Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-09-28
AMERICAN PEss|M|sT|C
OVER AFFAIRS IN RUSSIA
interior Cities and Villages Filled
With Troops Who Refuse
to Go to Front.
MILITARY DEEDS OF VIOLENCE
Governments Utter PowerIessness
shown Recently-Substant Citi-
zens Saw in Success of Kornilon
Only Possibility Of Saving Nation.
IBy Associated Prnss

tBy Associated Press
STOCKHOLM, September 27.-An
American who has spent ten years In
european capitals. and whose position
compels him to take the viewpoint Of
an impartial observer. reached here to-
day after six weeks in Petrograd. and
gives peRsimistic report of the fight
ing spirit in Russia and of political
and industrial conditions there. He
says:
There ia no fighting spirit except
among tho Cossacks and Caucassians,
and that seems to be waning. a Cau-
casaian colonel said to me: There are
no real fighters left in Russia except
us. and we are not Russians. thank
God. but Caucassians and Mohamme-
dams
The interior cities and villages are
hlied with Russian troops who refuse
to go to the front. Young Russians OF
the better class are hunting the streets
OF Petrograd for men who are will
Ing to become officers. Since the muir
der OF officers by men has become
daily occurrence. only the most fer
vent patriots will assume the risk OF
taxing commissions.
The reports Of open disobedience
of troops at the front and OF deeds of
violence committed by them are coun!
less. Railway travel I'm many places
and particularly in Southwestern Rus
sia. Is unsafe because soldiers loot
trains. steal luggage and maltrcat and
even murder those who resist
100 OFFICERS AT vIBORG
MURDERED BY SOLDIERS
Il sat in the War once at Petro-
grad when the report was received of
the murder OF nearly DO officers at
Niborg. and of tho preparation Of pro-
scription lists against officers In Tam
merfors.
"Newspapers in HelsIngfors carry
daily accounts OF military deeds of
violence and of the murder of officers
and civilians by soldiers. often ac-
companicd by robbery. The govern
ment has not dared to do more than
announce that these matters will be
investigated carefully
The Bolshevikis are gaining tho
upper hand in Petrograd. and are In
crossing their strength in Moscow. I
venture TO predict their eventual su-
premacy. ! know this means almost
the elimination OF Russia as a factor
in the war. and places new burdens on
America.
The governments utter powerless.
ness was recently shown in connection
with It's exile Of number Of dark
forces" The Bosheikis took them
from a train at Viborg. now are send
ing them back tG Pctrograd and the
government does not dare 10 insist
that IT'S dcpor ,!on order be carried
out.
The Bolshevikis' demonstration Of
JOY over the fall of Riga held In front
OF the War Office was suffered by tho
government in silence.
Such facts. together with the gov
crnmcnts rapid changes in personnel,
form and policy. demonstrate the Sc
robustness OF the situation
HELD HOPE THAT KoRNILOrF
WOULD REACH PETRoGRAD
when korniiof issued his ulti-
matum the news was received wild
Joy by great proportion Of substan-
tial citizens. and even men in the gov
eminent departments told me of their
secret hope that he would come to
Petrograd. The comments from Eng
i'oh anu -h'ci iSah hcW SpdPcTS TeJOlC-
Ing at Kornilofr's failure were received
with amusement by these people, who
saw in his success the only possibility
of saving Russia.
"A factory near Nizhni- Novgorod
manufacturing war materials and en-
ploying $4,000 hands. has just been
closed because It has been impossible
to meet the wage demands Armed
workmen terroriZe the owners of fac
tories, workmen's committees spend
their whole time drafting wage sched-
ules. and nobody may be hired or dis
charged without their consent. La
borers unloading wood from barges at
PetroErad won in one day strike for