Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-11-02
Russia in War
Until the Finish
Continued from Pase One

Continued from PAGE One
a newspaper here printed brief portion
Of Kerensky's reported statement, and by
8 o'clock official and diplomatic quarters
we're in an uproar Explanations were I'M
medIately made that Russia merely Is with
drawing from major military activity for
the period of the winter. British and
French military attaches were at the Rus
sian embassy early to receive any news
Russian officials rusAed to the state De
partment to correct the false impression
that Russia had declared separate peace,
Then Secretary Lansing and Ambassador
Rakhmeteff issued statements declaring that
separate negotiations between Russia ana
the Teuton Powers were not to be thought
of. -.
BAKHMETEFF EXPLAINS
Criticizing the washington paper for its
headline, Bakhmeten's statement went on 10
say:
RUSSIA is not out Of the war has no In
tention of ouitting. No word of Kerensky's
gives warrant for any assertion OF that
kind As n matter of fact, the Premier
stated the exact opposite. Answerms 70
the question. is Russia out OF the war ne
most emphatically declared that TINS was
ridiculous question TO ask
What Premier Kerensky expressed was
only a feeling of the Russian people that
aid and support be extended TO theun anu
that the encouragement from the Alhes -
justified to a nation that has borne sucn
heavy burdens and is now IN a PER- perIou O, y.
fundamental readjustment. NO woru was
intended to express any blame or sarcasm
against Allied action.
RUSSIA HOLDS BIG ARMY
"a cable received lately and which Is
piven out TO the press today shows the real
military condition on the Russian 'front.'
The hest anDwer TO malicious assertions
that Russia Is out OF tho war VIII DC '"o
facts given by this cable - that we arc
holding at the present time on our hOh'
147 divisions of enemy troops"
The embassy was asked as to what eN'
tent were justified the rumors that grea'
numbers of German troops have oeeh With'
drawn from the Russian front to be sent 10
the italian theatre OF war.
THE Russian embassy Is IN receipt Vi a''
official cable from General Dessiro rep
resentative of the Russian army with the
British headquarters" was the reply. he
communicates the following information:
"'Four German infantry divisions ana
three Austrian infantry divisions nave oeeh
withdrawn from Rumania and Gahcta II'l.
mediately prior to the attack on the ltalah
front At the same time few German di'
yisions have been transported from the
French front.
"'The total quantity Of enemy troops
which Is being maintained at present
against the Russian armies are; bignty
| six infantry and ten cavalry German olNl-
sions thirty-three infantry and eleven cav
| airy Austrian divisions and seven turkish
| and Bulgarian infantry divisions, making
! total of 147 enemy divisions
I.ANsING'S STATEMENT
Secretary Lansing was subjected to
| rapid.fire of questions on the Russian situa-
| t,on at his conference this morning.
| Can you give us some idea of just what
the Russian situation today is?" the Secre-
| tary was asked.
"Our own advices," he replied. "show that
| the provisional government in Petrograd
is attacking with great energy the problems
| confronting It, Reports received from Pc
| trograd by mail and telegraph show that
| Premier Kerensky and his Government,
far from yielding to discOura cement, are
| still animated by strong determination to
I organize all RussIa's resources In IA whole
| hearted resistance and carry the war
through to a victorious completion. At the
same time this Government, like those of