Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 64, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 November 1917 — KERENSKYOUSTED BY RUSS REBELS; SLAVS ASK PEACE [ARTICLE]

KERENSKYOUSTED BY RUSS REBELS; SLAVS ASK PEACE

Terrific Night Battle in Petrograd Brings Victory to the Radicals. ALL MINISTERS ARE ARRESTED Shells From Cruiser and Fortress Compel Woman Defenders to Surrender—Deposed Premier Flees From the Capital—Armistice to Be Requested of Enemy. Petrograd, Nov. 9. —Russia is in the throes of civil war. Following the action of the Maximalist armed naval detachment in taking possession of the Marie palace, where the preliminary parliament had been sitting, and the telegraph agencies, the anti-Kerensky factions, headed by Nikolai Lenine, Radical Socialist leader, and Leon Trotszky, president of the central executive committee of the Petrograd council of workmen's and soldiers’ delegates (the Soviet), seized the reins of power at the capital. The overthrow ,of Premier Kerensky was proclaimed -and the government troops forced to surrender after a battle in the streets of the city. Kerensky in Flight. Premier Kerensky has tied the capital. Reports as to his whereabouts conflict. Some say he has sought safety in Moscow, while others assert he has gone to the front in an endeavor to obtain the backing of the tr •<?: s to forestall a debacle of his (’ ssack regiments are declared already to--have announced their readmes- to support the governmen* a condition that no compromise with the revolutionists is made. On the tiier hand, it is asserted that deleg_s from the Black and Baltic sea fleets have declared themselves in favor ■ f the radicals. Five tinder Arrest. Five members of the Kerensky government are under arrest. They are: A. I. Konovaloff. minister of trade and industry : M. Kishkin, minister of public welfare; M. I. Terestchenko, minister of foreign affairs; M. Malyantovitch, minister of justice; M. Nikitin, minister of the interior. Win by Bloodshed. J The revolution was not peaceful. Details of what happened are meager, the new rulers having the telegraph offices in their control. Government forces holding the Winter Palace were forced to capitulate early Thursday morning under the fire of the cruiser Aurora and the cannon of the SS. Peter and Paul fortress across the Neva river. At 2a. m. the woman's battalion, which had been defending the Winter Palace, grounded arms.

The workmen's and soldiers’ delegates are in complete control of the city. Cruiser Opens Fire. Late in the evening, after the government forces had been driven into the Winter palace, the palace was besieged and a lively light of machine guns and rifles began. The cruiser Aurora, which was mooretPat the Niecolai bridge, moved up within range, tiring shrapnel. Meanwhile the guns of SS. Peter and Paul fortress opened fire. The palace stood out under the glare of the searchlights of the cruiser and offered a good target for the guns. The defenders held out for four hours, replying as best they could with machine guns and rilles. The battle ar the palace, which began shortly after six o’clock, was a spectacular one, armed cars of the revolutionaries swinging into action in front of the gates, while flashes from the Neva were followed by the explosion of shells from the guns of the Aurora.

Great Soviet Meets. The general congress of workmen’s and soldiers’ delegates of all Russia (the great Soviet) was convened here, with 500 delegates in attendance. The chairman declared that the time was not propitious for political speeches, and the order of business of the congress Approved was as follows: 1. Organization of power. 2. Peace and war. 3. A Constituent assembly. The officers elected comprise 14 Maximalists. including Radical Socialist Leader Lenine, M. Zinovieff. an associate of Lenine, and Leon Trotzky, president of the central executive committee of the Petrograd council of workmen’s and soldiers’ delegates. In addition, seven revolutionary socialists were appointed. A delegation was named to initiate peace negotiations with the other revolutionary and democratic organizations “with a view to taking steps to stop bloodshed.”