The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-11-08
Washington Sees Open Civil
War at Hand in Russia.
Provisional Govt Collapse Sc
riOuS Blow to Allies.
GERMAN INTRIGUE VICTORY
Means Encouragement OF Al
lies War Plans.
Puts c. S. Loan to Russia OF
325 Million in CruX.

washington, Nov S.-Kerensky's
fall and the collapse of his government
in Petrograd into the hands of the
Maximalists, who propose a separate
peace with Germany, is regarded here
as threatening Russia with the civil
war which ali her friends hoped to
see avoided
The state department, entirely with
out official advices of its own, was
silent wishing to avoid making any
statements until the situation could
be accurately assessed on the basis of
intimate reports from Ambassador
Francis at Petrograd.
The Russian embassy, too, preferred
not to make a statement until later,
and until after there has been oppor-
tunity for communication with Am
| bassador Bakhmetieff, who was traV-
cling in the south.
The embassies of the entente allies
realizing that the development means.
first of all. probably a Encouragement
/ of their war plans, were shocked but
| not disheartened at what is consider ed
| triumph of insidious German propa-
ganda.
Troops Must Choose Sides.
! The general opinion here among
those in position to be best informed
| of Russian affairs is that Kerensky
| and his followers will probably
Moscow, leaving Petrograd to the
, Maximalists and those troops who ad-
here to them. An armed clash is
! counted among the first probabilities,
/ but it is said here that the greater
| part of the army is expected to re-
main loyal to the Kerensky govern
ment. Whether the new revolt will go
the quick way of the Korniloff rebel
! lion, no one here ventures to predict;
I the realization is that it is Infinitely
more serious.
The outcome and Russias part in
| the next years of the war while she
RECEIVERS her fighting power, no one
! here assumes to contemplate at this
/ time.
The war council of the co-belltger-
! ents just about to assemble in Europe
/ to arrange policies of coordination 0f
! fighting forces is now faced with
new and great problem at its very out
| set Coming close on the italian re-
verses the Russian debacle brings the
allies, including the United States, face
| TO face with action to rearrange their
| fighting power to deal the heaviest
possible blows on the battle fronts
/ while Russia works out her part and
destiny in the great struggle for world
/ freedom and Italy holds back the in
vader thru the Alps.
| Jeopardizes Q. S. Loan.
/ The immediate effect upon the part
| which the United States must take as
the shifting of world events turns the
/ burdens of war more and more to the
| American people cannot be assessed
/ accurately at this time. The treasury
already has authorized credits OF
| 1925 100000 to Russia, and or that
! sum probably half already has been
drawn upon for supplies bought in
| this country There has been some
! disappointment among American Of
! ficials that some of the money was
used for needs of the civilian popula-
! ton and not devoted Who!iy TO war
/ purposes, but in Russia's critical posi-
! tion consideration of the economic
! crisis there has been permitted the eX-
nenditures to go on practically I'M
] limited.
merely to money and the confidence
/ of the government in Kerensky and
! his adherents has freely and fire.
! uuently been expressed.
! The visit of the American mission
| headed by Elihu Root is fresh in the
/ public memory; every member and
Mr. Root in particular returned opu-
mistic and confident of Russia's fu-
ture.
An American commission of emil
nent railroad men now is there bring
| ing order out of chaos on Russia's
| transportation systmes and has al
ready increased efficiency in some de-
partments at least so per cent. Mean
while millions of dollars worth of sup
J
vostok and the Americans have been
applying the best methods to move
them across Siberia Japan, at the
same time, has been supplying aid to
Russia in practically every way. prin-
ciraIly in munitions for which the
Russian government has been able to
pay practically nothing at all as yet
Two Million Enemy on Russ Front.
A factor in the situation which has
been reluctantly discussed heretofore
now comes to the front. 1t is the pos
sibility that Japan might send troops
into Russia, to support the provision
al government, help restore order and
drive the revolving factions up onto
the firing line. No one here who
would be authorized to speak on the
subject cares to do so. altho it has
been discussed by japanese elsewhere
and the consensus of their opinions
as published has been that Japan
would find some difficulties in supply
| ing an army sent into Russia More
over, the argument has been advanced
that Japan's forces were needed to
preserve order in the Far East
Some idea of what Russia faces on
! her fighting lines may be gained from
the latest report to the Russian en-
bassy here. 1t was on November 2,
and showed that the Russian troops
were engaging 147 divisions of enemy
troops, including Germans. Austrians.
Bulgarians and Turks. probably in all
some two million men. The POSSIBLE
! ity of these troops, or any part of
them being released for a drive
against the western front to join the
/ inva ders in Italy or even for Balkan
I service, where many military experts
I believe Germany is planning an at
/ tack on Greece. is one of the questions
which the inter-allied war council will
have to consider
| Annual bazaar by the women's Ben
/ eft Association Maccabees in the Roy
I al Arcanum hall, over WOODWORK. 10