Evening star., 1917-11-09
OFFICIAL REPORT Of
REVOLT IS LACKING
State Department and Russian
Embassy Refuse Comment
on Outside Data.
HOPE DISORDER is LOCAL

| Both the State Department and the
Russian embassy today were still with
out scrap of official information about
the assumption of control by maximal-
lists in Petrograd. Officially, the Rus
sian revolution does not exist.
Secretary of State Lansing today de-
clined to discuss the Russian situation
in the absence of any reports. The
last advices from Russia received at
the State Department were dated No
vember and contained no reference.
of course, to the bo1sheviki uprising.
The most recent dispatch from the
home government received at the Rus
sian embassy was delivered there this
morning. but it was sent Monday and
delayed in transmission.
The Russian ambassador, who has
been in Memphis, is expected back In
Washington tomorrow. An official of
the embassy, upon his declination to
comment formally on the new turn of
Russian affairs, was asked what att1-
tude the embassy assumed to the boil
sheviki regime.
nor can we do SO until we have some
official information about the status Of
affairs over there was the reply.
Caution Is Necessary.
Caution should be exercised. 1t was
stated. in accepting too literally re-
ports from Russia since the lack Of Of
fetal dispatches indicates that the tele-
graph lines are entirely In control OF
the maxima1ists. Hope still is pinned
TO the belief that the revolution is
purely local to Petrograd. One press
association reports that Kerensky only
this week had met about 5000 soldiers.
loyal to him, on their way to PetrogTad
in anticipation of trouble, as promised
by the bolsheyiki and had ordered them
to turn back. was cited as sustaining
the theory that kerensky was waltin g
for the revolutionists to e1pend their
strength.
This report. in connection with ke-
rensky's consistent refusal to arrest
any of the pacifist-socialist agitators.
were said to indicate that kerensky
hoped to give the extremists. to use a
slang phrase, rope enough to hang
themselves and that he depended upon
the mass of the Russian people to turn
Loyalty to the provisional government
in revulsion against the radical plat
form of those in temporary ascendancy.
1t also was stated that since kerenskJ
has been away from Fetrograd 1t Is
possible that he has not fed, but merely
is at point from which he can railS
his supporters to resist the revolu-
tionists.
Alliance Is Possibility.
One of the possibilities suggested
was an alliance of kerensky and Kor-
niloff Importance of the news report
Cjp
pledged allegiance to the new faction
is discounted. 1t was stated. by the
fact that these were only about 5000
out of $4,000 Cossack troops, most of
whom are believed to be loyal to he-
rensky.
If there is an effort to resist the
new regime it is believed 1t will be
headed by kerensky personally. II is
not believed there is another leader
of the provisional government who can
approximate his great popularity. IL
is contended here that this popularity
is still strong throughout Russia, es-
pecially in Moscow, where the capital
Of the provisional government may be
set up.
Russians here. kerenskys name still
holds its old-time magic and per
sonal appeal to them would counteract
any edicts of those now seeming to
hold the reins Of government. Ike Ike
earnestly desiring peace, it is believed.
would be aroused by program which
would lay Russia open to unrestricted
German influence, because there IS
Russia. despite the efforts of Teuton
propagandists to overcome it.
Has Not Been Considered.
Recognition of the new government,
- If is able to assume the authority it
now claims. naturally has not been con-
sidered by the State Department. in the
absence of any official information.
The United States early rendered its
recognition to the provisional govern
ment even before Kerensky assumed
the position of premier. and whether
such a recognition, given in acknowl-
edpment of the overthrow of the czar
and the assumption of control by the
people would need renewal because of
a change of those in power was ques-
ton upon which no one in authority
would comment.
Representation of Russia at the
Forthcoming military conference of the
allies also was a matter wholly for
speculation. Some days ago, before the
present disturbances. 1t was stated by
persons in a position to know that
kerensky would not go to Paris, be-
cause his presence was needed in Rus
sia. The soldiers and workmen's dele
gates weeks ago named ShODeleI dS
their representative, but 1t has been
strongly intimated he would not be re-
ceived because the conference was
called to discuss the prosecution of the
war and not to consider any possible
peace program such as he was commits
stoned to present. Even should the new
! government be in power it is not be-
| lieved that he would be received for the
presentation Of these proposals.
Third Possibility Suggested.
| Aside from two possibilities held out
by the present muddled situation
namely, those of an effort toward the
restoration of kerensky or the recog-
| milton of the bolsheviki element-a third
! possibility was suggested, that OF a
temporary military dictatorship to
| bring order out of the chaos.
! On one hand are the Russians who
hold with the semi-anarchistic pro-
gram of the extremists. believing that
thus they may obtain a redistribution
Of land among the peasantry. and an
immediate peace. On the other hand is
class, more intelligent, who have been
| impatient with kerensky's seeming
easy going liberation of the bolsheviki
| and urged that a more drastic policy
| be taken against those who would
| plunge Russia into a chaos which could
| mean a long evolution back to the sem
blance of stable government.
| Which of these elements predomi-
mates no one on this side of the water
and probably not even in Russia, is