New-York tribune., 1918-07-21
Nicholas Had Lofty Ideals,
but Weakness Made Him
Prey of Schemers
Morbid and Often
Cruel in Methods
Timidity Led to Charge He
Was Lukewarm in
Prosecuting War

Lofty ideals rarely attained, apparent
GOOD intentions seldom translated into
action. and enlightened ana progressive
thought that found expression more
often in recotion and oppressive acts in
reforms. made the character and career
of Nicholas Romanotf. deposed Emperor
of Russia p strange commingling Of
contradictions and inconsistencies.
Although personally he seemed
sincere. simple, strai ightforward. peace
loving, moderate and of benevolent in
tent. disliking hypocrisy Or ostentation,
model husband and a tcnder father,
yet it was often asserted that he ruled
Russia in q reactionary spirit, was
Jealous of authority, aroused to action
chiefly ove- trifes, that he was in
capable of generosity or sympathy for
the oppressed. subject to morbid moods
during which he was capable of cruelty,
vas superstitious vacilating and timid.
Though he dealt humanely in some re
srects with the minor rationalities
merged into Russia, the Jews under
his rule suffered great restriction.
Withholding Russia from war with
England ana developing the. Franco
Russian Entente into formal alliance,
he vet allowed Russia to Oh fit into war
with Japan and. when Russia drew her
sword to halt the progress of German
aggression. failed to prosecute the war
with energy and is said tc have pre-
ferred German victory to liberal
control of the Russia government.
Early Showed Timidity
Nicholas, son and successor of En-
peror Alexander III, was born in st.
Petersburg May 1S, 1868. vas educated
under the direction of Constantine
Pobedonostsef. procurato. general of
the Holy Synod. and received military
training, bu, had no personal taste for
soldering. Before his accession to the
throne he was sent on toul of Greece,
Egypt, India and Japan, where he mar
rowy escaped assassination by Jap
anese fanatic. In that incident, it WAS
said. the Russian heir-apparent gave
evidence Of timidity.
He succeeded to the throne on
November /, 1894, at the Geath of his
father and within few weeks there
after married Princess Alexandra AliX,
sfterward known as Alexandra Feodo-
rcvna, daughter of the Grand Duke of
Tesse, by whom he had four daughters,
the Grand Duchesses Olga, Tatiana,
Marie and Anostasia, and one son, the
Grand Duke Alexis, heir apparent to
the Russian throne up to the time of
his fathers abCi.atio1. Emperor
Nicholas coronatie n at Moscow a year
and half later was attended by a
festival in which 1000 persons were
trampled to death.
The autocratic ruler OF many millions
Of Russians was twentysix years old
when he succeeded to the throne.
Called Hague Conference
Five years aSser his accession to the
throne Nicholas startled all Europe by
calling, in 1899, the first peace confer
ence at The Hague to discuss the prln-
ciple of disarmament and arbitration.
By some Nicholas was held largely
responsible for the Russo-Japanese
War on the ground that he permitted
his favorites to develop the aggressive
policy in Manchuria and Corea which
aroused Japan to hostilities.
The constitutional reforms in Rus
tributed to the growth of democratic
spirit among the Russian people and to
internal disscnsions caused by the reve-
lations of official Incompetence and dis
honesty in the war with Japan. gen
eral strike in Pctrograd in September.
1905, gave the Emperor warning of the
danger of a revolution, and to prevent
this he issued in October a ukase prom
Using representative assembly and
other reforms.
Election of radical Dumas, as the
Russian constitutional assembly is
Known, apparently aroused in Nicholas
f,ars of what might develop from
popular government, and they were
soon prordgued. Restriction of sui
frage resulted and more conservative
Duma was elected.
Cl4shed With Austria
development "f Slav nationalities in the
Balkans led Nicholas into r. clash with
Austria Hungary, and when the Ger
man Emperor aligned himself beside
Austria "in shining armor" Russian
ambitions suffered a check. To what
extent Nicholas dictated the policy of
challenging Austrian aggressions upon
Serbia, which led to the great war that
began in 1914. is not revealed, but he is