Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-09-24
AVSDEBATE
ORDERS TO ARMY
BEFORE ACTING
Petrograd Dentist Says Roads
Will Prevent Germans From
Taking Capital This Winter

Germany will not attempt to capture
Petrograd this winter, Is the opinion
of W. D. Ellis, an American dentist.
who has resided in the Russian CAPT.
tai for II years. He is a passenger
aboard the China bound for the United
States for a visit.
Dr. Ellis comments on the chaos
through which Russia has been pass
ing, but, for such a tragic subject,
gives a sidelight of humor regarding
the situation, when he remarks:
Red sIgnified liberty to, tie Russian
peasants, so that was adopted as the
emblem of freedom following the rev.
olution. When the Russian anarchists
began to arrive from America they
found their old emblem was usurped
and that red stood for law and order.
The anarchists then adopted a modif;-
cation Of the old pirates flag, one with
black ground. During an attempt ct
the anarchist group to parade carry
ing their black flag they were mobbed
and their banner torn from them by
the reds"
With only two or three good roads
and most of the country from the pres
ent German line to Petrograd impas
sable, is the reason Dr. Ellis believes
no attempt will be made this winter
by the German army to take the Rus
sian capital. The difficulties of trans
portation and the long haul to bring
in supplies will deter Them" he says.
"Brotherly feeling of Russian social
lists for German socialists accounts for
the lack of a Russian offensive" he
says.
That's exactly the kernel of the
trouble with the Russian army. They
have to hold committee meetings now
bin the Russian army to see If an order
to advance is to be followed. In the
meantime, other Russian forces may
be wiped out" he cynicalIy remarks.
The dentist believes Germany had
been able to take Riga for some time
before she did, but postponed doing so
in the hopes of gaining it by diplomacy
and through the sympathy of the Bal
tic Germans, who constitute AZ per
cent Of the population of that district.
That Protopopoff, former Russian
minister of the interior, precipitated
the successful Russian revolution il
the belief of DR.. Ellis. 1T would not
have come them" he says, "if 1t hadn't
been for the Petrograd bread riots.
Everyone knew there was to be an
attempt to overthrow the monarchy.
Street car conductors would openly
tell you so, The government knew II
also, and thought It best to start the
trouble before the reVelutionists had
fully prepared. -
While Protopopoff was d member
Of the Duma he went to western Eu.
rope with commission for a confer
ence with representatives of Italy,
England and France. Before that he
was considered as a member of the
left faction, but On his way back to
Petrograd he had conference with
German agents In Stockholm and af-
ter his return Topped over to the
right. 1t was then he was named as
minister Of the interior. -. !.
Suspicion Of Protopopoff, lack Of
bread and hatred of the police brought
about the revolution sooner than an.
ticipated. But it was bound to come
sooner or later. After the first days
fighting in Petrograd It was simply a
case OF police batting and police hunt.
ing" ...=-".S