Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 10.djvu/508

LEFT WOELD WAR 438 WORLD WAR Strong efforts had been made to drive out the dark forces, that group of trai- tors within the court circles, headed by the Czarina and the Monk Razputin, who very poorly hid their purpose of bring- ing defeat to Russian arms. Too late had they realized, when the war broke out, that a victory by the enemies of German imperialism would also mean a defeat for Russian autocracy. They meant now to retrieve their mistake, and sell Russia out to the Germans, and possibly even make common cause with them against the Allies. Shortly before the New Year Razputin had been as- sassinated by men formerly high in the confidence of the Czar. Honest Russians, however reactionary their politics, they thought that by destroying the brains of the conspiracy, they would end the con- spiracy itself. They were soon to dis- cover their mistake. Razputin was dead, but Protopopov, Minister of the Interior, and the dominant figure in the Govern- ment, had fully determined to carry out his master's plans. Protopopov's plan, viewed in the per- spective of time, seems to have been this : he would stir the Russian working classes in Petrograd to revolt and thus create a situation which would serve as an excuse for making a sudden peace with Germany, Obviously troops would have to be brought from the front to quell the revolution, and this could not be done without first making peace with the enemy. To accomplish these plans, he sent his police agents among the factory workers in the neighborhood of the capital and caused them to spread revolutionary pro- paganda, in the names of certain labor and Socialist leaders, who at that very time were urging the people to support the war against the Germans. But the true manifestoes were suppressed by the Government. After the death of Razputin the meet- ing of the Duma, which should have taken place on Jan. 25, 1917, was post- poned for a month. This was to de- lay public discussion of the situation. At the same time food supplies were held back, to raise discontent. Trainloads of flour and other foodstuffs were deliber- itely shunted off on sidings outside Petrograd and there allowed to rot. During January and February, how- ever, the people of the capital remained calm. On March 11 the police suddenly began opening fire on the crowds which were peacefully congregated about the streets. Protopopov thought the mo- ment for action had come. There was no resistance, but he ordered out the soldiers in garrison, to support the police. And then happened the unex- pected. The soldiers, a regiment of crack guards, refused to fire on the people. Never had this happened before in Petrograd. The situation now suddenly became serious. The President of the Duma, Rodzianko, sent an urgent telegram to Czar Nicholas, who was just then visit- ing at army headquarters. Of this ap- peal the Czar took no notice. On the following day more soldiers were ordered out, and not only did they refuse to shoot down the people, but they openly went over to their side. Two regiments of mutineers seized the Arsenal. An hour later the bastile of Russia, the Sts. Peter and Paul Fortress, was seized and all the prisoners released. Anarchy threatened to overwhelm the capital, for the Duma sat almost in- active, not knowing what course of ac- tion to take, aside from sending urgent appeals to the Czar. But during this period the Socialists and labor leaders together organized the Council of Work- ingmen's Delegates, which immediately took charge of the situation. In this body the workingmen had confidence, for its members were their recognized leaders. The Premier, Prince Golitzin, issued an order proroguing the Duma. This order the Duma had the courage to ignore. On the contrary, Rodzianko, the President, then issued a proclamation abolishing the autocracy, and declaring the Duma the legal head of the nation. The Council and the Duma now offered each other their co-operation, and to- gether they elected a Provisional Gov- ernment, the Premier of which was Prince George Lvov, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs Prof. Paul Miliukov. From all sides came in declarations of support, from the working-class radi- cals, from all the soldiers in the city, and from men who had formerly been strong adherents of the autocracy. Organized forces went out to hunt down the last of the police, who were still sniping the rev- olutionists from the roofs. But there was comparatively little fighting. With- in forty-eight hours the authority of the Provisional Government had been recog- nized, not only in the capital, but throughout the provinces, A delegation was sent to demand the abdication of the Czar. A day later the little monarch was back in Petrograd, a prisoner, with his wife and children, in the palace. Once order had been established, the Allied countries, one after another, hastened to accord recognition to the Provisional Government, which at once