Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-05-31
NATIVES FOR
REVOLUTION
New Russian Government
Ratified at Meetings in
Caucasus.

Tihis. Caucasus, May so.-fCorres-
pondence OF The Associated Press.)-
The Russian revolution came to the
Caucasus several days after 1t had
won at Petrograd. and the new order
was put into effect without a hitch
government was ratified by n of the
most picturesque public gatherings
that have been held anywhere in the
Russian empire.
The peoples, not only Of Tiiis, but
Of all neighboring districts, were in
vited to attend, this huge ratification
meeting, For several hours before the
hour set for tho meeting. the bridge
e the Kura and the streets leading
with incoming Delegates. serious and
silent, impressed with the Importance
of their mission.
1t was the largest mass meeting Of
Caucasian peoples that has ever been
held. In the great square six plat
forms were raised and the crowd was
simultaneously addressed from all six
platforms. the area being too large to
enable any speakers voice to carry
across the entire crowd.
The crowd included every element
In the multi-racial population of this
part Of Russia. There were wild
mountain tribes. Lessians. Avars. Che
chens and Swanetians in long black
cloaks and sheepskin caps. Their
homes lie in the recesses Of the eau
casus range. Sunk in patriarchal
know, until the war brought them in
touch with the outside world, wheth-
er they were subjects Of the emperor
Of Russia or the sultan of Turkey.
Hundreds of the picturesque white
skinned peasants Of the province of
Georgia were also there. The Georgi-
ans are politically the most advanced
OF n Of the races In the Caucasus.
having In the last twenty years de-
veloped every form Of western polit-
ical thought. Then there were Ar
menian merchants. the Tartar peas
ants of the East Caucasus, men from
the railway work and the oil fields at
Baku, and the student element was
prominent.
The platforms were occupied by So
cial democratic leaders, who hereto
meetings In secret. They called upon
the people to preserve the public or
der. While they were speaking. q
regiment of the Tifis garrison, headed
by their colonel, marched into the
square: We have come" said the
colonel, Ito put our services unre-
servedly at the command of the pro-
l 8otoIlllllGXll I0nR HVA N4HAAH
Ruseia!"
Then a soldier orator took the COL
onels place on the platform. Let us
not forget" he said, that over yon.
der IN Germany we have. brothers,
too. crushed under that same tyranny
from which we have now, thank God,
been delivered. May God grant that
n hour of their deliverance NAV al
30 soon strike"
In an automobile drove up the chief
OF staf OF h Caucasus army. who
mounted the platform and read q
message from Grand Duke Nicholas,
in which the latter stated that he real
ized the old regime had got to 20, but
asked the people to preserve quiet
ana keep the army free from political
strife.
Among the rdistinsuishsd xue,t,'
who visited the variouh platforms
were twenty political prisoners who
had been in the dungeons Of This pri-
son since 1905. when they wore I'm.
plicated In q local attempt at revolu-
ton. There were women speakers
Iyeasus Of iPostoflce Employees and OF
the Women's Educational league
There were speeches in ten Different
languages. Including Russian, Georef.
An, Armenian. Tartar and six noun.
tain dialects
4 hand played tho Marssiiiaiss a,
ffequent Intervals, the troops present.
!ng aFnas, the peasants dodlng 3thsil
hate, md many sOisss Joining m thl
EehofN9 Of thu graak Il French Tovolu,
If3enA1y h51nns AltapslouH 6oue1 M
Meear1F4nts13y SAteyssssd,