Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-11-09
Attempt Had Been Indicated

Attempt Had Been Indicated
( 1t has been indicated for some time
past that an attempt was to be maue
! by the MaXimalistS in Petroglad to
seize control of the capital. November
was the date originally set for an eX-
| tremist demonstration which was en-
pected by it's promoters to result in the
1 taking over of power by this Gle
ment. A postponcment to an unan-
nounced date was afterwards decided
upon. however.
! The Maximalist or Bolslleviki ele-
| ment comprises the most extreme class
of the Russian revolutionary Socialists
! 1t first sprang into prominence in the
early days of the revolution under the
leadership Of Nikolai Lenine, the Rad
| zeal aEitator who later was put under
the ban of the provisional government
| becuse Of his ultra radical preach
! ments and his suspected pro- German
! leanings. lie is known to have been
/ in .Petrograd for some time past. how
ever but government order for his
arrest failed to result in his apprehen-
sion. Meanwhile the Maximalists were
under the leadership Of his chief lieu
, tenant, Leon Trotzky. whose home was
in the United States when the revoll-
ton broke out but who sailed for Rus
STA shortly afterwards. He was one
J of the leaders in the 1905 revolution.
Petroerad Garrison Support
/ The strength Of the MaXimalists has
lain in the support which they obtain
| ed from the military, chiefly in the
Petrograd garrison. They had failed,
! however to impress their policies upon
! Russia as a whole, as has been shown
by the manner in which they We're out :
voted on the all-Russian congress and
the minority part they played in the
organization Of the preliminary par
lament in which they refused to par
ticipate after they We're shown to be
Outnumbered. Nevertheless. their in
fluence upon ItusSia'S policy, both in
ternal and external, las been marked
because of their predominence in Pet
roerad, the seat of government.
1t was this sinister influence that in
part prompted the recent proposal by
the KerenSky government to remove
the capital to Moscow, where it was
believed the government would be
| freer to represent adequately the will
Of the whole Russian people. The Boil
!! sheViki have worked chiefly through
the Petrograd council of Workmens
and Soldiers delegates. which was
theirs absolutely. Uncertain of their
ground at first. they refused months
ago to assume responsibility, although
claiming the power to dictate the gov
ernment's policy. Latterly, however,
they apparently have been preparing
to assert their authority This was ev-
idenCed recently when they appointed
a military committee to take charge OF
The defence Of retrograd and ordered
the garrison to accept only it's orders
and ignore the governments author
ity.
kcrensky Recognized Menace
Premier kerensky seemingly recug-
nized that the growing menace to his
government was one that he could not
cope with by drastic measures sur
rounded as he was by military power
ir the hands of his opponents. 1t Was
only within the last day or two that
he refused to declare the Bolsheviki
Virtual outlaws at the request OF the
CossaCks, although asserting the gov
eminent was taking all measures to
deal with the threatening uprising.
kerensky's task at the head Of the
provisional government since his as
sumption Of the premiership on Jul,
20 last. has been a formidable one.
Painted as the savior of Russia in her
hour of need he labored with ability
and patience TO keep the diverse Gle
ments comprising the revolutionary de-
mOcracy together. AssaIied from one
side by the clamors of the extremists
for an EARLY peace ard the adoption
Of the most radical internal policies.
he was impelled from the other to en-
deavor to maintain some form Of CO.
hesive government for the nation, save
Russia from falling into the trap laid
for her by the German propogandists
in their peace clamoring and endeavor
to keep Russia in her place in the
war and faithful to her obligations to
her allies.
II appeared for time after the fail
ure of the korniloff rebellion that he
might succeed in tiding Russia over
the dangerous shoals upon which she
had drifted as the result of her divided
councils. That ne was becoming dis
couraged over the situa ton. however
was indicated by recent interview
with him in which although he de-
clared Russia was still emphatica in
the war he asserted she had been worn
out by the struggle and felt she had
right to claim that her allies hence
forth assume the heavier part of the
burden.
Prior to the attack on the Winter
Palace the Worknen's and Soldiers
leaders in the name of the Bolsheivksi
OF Petrograd sent the provisional gov
eminent an ultimatum demanding
their surrended and allowing 20 min
utes grace The government replied
Indirectly. refusing to recognize the
military committee.