by Prince Iusupov, in _Novoe Vremia_, March 14-27, 1917.]

It is only since the political upheaval that the activities and plans of
the grand dukes have become public, but the cry for a revolution on
the part of the great mass of intelligent people was heard before and
everywhere. On my return to Russia, in February, 1916, after an absence of
a little more than two years, I noticed many changes but none greater than
in the public opinion in regard to the administration. On the way across
Siberia, I met with many Russians, some of whom were army officers, and one
and all bitterly criticized the government for its mismanagement of the
war, for the betrayal of Russia as they called it, for its incompetency,
and general worthlessness. At the capital, it was the same, everywhere,
street, car, and public places, the government was denounced; there was no
attempt at concealment. In the archives where I worked, which are almost
under the very nose of the imperial family, the criticism was as open as in
private homes. In fact there was no exception. When mention was made of
the Court, of Rasputin, and of the Empress, there was a kind of a painful
smile; it was not a subject that self-respecting patriotic Russians liked
to talk about in public or before strangers; it was like dirty linen that
ought not to be hung out for public view.

There was reason enough and suffering enough to justify the complaining.
Petrograd was overcrowded owing to the thousands of refugees who had
been driven there, rooms and apartments were difficult to find and very
expensive, and the cost of living had gone up so high that it was hard for
the poor to make ends meet. It was almost impossible to get about in the
city, as the war had reduced the number of cabs and the few that did
business asked such exorbitant fares that only the rich could afford to
ride in them. The street car situation was in a hopeless tangle. Even
before the war there were not enough accommodations for the public, but