Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-17

Continued from PAGE One
the new order in Russia and utter disre
| gard of the ancient feudal practices Of
| other days. it was announced today tina
| local committees of the provisional govern
nent are taking over all estates OF more
| than 125 acres
Meanwhile order was steadily being re-
stored throughout Petrograd The list ol
| provinces and cities announcing adherence
TO the new regime was increasing rapidly
The violent change from a repressed au'
tocracy to a wide-open democracy was
being made with ease. The provisional
government leaders have impressed the
people with the sincerity OF their purpose
their energy and their patriotism to the
cause OF the people OF Russia.
Former Premers Golitzine and Goremy-
kin have been placed in the fortress Of st.
Peter and st. Paul. says a Reuter- dispatch.
as have Generals Scukhominofr and Bella
eff, former Ministers of War: A. B. Proto-
popoff. former Minister os ;he Interior j.
G. Chtchegioyitoff and NJ. Maiaroff, former
Ministers Of Justice NJ. Malakof and Gen
eral Kurloff, former chief of police. Other
prominent persons under arrest are being
detained temporarily in the Duma building.
There will be a great parade of troops
in Petrograd today before the new Minis
ters.
1t is announced that there will be no
further trials for political offenses and that
the Government has opened the bar to Jew
ish lawyers. who have been excluded here
tofore.
In the present spirit of the officers and
the men in the ranks there is no reason
to apprehend disciplinary troubles as the
officers rejoice equally with the men in the
overthrow Of the autocracy. The officers
have issued a proclamation to their men in
which they refer TO the "accursed old
regime
OFFICERS PLEDGE LOYALTY
On every side in Petrograd was heard
today renewed avowals Of vigorous prose-
cution OF the war against Germany.
BY order Of the Provisional Government
Admiral Mepine today arrested Governor
Zein. of Finland. Deputy Rodicheff was
named Minister of Finnish Affairs and or
dered to proceed at once to Helsingfors.
All army officers present in Petrograd
met today and unanimously resolved to
recognize the authority OF the Duma.
Speeches were made stating realizat ton
OF the army in the indispensable need for
re-esta blishment Of order as speedily as
possible. that the work behind the
trenches might proceed.
Governmental reforms that even the most
radical would not have believed possible
a month ago are to succeed the autocra tic
forces ard arbitrary restrictions of the
Romanoff dynasty.
Included in these are.
Emancipation Of the Jews and abol-
iton of all social, religious and ma
tional restrictions
Full political amnesty, which in
cludes the opening of Siberia's doors
to all political prisoners--the thou
sands who have been sent to a living
death through incurring the displeas-
ure Of the dynasty heads
Absolute liberty of speech and free
dom of the press, for which hundreds
have been imprisoned and executed in
the past.
Immediate extension of amnesty to
prisoners and exiles who suffered be-
cause of their political or religious
faith. or for terrorist and agrarian Of
fenses.
Calling in near future of communal
elections to be based on universal suf-