New Britain herald., 1917-05-16
RUSSIA oN THE RAMPAGE

alarm to all those countries allied with it in battle against the Germans,
 and to the United States the cham- | pion of democracy. What Is going to
 happen to Russia if present condi- tions continue cannot be foretold. The 1 worst Is probably yet to come. The defense. the liberty. and even the cx- l istence of -Russia are hanging in the
 balance. General Guckoff. Minister War, in announcing his resignation calls attention to the grave sin beir committed against the country. Rus sia itself is more sinned against than sinning. The intrfgues of German agents are now being felt. i! General Korniloff. who had charge of the garrison at Petrograd, has re-, signed. Now comes word that For
 eign Minister Nlilukoff has given up
 the reins. Other resignations are
 looked for at any time. Thus is the
 Provisional Government deprived of
 three of. its most valuable supports.
 These men, patriots to the core, have
 worked necessarily to keep the new
 Republic intact. The Minister of War is
 aware of the spirit of demoralization
 that is rapidly disintegrating the Rus
 sian army. The fraternizing of the
 Russian and German soldiers on the
 Russian front is the first cause of the
 trouble. It cannot be stopped Seem
 insly, the officers are powerless to en-
 force discipline, or they are in league
 with the Gern,ans. It Is known that
 the friendship ofsthe Russian troops has been bought by liberal quantities of vodka dispersed in the trenches. With men fighting against each other carrying on friendly relations in the trenches 1t Is no wonder that O0.000 German troops can be drawn away from the Russian frontier and placed on the western front there to fight the Franco English forces. The report of this naovefent. of course. has not yet been authenticated. If 1t is true, 1t admits. in tho first place. that the Germans have suffered terrific losses in their engagements of the last six weeks on the western front. Yet whatever loss there must be offset by any condition that allows Hindenburg to draw on the German Army at the ! Russian frontier. It shows that Rus sia is not considered a very for ! midable enemy by the Germans. IL implies Q heap of confidence in the l Russians. a situation that does not | augur well for the French and Brit ish armies fighting in northern France. It means that the fighting of | the past month and half must be | Ill gone over again. As soon as the | German troops come up from the Russian frontier the German army on French soil should be as strong as | It the start of the battle of Arras, ! continuation of the battle Of the somme.
 When the Russians got rid of Nich- ,las Romono6 there was rejoicing the democratic world. It was . bold step in the interests of .he people and it deserved. and de- .erves. a better fate than that which now 1hEeatens the now Republic. But having disposed of him 1t should have held on to reason, and to the great Generals who were somewhat handi- capped iu their work under an in- rule. In their miM- tSib anA cavfc equipment the Russians are raffdly becoming paralyxsd. Aside from the three aforementioned men who have sthrown up their hands, Russia Is now fighting minus the ser- vices of two sgreat commanders,-l Grand Duke Nicholas and General Russky Ameriea does not want to s@e Russia loef tp the world of demoo-. racy Ameracxs1ants to see Russia | riss out os its sststssof disruption and put on the clothes of a totally free country. T1s A1asrtcan Commission may bs ahIe toshstp the Russian om- cssls h brinSinsssrder out of chaos. Again. the mxraoan Commission 1 may fail. Weycas never know until these mon .sArtvs ssfs on Russian coil. When that event transpires it may bs t6o lsfe. We are told in yes ssrday's dispatcAss ssa af washing ion that the Aneste1 commission will start in . vsry lev days for the stricken country: lAfsbest MT. Root ana his associafes scannot get there before late sJune,s asgd then it miehti bssa foriorn 4ope- The whole outlook r discopra9lsts