Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-09-13
TAXING THE CLOCK APART.

kerensky is on top in Russia today.
The socialist revolutionary party holds
the balance OF power. Korniloff is I'M
derneath. But who knows of tomorrow
in Russia? The best that can be said
OF Russia is that it is a country with
out a real government, rife with civil
war and ripe for change. a wear!ed,
hungry and fear stricken country
lacking organization Of thought and
purpose and even in government. 1t
is a powerful engine without a COVER
nor" running on full steam and vast
ing It's effort while destroying itself.
Kerensky today; tomorrow kornilon
or another off" or another Sky" The
allies and America have a political
lunatic on their hands.
Kerensky Is great man and with
out doubt sincerely striving for the
good Of Russia. But korniloff also is
a great man and a sincere patriot ac-
cording TO those best equipped with a
true knowledge of the war and his
purposes. Korniloff also is a soldier
and a. commander OF soldiers. The two
men should be working together IL
stead Of leading opposite camps in a
civil war.
The New York Times in very able
editorial explains:
The rupture between the two men
occurred at the Moscow conference
upon a question as to which korniloff
was in the right. The general insisted
that disciplin in the army could be re-
stored only by the establishment OF
extreme penalties for cowardice and
treason at the front The demoraliza-
ton Of the army was evident from the
moment when the Council OF Work
mems and Soldiers Delegates, insisting
upon the establishment Of democratic
principles in the regiments, authorized
the soldiers to form committees to de-
liberate concerning orders issued and
determine whether they should be
obeyed, when the death penalty was
abolished, when the soldiers Were en-
couraged to feel that they were every
inch as good as their officers and
might dispense with salutes and all
forms Of courtesy. The inevitable re-
suit followed when the Russian troops
abandoned their great gains in aGlicia
and ran away, when they begn their
foolish fraterization with the German
soldiers, and in the case of some regi-
ments made what they called d
NIT he fro hn
in short became worthless instrument
Kornilof sought to rebuild its strength
and make it aagin force for the de-
Tense of Russia.
The Russian situation Is not readily
to be understood, If it is to be under
| stood at all by Americans. With the
removal of the car expatriated politi-
| cal offenders who could find passage
from first cabin to steerage swarmed
toward Russia. Useful men. unbalanced
agitators, anarchists of peaceful and
terrorist types joined with students
and statesmen and moujiks and soldiers
to urge upon and demand Of the new
government a Kaleidoscope mosaic Of
government and, misgovernment and
complete the DISCRIMINATION begun by
revolution. Revolutions within revolu-
| tons. wars within war, circles Of gov
eminent within circles, wheels within
| wheels. 1t was as though a child had
taken the clock to pieces. There was
and is a desire for government and a
! Russia that shall keep time with the
| watches of the world, the springs ant
| wheels and pinions of government are
! there in the hands OF hundreds 0!
! tinkers each Of whom has different
place for every part.
Peace and order and a united front
| toward the foe seem far away from
| Russia as Russia exists today. But
there is always tomorrow and emer-
] gency has always brought its man to
match against opportunity. AS the
| Times puts 1t:
Things have gone SO far in the usual
senseless way Of revolutions that in
| all probability order will be restored in
Petrograd and throughout Russia only
when tho Little Corporal Of this re-