THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTION THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTION

BY FRANK ALFRED GOLDER

The intelligent public that has been watching the erratic courses which the
Russian ship of state has been sailing during the last few years suspected
that something was wrong with it, but not until after the March revolution
did it become fully known what incompetent and irresponsible officers were
in command. It was then learned that a great part of the time the Emperor
was either drunk or doped, that the Empress was hysterical and on the verge
of a mental breakdown, and that they were assisted by senile Sturmer,
mentally unbalanced Protopopov, and profligate Rasputin, none of whom could
read a compass nor lay out a course and steered the ship as they willed.
All the passengers, first, second, and third class, grand dukes,
intelligentsia, and laborers saw the danger and shouted warning but the
officers neither saw nor heard. In order to save themselves and the vessel
each class of passengers, quite independent of the other, resolved that at
the first opportune moment it would throw the officers overboard and
take charge of the ship; but while they were plotting the crew mutinied,
arrested the officers, and left the ship to drift in sight of the breakers.

Nicholas Romanov is to blame for the plight of his country and for his own
misfortunes. He was warned, he was given his chances, but he abused them
all. When he entered on his reign he was popular and had the good will of
his people with him. For some reason or other it was assumed that he was
liberal minded and that under him the people would breathe a little more