Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1918-01-24
BY Associated Press.

BY Associated Press.
The bolshevist met with
4 defeat in the first test of strength
! when the long awaited opening OF tho
constituent assembly took place in
P~etrograd Yesterday. Its candidate for
chairman was defeated. ISL TO 2d4. by
the nominee of the moderate social
revolutionists. NJ. Tchernoff, minister
of agriculture in the kerenSkN cabinet.
This defeat was adminiStNated with
out the help OF the constitutional demo-
Gratis, whose members did not attend
the opening session.
Petrograd, Friday. Jan. 1s.-Ths long
delayed constituent assembly was
opened today. On the first test OF
strength the bolsheVistS We're defeated
by the social revolu1ionists. Nj. Tc}er-
noff, minister of agriculture in the ker-
enskN government and the nominee OF
the social reNolutionists of the right for
chairman of the assembly. VAS elected
by a vote of 244 to 1871. The candidate
Of the bolsheNistS WAS Maria Spirido-
noNo. long Il prominent reEolutionist
who was released from exile in Siberia
after the overthrow of the RomanUffS.
The opening of the assembly WAS set
for noon, but Il controversy over regis
tration caused a delay until 4 o'clock.
Slightly more than 400 members We're
i'm their seats. OF those the bolsheNist
and the social revoIutionists of Inc left
who are working together have about
1870 votes and the social re~VOlMtiouiSts
of the center and right the remainder.
PetroGrad, Friday, Jan. tS.-The con-
stituent assembly opened its first ses-
sion at 4 o'clock this afternoon in The
Taulide palace, with President Sverd-
loft. of the central executive committee
IF the congress of worlme1's and SOL
diers' delegates presiding.
a proposal to HAY the oldest dele
gate. who was Il social revol,ltionist.
preside, was hOWled down. NJ. Sverd-
loft read Il declaration from the con
gress of workmen's and soldiers dele
gates. demanding that the constituent
assembly approve boishevist laws con-
corning peace and land. This was ap-
plauded loudly by the bolshevist dele
gates and hooted by the right and So
c~ialists. Delegates belonging to the
constitutional democratic party were
absent from the opening session.
Troops In Control.
The threatened demonstrations
against bolshevist ontro of the OPEN
ing session Of the assembly We're con-
fined to parades of small groups OF men
and women. These groups We're ON
posed of well dressed people except in
one instance. where there was a larger
number of soldiers ana peasants.
AT the corner near the American en-
baSsy this group was fired upU and
dispersed by the red guards. Five per
sons We're killed and a dozen
For the most part, however, the
streets were quiet throughout the
morning II afternoon. being under a
heavy patrol OF bolshevist troops.
Most of the shops We're closed. shut
ters and bars being Up.
The Tauride palace. in which the del
egates to the assembly began to az
selhble early in the morning, Was UNI
de- q Very heavy guard. Difficulties
nf delegates in registration and party
d~issensions delayed the opening of tho
assembly, which had been set for noon,
for four hours.
Whether or not kerensky is backing
the apparent movement directed
against the bolshevists is not clear.
hiding in Petrograd. The party of
which kerensky is a member apparent
~ controls the assembly and the
presiding officer formerly was minis
ter "t agriculture under kerensky.
Future Is Uncertain.
Much uncertainty exists as to what
effect the converting Of the new body
will nave upon the foreign and domes-
tic policies Of Russia. There have been
lntinfations from the bQ%lshevist side
that the rev body would be ignored by
the bolsheNists and an independent leg
ls!at1Ve body set up If the assembly
should definitely challenge the bolshe-
visit power. 1t is recalled that the chair
MAJ of the assembly. NJ. Tclernoff, was
under fire SIS a member of the Ker-
ensky government being accused OF pro-
Germanism and of having relations
with the enemy. He was afterwards
reha bilitated, however, and continued a
strong influence in social evolutionary
circles. In November he was one OF
the political leaders who attended 4