Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-09-18
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reflect reflections Of i u many Of Lsnis's e.
| that the communists have not yet TAX
en- over the American government.
With regret the ambassadors rcd
ers will learn that there IL not much
truth in the splendid story Of his de-
tying an anarchist mob, revolver in
| hand, when. It menaced the American
| embassy. But the real story ID lust
as good and presents that fine, bluff
American figure just as clearly to our
eyes. The mob did gather. did march
under the black flag, to attack the
American embassy. A Russian police
| official kindly telephoned the ambassa-
dor SO that he could defend himself.
Francis replied. and one can hear him
than mine" The shamed official sent
| policeman to guard the outside Of
the embassy, while Francis took out
his revolver and took his stand at the
door, ready to shoot the first anarchist
who should enter it.
cossacks Dissolve Mob.
But before the mob could reach the
embassy, it was set upon and dissolved.
Who broke it up is not certain. but the
story Ambassador Francis prefers Is
that band of Cossacks, happening to
see the crowd, asked where it was 60
ing. The leaders replied that they
were going to attack the American en-
bassy, whereupon the Cossacks cheer
lily answered, Not If we know It." and
dispersed the crowd to the winds. Sew
eral times afterward the embassy was
reported in danger. but never as much
so as in this case. Another perfectly
good American was Consul General
Madden Summers, who in reporting to
the ambassador the bolshevist revolu-
ton in Moscow. cheerfully wrote: 'aThe
consulate was shot UP little, but on
the whole was respected as much as
could have been desired"
One of the mysteries Of the revolu-
ton was the advance Of General Korn-
llov upon Petrograd and his sudden
break with Kerensky. Ambassador
Francis puts the matter in q clearer
light than it has ever been put before.
According to his story, Kornilov had
no idea OF advancing on Petrograd un-
til f,lssy person named Y. N. LOov
lnot Prince Lvov, the ex-president Of
the ministry went to him and propos-
ed that he and Kerensky combine
against the bolsheviki, who were rap
idly getting control Of the soviets. Ker-
ensky knew nothing about this, but
Lvov allowed Kornilov to suppose that
he was Kerensky's emissary. TIE
general, therefore, told Lvov to say
that he would enter such q combine
ton provided he were placed at the
head of the government, with Kerensky
as minister of justice.
Karanakv DumfnmnAad
OF course, Kerensky was dumfound-
ed at receiving such a proposal, for he
took Lvov to be an emissary Of the
general, and the message appeared to
him to be sweeping demand presasing
ilov on the telephone to ask II Lvov
was authorized to make the proposal.
and Kornilov naturally replied that he
was, supposinT all the time that Lvov
was Kerensky's messenger. Kerensky
promptly took measures to combat
what he thought the beginning Of a
counter-revolution BY relieving Korni-
Low Of command and notifying him that
he was under arrest. This came to the
general like thunderbolt, for he sup
posed the original proposal to have
come from Kerensky. Enraged at this
reception Of his reply. he retaliated by
pTOClaudllOu ANNOUNCING MS lnten-
ton Of marching upon Petrograd and
Selling the government.
Kerensky in order to raise the nee
essary force to oppose Kornilov. turn
ed to the soviets and made what Mr..
Francis calls his final and fatal blum
ders of distributing arms and ammuni.
ton to the workingmen Of Petrograd
in order that they might help defend
his tottering regime against Kornilov
and his advancing army" The ambas-
sador says that this made the position
Of the Kerensky government hopeless
and it's overthrow only q question Of
time. He thinks that If Kerensky had
only had the sense to prolong the COM
with Kornilov until q conn
mon ground had been found. they
might between them have rescued Rus
STA and the world from the curse of
bolshevism."
Real American Diplomat.
Governor Francis, as is well known.
stands in the forefront of that shining
list of hitherto inexperienced diplomats
,-hn roflaofn,1 CO much credit uDOn our