Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-05-18
RUSS MINISTERIAL
CRISIS IS ENDED
Six Socialists Admitted to New
Government-GeneraIs With
draw designations.
PREMIER IS OPTIMISTIC

PREMIER Is OPTIMISTIC
PETROGRAD. May IS, via London
The news yesterday that an agreement
had been reached between the provi-
s!oEal government an6 the council OF
workmen's and soldiers delegates was
followed unexpectedly last night by
an official announcement that the min
isterial crisis had not yet been set
tied. This morning. however. it was
made known officially that the forma-
tIon of a coalition cabinet had been
completed.
The ,,.w cabinet will follow the lines
agreed on previously for representa-
ton of the various socialist groups.
The official statement says six social
lists are included.
Confident OF Future.
After the solution of the govern
mental crisis by the reception into the
cabinet of socialist representatives Of
the council Of deputies, Premier Prince
LvoH received a representative Of the
Associated Press and authorized him
to transmit to America an expression
OF the prem1erS SatlSIactlon over IHe
solution and his confidence in the fu-
ture. Premier Lvoff said:
Tho most serious crisis in the modem
history Of Russia has been satisfactorily
settled and conditions already show
marked symptoms of improvement 1t is
my impression that the new coalition cabi-
net will receive the support of all rea-
sonable Russian citizens We have for
the first time the prospect of a govern
ment which will combine both moral and
material power.
Forced to Rely on Persuasion.
Most Of the difficulties of my first
that in all questions I and my colleagues
were obliged to rely solely upon moral
persuasion. There was no actual gov
ernment power with material force, such
as you have in America, and in the other
democratic countries of the world. After
that moral influence was sufficient
weapon with a vast majority of reason
able Russian citizens who desired tran
quillity, but unluckily both in the civilian
population and the army there were in
dividuals and small groups who actively
aimed at anarchy and repudiated all
forms Of discipline.
Anarchy Threatened.
ut became plain that the government
could not remedy this condition without
material force and this force could only
cialist and allied left parties entered the
government and agreed to support It un-
shrinkingly in a policy of combined
freedom and order. If this solution had
with general anarchy, followed by a ma
tional disillusion with the revolution and
a reactionary counter revolutionary
movement as the final stage.
This normal course OF unsuccessful
revolutions has. I hope. been avoided.
as result of the agreement between
the temporary government and the
council of deputies The council has
undertaken to support the government
against anarchy and disorder. and.
further. to work for the restoring of
discipline to the army, naturally on
condition. which we granted, that the
army will be democratized.
Concessions in Program.
my hope is that when the present
enemies Of national tranquility see
that not only the so-ca1led bourgeoisie,
but also the workmen and the social
lists themselves. stand for the restora-
tion of order. they will. without COM
pe1ling US to take action, abandon their
present anarchical methods, which, il
continued. would result in the ruin of
Russia. The program of policy which
we have agreed upon with our new
colleagues contains very great conces-
sions to the socialists, but these con-
cessions were an Indispensable condi-
ton of socialist collaboration in the
government.
in the future democratic Russia
must not only enjoy freedom. but must
Tending its freedom. Personally I do
not doubt our democracy's fitness for
higher governmental work. During the
negotiations which led to a. settlement
the representatives of the council of
deputies showed that they thoroughly
understood the dangers threatening
Russia and were determined to do every
thing possible to save the country from
anarchy. defeat and dissolution
Munitions Situation Better.
A. L Shingaroff. minister of agricul-
ture, gave assurances regarding the
munition situation at a conference be-
tween the cabinet and Gen. Alexieff and
other generals. NJ. Shingaroff said that
the supplies for the army were daily
improving in quantity.
AS a result of a meeting in Petroerad
of the commanders-in-ch from all
the fronts EXCEPT the Caucasus, Gems
Brussiloff and Gurko have withdrawn
their designations, and reports of fur
ther designations are refuted by the
definite announcement that all the COM
manders have decided to remain at
their posts. Thus the crisis in the
army. which formed an alarming ac-
compartment to the political crisis, has
been averted.
Army Discipline Ruined,
Discussing with the temporary govern
menf the serious condition of affairs at
the front, the commanders declared that
the unfortunate phrase, Peace without
annexations, had found its way to the
army and was there translated into an
argument against offensive warfare. This