The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-03-16


tionary coup in Petrograd are given
in a Reuter- dispatch from the Rus
sian capital
The dispatch says the working class
had decided on peaceful street
demonstrations on Saturday. Early
Saturday the police warned the citi-
zens not to leave their houses as it
was not safe. In other words. the
food demonstrators were to be sup
pressed with an iron hand. Undeterred,
however, by this warning, the people
came out in such numbers that the
Nevsky Prospect and other main
thorofares were thronged. The
crowds were mostly from the mid
die classes, as the roads from the
labor district were barred The peo-
pie were so good natured and jovial
that the authorities believed at first
that the day would pass without trou-
BILE. Nevertheless, they sent for re-
Inducements.
Patron after patrol of Cossacks
mounted and foot soldiers and police
lined the Nevsky Prospect and the
court yards of the houses were filed
with reserves. The crowd. still good
natured, cheered the troops warmly
as the soldiers showed themselves ap-
preciative. There was an unprece-
denied feeling of comaraderie between
the populace and the troops. Co.'S
sacks dotted their hats repeatedly to
the cheerers and some groups of SOL
diers cheered back at the crowds 1t
was sign of the times that the au-
thorities. however, failed to read.
Deposed by Gar.
AT the opening of the war Grand
Duke Nicholas was appointed COM
mander-in- chief of the Russian
armies. He quickly came into world
prominence by his series of victories
acrOiV ,cff he
ing the summer of 1914, which made
him the popular hero of the Russians
and one of the great figures of the
war.
Even the great Austro- German
drive in the following summer hardly
lessened his prestige, altho the Rus
slams, being forced back all along the
front lost most of Galicia, all of Po-
land and parts of White Russia and
the Baltic provinces.
During this disastrous camraign the
Russians short of guns and ammuni-
ton, preserved an unbroken front and
the grand duke conducted the retreat
in a manner that won the highest
praise from military men.
Despite this, the grand duke was
deposed by Emperor Nicholas in SEN
TENDER, 1915, the emperor himself
taking command of the Russian
armies and sending the former chief
commander to the Caucasus.
In this comparatively inconspicuous
position little was heard of the grand
duke.
The results of his military genius
however, soon began to make them
selves apparent in the results achieved
by the Russian Caucasus armies. The
br1lI1ant campaign which he conduct
ed in Turkish Armenia speedily led to
the fall of Erzerum, the Turkish
stronghold in the eastern part of the
province, and later of Trebizond, on
the Black sea coast, and Erzingan
farther west in the interior.
Leading Victorious Army.
For virtually a year nothing has
been heard of the grand duke. It has
oeen assumed, however that he was
still in command in the Caucasus
Already this year the activities and
successes of the Russian armies in the
Persian branch of the Caucasus oper-
atoms have given indications that
some skilful guiding hand, presump-
lively that of Nicholas was responsibIe
Tor the campaign apparently designed
to cut off the Turkish forces driven
from Bagdad by the British and now
in full! retreat up the Tigris towards
/ Mosul.
Grand Duke Nicholas, who was born
in 1856, is the second cousin of Mich
olas II. His part in the Russo-Jap-
anese war was an active and distin-
guished one. In 1906, he became
president of the council of national
defense. Twice m that year uns11c-
cessful attempts were made on his life