New Britain herald., 1917-08-28
kORNILOFF REVEALS
SITUATION in ARMY
Soldiers Lack Discipline and Con-
slider Only Personal Safety
SHOOTING COMMANDERS

ened With Death-Opposition to
Kerensky Assumes Definite Form.
Moscow, Aug. 27.-The second gen.
eral sitting Of the national conference
was held this afternoon. General
Korniloff. the oommander-in-ch1ef,
entered the hall in company with
Premier Kerensky. His appearance
was the signal for a prolonged and en-
thusiastic ovation. All the delegates
cheered the revolutionary govern
ment and army.
Vladimir Naboukoff, prominent
social speaking in the name
of the first Duma, declared the coun-
try aimed at establishment of strong
and independent power, uninf1uenced
by political parties, a power, which,
based on democratic principles would
establish obedience to the law. civil
liberty and personal security. The
speaker emphasized the absolute
necessity of the independence of the
high command of the army from
every private influence.
M. Naboukoff said the members
of the first Duma repudiated with in
dignation all thoughts of a separate
peace, and that If they were to have
peace they did not desire it to be the
result of German victory but the con-
sequence of the triumph of Russia
and her allies.
M. Alexinsky made a similar
declaration on behalf of the second
Duma.
Premier Kerensky then introduced
Gen. Korniloff, saying the government
had thought it necessary to invite the
commander to lay before the con-
ference the situation at the front and
in the army. The general said the
death penalty, restoration of which he
had asked, together with other meas
ures, constituted only a small part of
what was necessity in an army strick-
en- with the terrible evils of disor-
ganiza ton and insubordination.
Four Regiment Commanders Killed
In the present month, Gen. Korni-
loft said. soldiers had killed four
regimental commanders and other
officers, and ceased these outrages
only when they were threatened with
being shot. Quite recently one of the
regiments of Siberian Rifles, which
had fought so splendidy at the be-
ginning of the revolution. abandoned
its positions on the Riga front.
Nothing except an order to extermin-
ate the entire regiment availed to
cause it to return to it's positions.
"Thus we are implacably fighting
anarchy in the army" the command
er continued. Undoubtedly it will
finally be repressed. but the danger
of fresh debacles is weighing con-
stantly on the country. The situ-
alton on the front is bad. We have
lost the whole Of Galicia, the whole
of Bukowina and all the fruits of
our recent victory. At several points
the enemy has crossed our frontier
and is threatening our fertile south
ern provinces. He is endeavor1ng to
destroy the Rumanian army and is
knocking at the gates of Riga. If our
army does not hold the shore Of the
gulf of Riga the road to Petrograd
will be opened wide.
'The old regime bequeathed to
Russia an army which, despite all the
defects in it's organization, neverthe-
less was animated by fighting spirit
and was ready for sacrifices. The
whole series of measures taken by
those who are completely foreign to
the spirit and needs Of the army has
transformed it into a collection of
sense of duty and only tremble for
their own personal safety.
"If Russia whistles to be saved the
army must be regenerated at any
COST
Gen. Korniloff then outlined the
most important of these measures
in addition to restoration Of the death
penalty, which are: First, restora-
ton of discipline in tthe army by the
strengthening Of the authority of Of
ficers and non-commissioned officers;
second, improvement of the financial
position of officers, who have been
in very difficult position in the re-
cent military operations; third, re-
striction of the functions of regi-
mental committees which, although
managing economic affairs of the
regiments, must not be permitted to
have any part in decisions regarding
military operations or the appoint
rnent OF leaders.