Norwich bulletin., 1918-07-31
FACTS AND COMMENT

The pfecarious life of Nicholas, lately Czar of all the Russias. was 1 brought to a close by the rifles of a | firing squad in the Ural region of Rus- | sia, July 18th. Several times before. ! rumors of his death had come forth | from the darkness and uncertainty of l the Russian chaos but all had failed | of confirmation. AS the latest report | came by wireless it is generally being i accepted as true, for the wireless is | under the control of the Boishevik government and Lenine could certain ly have suppressed the story had he desired to do so. The alleged reason for the execution was that conspiracy for a counter revolution had been dis covered the objects of which included the removal of the deposed Car from the hands of the Bolsheviki The real reason doubtless was the success of the Czecho- -SloVaks in Siberia and their approach to the region Of the ex- Glars confinement As long as he lived Nicholas was a possible rhllying point for the religious and political sentiment of all who opposed the present gov ernment. A simple order from the local Bolshevik leader snffieed to re-
 move all mfsgivings
 Weak as Nicholas had proved to be as a ruler, he is yet to be remembered for four really great deeds. The first was the calling of the original duma immediately after the Russo Japanese war. Though this might only debate and was powerless to legislate, it's very existence was the first break in Rus sian absolutism and the first Step to-
 ward parliamentary government. Sec ondly the late Czar called the original | a aa tF~aty
 ty as it seems now amid this warning world but yet the probable founda- tien on which a permanent information al peace structure will be built. Again at the very beginning of the great war the order Nicholas II, abolished from all the realm the curse of vodka, the fiery Russian whisky. The manufac- tafe and sale of vodka had been government monopoly and the proceeds therefronn formed d large proportion of all the national income. Under this
 stimulus. the use of it had become nation wide. Every Sunday and every holiday the wretched peasant would drink himself into a drunken stupor
 and the habit was proving the curse of the farmer and the demoralization of the soldier In the effect on the Russian nation the abolition of Vodka Is enly to be compared Witr the fiber atioh of the serfs by Alexander Il. in 1881 The fourth deed Of the late Czar that is to be remembered to his everlasting credit was his refusal to save his throne by betraying his coun- ! try to her enemies. On the demand ] for his abdication his advisers sug l gested that his one chance was to | open the gates and let in the Ger man army to clear out the troublesome iG q ak TptI V ] refused to adept and the ignonliny of | saer4 icing his country to save his own power was feserFed fer the prince of l the B6lsneviki, Nleolai Lenine.
 Across the portion Of France that was c6mprised in the famous MaFhe salient flew four rivers, the Aisne, the 1 Veele, the 0areq and the Marile. These 1 fdn in a general westerly direction and l the progress of the German retirement | hefthwafd under the pressure of the ] Allies forces is measured by the sue | eessive passages of these rivers. The Marine was entirely abandoned some | days back and at the present moment the fetreating Germans are north of the Oafcq with the Allies also across the liver and pressing them hard. The town Of Fere- zen -Tafdehois, the geo Faphieal and military center of the whole salient is now occupied by French and American troops. Through out the numerous patches of woods i that dot this entire region, enormous quantities of ammunition and supplies have been discovered Which the Ger mans in their hurried retreat were not able to remove or destroy. The amount of these stores indicates the unpreced- ented preparations that had been made for a final rush that was to prove in- vincible; the presence of the supplies and their distribution along the fron1
 is proof that the Huns were in the point of delivering their great blow
 when Foch struck them from the
 flank.
 1t now appears certain that there is to be no great capture of Germans
 fondly as unInilitary people have hepet
 that the whole army might be bagged
 Grown Prince and all. This was real ; ly too much to be expected for tht
 military experts who direct Gerrhany'G
 armies are not to be despised. By con
 eentfating infantry and artillery at tht ! top corners of the great bag. south east of Soissons and southwest 0
 Rheims they have prevented it
 closure while the troops at the bot
 tom were being withdrawn as bes ) they might Full two thirds of tn ) salient has already been given up ani
 the Allies pressure continues unabatet
 despite the desperate fearguard ac ? lions of the Germans and the whole sale sacrifice of hundreds of indiVi
 dual units in the vain effort to pre-
 vent the progress of the pursuers. When Theodore Roosevelt made hi RE Al .cT
 On his return from his African hunt
 ing expedition subsequent to his re t I tiremerlt from the Presidency, he i i said to have remarked, in describin
 the crowned heads of Europe, tha
 were they in American politics not. on
 of them except the Kaiser could hay : carried his own ward: Though thi 3 may have been a humorous exaggera . ton, the fact remains that Roosevelt
 appreciated the versatility and effici
 eney of the German Emperor, and tn . Emperor in turn undoubtedly admire : the force of Roesevelts own character l his knowledge of what he wanted an 3 his ability in getting it done his ow
 way Though Roosevelt has been un
 sparing in his condemnation of tn A Kaiser and all his works during tn
 war, it was perhaps in recognition c
 l their old acquaintance and mutual ad fniratien that the body of young Lieu
 Quentin Roosevelt received such mark
 ed honors after he was shot down i e his aereplane above the German line. 6 Of Col Roosevelt's other three son: | Major Theodore, Jr., has recently re
 eeiyed a bullet wound in the knee afte
 being gassed some seven weeks since
 Capt. Archibald Roosevelt was wound a ed some months ago and is still i p hospital, and Kermit, after honorabl : service with the British artillery i
 Mesopetamia during which he won tn