New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-03-17
Russia S New Cabinet
Unites All Liberals
In War on Germany
Prince Lvof the One Statesman WI.
Could Hold Together Such
a Coalition
BY ISAAC DON LEVINE

war government. The primary obiee, :,
the revolution. according TO the new Por,ls.
Minister, Paul y. MiliukofT, was "the reS,,,s
lishment in Russia of power capable OF vv
ing the people final victory over the eperv.
The new government is charged. first Of Al
TO win the war and rid the world Of ~
Prussian menace. The triumph OF democn,v
in Russia, il is understood will be seeu,,i
and made permanent only by the eOnOl...
destruction of Kaiserism.
II is in this light only that the chars,,
of the body OF men Tow controlling the S...
TIMES of the Russian Empire will lend ia,.
70 Interpretation. Heading this body is ia
man who has deservedly acquired the repu,,.
ton of the Russian Lloyd George man o,
profound vision, charming personality, eno,.
nous capacity for work, Prince G. L. Iyos
symbolzes the whole new government A
poet, but never a visionary, practical bust.
ness man with heart that goes out to al
humanity, a democrat 20 the last fibre Of ii,
constitution. the first Prime Minister OF In.
Grated Russia typifies the finest and the no.
blest that there is in that nation.
But the feature about Lvoif overshasov.
ing all others is the fact Wat he has ney,,
identified himself entirely with the activities
of the liberal Russian parties, as is the cas-.
with the average Russian liberal. While o.hs,
party leaders delivered stirring orations and
wrote fiery articles, Prince LvofF was engaged
in some constructive task. The leaders Of a.
Constitutional Democrats, Octobrists, Rir,
and Left parties became known all over Ii,
world. But Prince Lvof preferred social
work to talk, comparative obscurity to
spectacular career, and peace to party strife
and jealousy.
Character of the Prime Minister
To-day he is the only man. from the pOli.
ica point of view, able 20 hold together
coalition Cabinet such as the Russian Cabl.
net Is. A liberal 70 the core, he is diHeren.
from all other Russian liberal leaders /,
that he commands the highest respect and
admiration of all the various progressiy.
and radical elements in the empire Social.
list and Conservative, Octobrist and Consu.
tutionalst alike have implicit faith in him
And all that Is due to the fact that he has
kept aloof from the customary party bicser.
ing and quarrelling.
This Characteristic Of the new Prime Nln.
lister guarantees the stability OF the men.
born government. For this government
conglomeration of conflicting currents q
thought and action. In times OF peace sab
a government would have been utterly in.
possible. Only the common purpose al.
mating the entire nation in regard 10 Z,
prosecution of the war made possible tis
present coalition Cabinet.
In this Cabinet the brilliant leader Of Z,
Constitutional Democrats, MiliukoG, VII,
a man of sane and mature statcsmarti
joins hands with the Socialist Kerensky :,
versatile and eloquent labor leader The
wealthy Konovaloff, appointed to the Mn.
istry of Commerce; the conservative Cod
ref, the Controller of State, and the new
Minister of Finance, 1erestchenko, Kef
sugar manufacturer, are all Octobrsls-ior-
merly the government party. The gulf BE-
tween an Octobrist and a Socialist in Rus
STA is immeasurable in ordinary times. 4
coalition of the two elements would be rn'
thinkable in any other circumstances hn
the present, when the external issues due
the war transcend in the eyes Of the R1'.
sian democracy the internal reformation 81
the political institutions.
A Body of Experts
The political physognomy OF the new CaolH"
amply and ndisputably proves that the rss
Russian government is government res8f
ing from the war, consecrated 20 the prose's'
ton of the war and erected for the purpose
backing the Allies with the limitless rescue"
of the gigantic Slavic nation. This is the on
great outstanding factor in the whole sl'"
ton. Internal reforms will come as neldehh
Freedom will be granted to al the classe. 81
nationalities inhabting Russia, but for "
primary purpose OF solidfying the naua
against the foe of universal democrsey-Pr'
sianism. For the leaders Of the Russian s'''
eminent and revolution, more than any 0''s
similar body of men in the world To-Day, !"
inspired with the ideas Of internaiio''H1
and progress based upon self-goyernmh,
But what is even more important Is ne ~
that besides being coalition go'ern,.
dedicated to the relentless pfosecuNon "
war, the new government has the aoiIiV -
experience necessary for the task con''oa~,
it. The new Russian ministry IL os''l',
institution primarily. Each and ever 0 us.,
the members of the new Cabinet IS pee1ls
fit for his post. Russia has never had s''-
expert body of men at the helm o. nef 60 81.
ment. Il may not be TOO sanguine 10 say -
no present Cabinet in Europe IS the eq'''
the Russian. $500. a.,
The career OF the new Prime AinlsWh
/ instance. is reDlete with enormous Ous.-s !,
experience. Two years and nan se
/ started in Moscow a movement for we ~,
/ fcation of the Zemstvos, or rural as'.. -.
with the object OF helping the army v
of fifteen idealists flocked 70 the prince -,
one at that time foresaw that tnirV 80.
later this tiny organization would rave s...,,
oped so colossally as 20 be the man 81.
+ in the overthrow Of the centuues-'''
/ sian autocracy.
The Zemstyo Union
And its creator, its leading spirit ~ o O
izer and chief is Prince Lyof, no" s.-.lo,
Prime Minister. The story OF ine o
ment Of the All-Russian ZemsiVo 49,. or
spite of the very unfavorable cona.o ard