Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-04-30
RUSSIA PLANS
Big FESTIVAL
FOR MAY DAY
Last Bonds Stricken From
Army and the
People
SOLDIERS NOW CITIZENS
New Orders Remove Humilia.
tions Imposed by Auto
cratic Rule
SOLDIERS NOW CITIZ
PETROGRAD. ApriI "A

PETROGRAD, April 30.
From the Cars winter palace until r.,
Gently the seat of the most autocratic of
all modern Governments, a huge sign Ia,
day proclaimed the rising tide Of world
democracy
On the eve of May Day, Minister Of War
Gutchkoff issued an order striking the 'last
bonds from the army of the new Russia
It is with this new spirit of freedom that
Russia will celebrate tomorrow. The kew.
note of the day is struck by the sign stretch.
ing across the front of the palace. Fashioned
by the hand of workmen now knowing the
meaning of liberty. 1t reads:
THE PROLETARIAT OF ALL COuN.
TRIES UNITE
The orders issued by Minister Gutchkofp
| today were put forth at the suggestion OF
| the private soldiers themselves. They pro.
vide
Hereafter all soldiers are to be con-
| sdered citizens of Russia.
| (Cnder autocracy's rule they vera
not even supposed to be units Of the
| nation they were supposed to die for)
| Complete religious freedom.
| Free speech guaranteed.
| Attendance at church services not
| compulsory.
| Mail from trenches shall not be cen.
| sored
| All mail, including pamphlets shall
he delivered to soldiers at the front
| The servile Sir" abolished In replies
| by private soldiers to officers Here
after privates shall say merely "yes"
or "no"-without the Sir in answer
ing officers.
| Also, soldiers hereafter need not
| salute their officers unless the soldier
wishes" Privates, however. must come
to attention" when commanded to
do so
Corporal punishment in the army
completely abolished.
SPIRIT OF FREEDOM
It is this spirit of complete freedom that
free Russia will celebrate May Day to.
morrow.
Under Czardom n few brave spirits used
to meet in remote forests on May and
| in constant dread Of the secret police would
| go through the forms of a parade under the
red flag of liberalism. Today, the Govern
ment itself joins.
The Russian calendar is more than two
weeks behind that in use everywhere else
on the globe. But in order that new Rus
| sias idea of a world brotherhood--a pro
letariat of all countries"--it was decided
to advance May Day in Russia to coincide
with the rest of the world
A parade such as Russia never saw be-
fore will be the principal feature of the
celebration here in the capital.
But while Russia is celebrating her free
DOM her people. jubilant at throwing off the
shackles are not forgetting that Russia's
liberty must be fought for
Soldiers who visited their homes from
the front Immediately after the revolution
are returning to fight by the thousands. All
over Russia women of the villages are
shaming them into returning to their duty
| demanding they fight and hold new Russia
in her proud new place In the worlds
| democraces.
Strange stories are told by Russian sol.
ders back from the front of how the enemy
received the news of Russias overthrow OF
autocracy.
one soldier told me today of the "strans'
est sight he ever saw
FOR A REPUBLIC
I'VE have discovered now that the Ger
mans on our front don't like to attack US,
he said. Under a red flag last Monda
German officers climbed out of thei
trenches. The German soldiers followed
We didn't fire.
But we likewise hoisted our red fae
When the Germans saw we were deliber
4. ately withholding our fire from their rank'
under the same red flag as our own force'
: the soldiers themselves stopped still an
turned back to their own trenches The
abandoned their officers The officers stoo
,, there in No Mans Land alone, urging ther
too. went back-cisgustedly Not a she
had been fired; not a German soldie
harmed in that death territory.
However, we mistrust red flags born
| by Germans and Austrians. Now we fir
with our strength on such approachin
| enemy forces
I'VE have proved our right to the re
| flag-now let the Germans and the Au'
| trians prove their right to It,"
Russian eXiles from America are no.
:, received in the innermost councils Of tn
soldiers and workmens unions. Those wit
whom ] have talked declare the Russia
people are unanimous for republic.
"Only a superhuman dictator can impos
even limited monarchy on Russia" sal
NJ Cacaracofsk, formerly editor Of Ru'
sian newspaper in New York city "Suc
;. monarchy would be Immediately ove
: thrown by the army and the workmen
9 | Russia"