The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-08-27
HER DEMOCRACY
. TO Be MAINTAINED
Russia Intends to Use Weap-
ons Of Old Regime Against
Enemies of New
Freedom.
:KERENsKY APPLAUDED
Stirring Addrees Was 80 Powerful
That Even Political An
ta9onIsts Cheered
Him.
IBy VIM. G. Shepherd, United Press
Staff Correspondent

IBy VIM. g. Shepherd, United Press
Staff Correspondent
MOSCOW, Aug. 27.-Russia will
maintain her democracy at all costs.
She intends to use the weapons of the
old regime against those who would
have the old autocracy overthrow
tho new freedom.
OF outstanding Significance In the
deliberations OF the all-Russian con-
ference today was this emphatic dec
laration by Premier Kerensky. He
insisted the new nation was passing
through a period of mortal danger"
and warned enemies within that the
government henceforth would be i'm
placable" in pursuing and crushing
with blood and iron all attempts
against the peoples power"
Those who once trembled before
the government OF autocrats. now
boldly march against the government
with arms in hand" he continued.
But let them remember that our pa
tience has its limits and that those
who go beyond them viii have to
settle with q government which will
make them remember the time Of
czarism."
Kerensky's speech produced a
deep impression. He concluded amid
cheers even of his political antagon-
lists and today there was a percep-
tible lessening In the bolshevikf and
reactionary faction.
The forces which will literally pass
upon the Kerensky government are
vastly mixed. There are bankers,
rich land owners, conservatives, a
sprinkling Of reactionarfes-even
monarchists. The issue is tightly
drawn between free and open democ-
racy versus CONSTRUCTED reactionarism
Kerensky never faced such task as
his present one of coaxing support
from such a group of enemies to the
sweeping democracy he represents.
Even the Maximalists today adjudged
the conference anti-revolhtionary and
not representative of the peoples
will, in refusing participation.
Kerensky's supporters agreed to-
day the supreme test Of the democ-
racy will come in the Moscow meet
ing.
Tf we yield to the conservatives
and reactionaries now," said one OF
the revolutionary newspapers today,
they will deliver Russia to Nicholas
or Wilhelm"
Speeches of cabinet members
served to emphasize Russia's present
critical situation. Minister OF In
terror Prokopovitch reported actual
scarcity of food in several provinces
and dwindling supply even In such
cities as Petrograd and Moscow.
Vice Premier Nekrasoff warned
that Russia's finances were in grave
shape. Against issuance of an aver
age Of 25O,O00,000 roubles (s125,OOO,-
O0O) yearly in 1914, 1915 and 1916, he
reported an average monthly 1ssu-
ance by the new government OF S4O,-
100000 roub1es ($420,000,00O. Vast
increases in wages had been met.
New governmental activities con-
sumed huge sums of money. Taxes
were not producing as much as eX-
pected. Nekrasoff urged high taxes
on war profits as one means OF rails
ing money.
Pledge to Russia.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 27.-Express-
ing American confidence in the trial
of democracy, President Wilson has
sent the Moscow conference pledge
of "both moral and material assist
ance to Russia"
The message, addressed to the
president of the national conference
assembly, Moscow, reads:
'T take the liberty to send to the
members of the great council now
meeting in Moscow the cordial greet
ings of their friends, the people of
the United States to express their
confidence in the ultimate triumph Of
ideals of democracy and self govern
ment against all enemies within and
without, and to give their renewed
assurance of every material and
moral assistance they can extend to
the government Of Russia In the
promotion of the common cause In
which the two nations are unselfish-
ly united