, Gen
cral Kornilof, voluntarily resign as
commander in chief"