The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-08-25
STORY OF THE REVOLUTION THAT
ENDED THE REIGN Of CARBON

When the transoceanic cables, ordi-
Marty hlgh-pltched with the news OF the
war, remained silent for hours IN sue
| cession early In March regarding the
internal affairs Of Russia, the worlds
statesmen. guessed the truth. A revo-
| luton was undermining throne from
which a massive empire has been ruled
automatically for centuries Significant
| happenings in Russia had forecast this
uprising, and when the cables resumed
| Il became known that the Romnnoft
dynasty had been .orerthrown and
republic born.
There had been foot riots and labor
strikes In Petrograd. The sitting OF the
duma had been suspended by Nicholas
II, to be resumed next month (ApriD
unless extraordinary circumstances In
tervene," And It was upon the duma
that the mass Of the Russian people
had depended for the successful prose-
cution Of their part IN the world war
and for the eradication OF German IN
fluences from governmental circles.
The emperor nbdIcatcd on March H..
| his ministry being swept from office.
| and the Grand Duke Michael. younger
brother of Nicholas, WAS named regent.
These events were preceded by three
days Of riotinE in the streets Of Petro-
grad. about 600 or 700 persons being
killed Tho garrisons at Petrograd and
Moscow wavcred and then went over
| In n body to the revulutionariee. FRO
German reactlonarics were rounded up
Many political prisoners were liberated,
including a great horde which, freed
from incarceration In Siberia. entered
Pctrograd amid scenes not unlike those
at Paris during tho French revolution
important among these returned eSiirs
was Madame Catherine Brcshkorskaya-
"Grandmothcr Of tho Revolution"
Events Move Swiftay.
The dunn leaders had brought NIL this
about. having disrcgardcd an order
from the emperor to dissolve and nav
Ing voted to create a provisional RoV-
crnmcnt Other garrisons came IN 10
strengthen the movement. and Russian
army generals at the front assured their
support.
Grand Duke Michael ahdicnted the
throne on March le.
A new national cabinet WIS organized.
with Prince George ., I4vOff as premier
and minister OF the interior, and Alex
ander Kercnsky. later to become
dominating figure In this drama. as min
lister of Justice
Tho new regime proclaimed policies
which included amnesty for political
prisoners, religious freedom. liberty OF
speech and universal suffrage Even In
the war capitals Of the Central POWERS
! II was conceded that tho Revolution hed
been accomplished under the guidance
Of Rusia's war party. and some OF inc
German newspapers dared to predict
that the revolt would be far-rcachtng AZ
n step toward the decentralization OF
Europe. In England 1t was regarded
az an Entente triumph and German
disaster.
Tho United states then neutral. was
first to recognize the provisional gov
ernment. on March %. 4 few days lat
er Great britain France and Italy. ON
clnlly welcomed the now repupllc' amer
lea later sent diplomatic and railroad
missions to aid Russia, and maze IMAM
ciel lonns. Tlihu Root, who headed the
diplomatic body assured the provision
al government that the United states
would stand BY Russia and other mem
bars Of the mission expressed confidence
In tho success Of the now democracy,
Jews throughou the world interpreted
the situation as q stride toward uhiVeF-
sal freedom for their race.
Meanwhile the deposed Emperor ana
Empress Alexandra were ordered ai
rested and they were made prisoners ae
| Tsarskoe- Selo, later being removed win
their encourage to Fortress ST. Peter
and St. Paul. at PetroErad.
A plot to proclaim Grand Duke MICH
ael Emperor failed in April.
Opposed by Lenine
Nisolai Lenine, q noted revolutionary
Of the radical Socialist type. returned
from exile in Switzerland and establish
ed himself at the palace OF Maoan
Kshesinska. a famous dancer who hao
beon a fayorite Of the ruler. with
nnny followers Lcnine opposed inc
new regime by advocating peace. Sus-
| pected as pro-German agents. ne anu
some Of his associates were arrested
while months later they had done IN
caIculable harm through their pubic
and secret agitatlons. subsequently no
escaped.
Strikes agrarian disorders. ano-goV-
eminent demonstrations at kronstadt'
Sebasttopuol and elsewhere. muttnies In
the fleets among entire regiments al the
front. together with steps taken by FIN
land and Ukraine to attain political In
dependence. cast into uncertainty. during
subsequent months. the question whether
| the success of the revolution was Ger
| tain. About mid-July Petrograd was
placed under army control after street
| fphting in which Sc persons were killed
and $50 wounded. German agents were
believed to have instigated these dis
! turbances. Tens Of thousands or Ger
man spies had been able to invade Rus
ga and for a period the provisional
| government hesitntcd to prosecute them
and the Russian fanatics who were their
tools for fear Of being accused OF op-
preston and tyranny.
| With only one Socialist, kerensky, the
| first cabinet was too weak TO SURVIVE
the peasants and the workmens ana SOL
diers' delegates demanding stronger rep
resentation. 4 second ministry was
! formed. on May 10. with six Socialists
among its IS members. and military
offensive was begun In Galicia which
| stcelcd tho hearts Of the entente WIN
renewed courage. Begun on front eN-
| tending about Is miles, the advance was
carried on vigorously at various poinls
on m S0o-mile front from. the Gulf OK
Riea to Rumania. Brzeznny and Haltcz
| were captured.
Move for Psaoe.
The Keynote Of the attitude OF the
ruling faction Of the new regime was
| sounded in resolutions adopted by the
| workmcn's and soldiers delegates urging
tho temocracies Of all nations to tnflu-
ence their governments to adopt peace
for,nulRe This suggestion created
worldwide interest but. while openly
discussed in governmental circles, IT met
with no response from leaders Of entente
ministries.
Meanwhile Pctrograd had exposed An
attempt by Germany to conclude a sop
arate peace. This offer. made through
Swiss channels. resulted in the expul-
sion from Russia Of Robert Grimm. a
| prominent Socialist internationalist.
Grimm was Swiss citizen. Austrian
| efforts 10 lure Russia Into separate
! ham aI .nrlr, nm,