The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-05-01
FREEDOM FETE
All Russia Celebrates Peoples
Victory Today.
Strike Last Bonds From Au-
tocracy in Army Rule.
ALL SOLDIERS NOW CITIZENS
Sign Across Ex-CZar's Palace
PrOclaimS Liberty.
Soldiers Return to Front to
Help Down Militarism.
ALL SOLDIERS NOW CITIZENS
tBY WILLIAM sHEPARD.)

Petrograd, May From the
czar's winter palace, until recently the
seat of the most autocratic of all gov
ernments hangs a sign today porclaim-
ing the hight tide of world democracy.
On the eve of May Day, Minister or
War Gutchkoff issued an order strik-
ing the last bonds from the army OF
the new Russia. 1t is with this new
spirit of freedom that Russia will eel
citrate tomorrow The keynote of
across the front of the palace, fashion
ed by the hand of workmen now
knowing the meaning of liberty. 1t
reads:
THE proletariat of all countries
unite"
Edict Frees Soldiers, Too.
The orders issued by Minister
Gutchkoff today were put forth at the
suggestion of the private soldiers
themselves. They provide:
Hereafter all soldiers are to be
considered citizens of Russia. Gun
der autocracy'S rule they were 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
censored.
All mail-including pamphlets
shall be delivered to soldiers at the
front.
The servi1e sir abolished in re-
plies by private soldiers to officers.
Hereafter privates shall say merely
yes or without the sir" in
answering officers. Also, soldiers
hereafter need not salute their Off
GERS unless the soldier wishes"
Privates, however, must to come to
attention" when commanded to do.
Corporal punishment in the army
completely abolished.
1t is in this spirit of complete free
dom that free Russia celebrates May
Day today.
Government Now Joins Celebration.
Under czardom, a few brave spirits
used to meet in remote forests on May
l and in constant dread of the secret
police, would go thru the forms of a
parade under the red flag of liberal
ism. Today, the government itself
joins. The Russian calendar is more
than two weeks behind that in use
everywhere else on the globe. But in
order that new Russia's idea of a
world brotherhood-a .'proletariat of
all countries''-it was decided to ad-
vance May Day IN Russia to coincide
with the rest of the world.
A parade such as Russia never saw
before will be the principal feature OF
the celebration in the capital.
But while Russia is celebrating her
freedom her people, jubilant al throw
ing off their shackles are not forget
ting that Russia's liberty must be
fought for.
Shame Men Who Don't Return.
Soldiers who visited their homes
from the front Immediately after the
revolution are returning to fight by
the thousands. All over Russia wo-
men of the villages are shaming them
into returning to their duty, demand
ing they fight and hold new Russia
in her present place in the world
democracies.
Both Sides Wave Red Flag.
Strange stories are told by Russian
soldiers back from the front of how
the enemy received the news of Rus
sia's overthrow of autocracy. One sol
der told me today of the "stranges
sight he ever saw
I'VE have discovered now that the
Germans on our front don't like to at
tack u.s. he said. Under a red flas
last Monday German officers climbed
out of their trenches. The German
soldiers followed. We didn't fire. But
we likewise hoisted our red flag
When the Germans saw we were de.
liberately Withholding our fire from
their ranks, under the same red flae
as our own forces, the soldiers them
selves stopped still and turned back tC
their own trenches. They abandoned
their officers. The officers stood there
in No Mans Land alone, urging then
to attack, but without avail. Finally
they, too, went back-disgustedl No
shot had been fired; not a German
soldier harmed in that death terri
tory.
However, we mistrust red flag:
borne by Germans and Austrians. Nov