The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-09-23
RETURNS FROM
LONG EXILE
Russian General was Sent Out of
Country by kerensky, but 10
Now In Command
of Troops.
[By Joseph Shaplen, United Press
Staff Correspondent

by Joseph Shaplen, UnlteQ freSS
Staff Correspondent
NEW YORK, Sept. 23.-The re-
ported arrival of General Gourko, for!
merly commander of one Of the Rus
sian armies on the eastern front, at
Thurman, brings to mind his conflict
with Kerensky, which resulted In his
exile from Russia. General Gourko,
it is announced, has arrived at Muir
man from the western front, and will
take command of the allied opera
lions against the Finno-Germans and
Bolshevihi in that region.
The revolution found Gourko in
command of one of the northern
armies. The famous order Number
II, proclaimed by the revolution to the
army, which abolished virtually all
rank distinctions, created a most I'M
welcome impression on Gourko.
Gourko's opinion was shared by
many Russian generals. among them
Generals Alexieff, Korniloff and 9th
'ers. The question was so important
that 1t was decided to call a meeting
of all big Russian generals at the
Marinsky palace in Petrograd to dis
cuss it and If possible, to prevail
upon Kerensky and the council of
workmen and sailors to countermand
the order. Among those present were
Gourko, Alexieff, Brussiloff, Drago-
miroff and others.
At the meeting Gourko fought bit
terry against the order. This order
means the end of the Russian army"
he warned.
Gourko's attitude caused a breach
between him and Kerensky, although
hn twn tn hot m
good terms. Gourko soon resigned.
Kerensky, however. refused to retire
him and appointed him as special ad-
jutant at the ministry of war. From
that moment, the conflict between
Gourko and Kerensky grew sharp.
Gourkos health, however, began to
fail and he decided to go to the eau
casus for a rest
In July, 1917, an important meeting
Of the general staff took place.
off to take the chief command and
asked him to choose his own aids.
Brussiloff named, among others,
Gourko. Kerensky grew pale with
rage and shouted:
Either he or l."
On receiving Brussiloff's invitation
tude, Gourko decided to go to Pet.
rograd for an explanation with Ker-
ensky While stopping at the home
of a friend one evening, the house
was surrounded by soldiery and
Gourko was placed under arrest. The
order was issued by Kerensky him
self, who charged that a letter of
Gourko's to the former car had been
intercepted by the government. The
letter, it was charged, pledged
Gourko's loyalty to the car and the
Romanoffs and vowed opposition to
the revolution. GouTko was taken to
the fortress Of SITS. Peter and Paul.
Soon after Kerensky ordered Savin.
koff, the assistant secreatry of war,
to exile Gourko from Russia. Ker-
ensky was so insistent upon Gourko's
leaving Russia that Gourko decided
to go. He requested the aid Of Sir
George Buchanan, British ambassa-
dor, who put a British guard at the
generals disposal. The guard accom-
panied the general to Thurman, where
he boarded a ship for England.
In England he was received by
King George and given a command
on the western front, where he re-
manned until recently.
With the organization Of the anti
Bolshevik government in the north
he fastened back to Russia.
His services unquestionably will be
needed and welcome. Only on one
condition: he must never again write
letters of loyalty to the Romanoffs.