At the sitting of the Preliminary Parliament which is being held, pending the meeting of the constituent assembly, General Verhovsky, the War Minister, declared that the main object of the enemy in penetrating Russia was to produce a psychological effect which would drive Russia to a dishonourable peace [said a report datelined Petrograd]. Commanders and Regimental Committees were going to work amicably to restore the combativeness of army, but the provisioning of the army was seriously hampered by the refusal of certain provinces which had plenty of bread to give to the army. Government proposed to establish regimental disciplinary tribunals which would settle all cases within forty-three hours. Lack of discipline would be severely punished.
Admiral Vederevsky, the Minister of Marine, referred to the feeble productiveness of munition works and the disorganisation of transport. Workmen must work day and night in order that Russia should not be even weaker in the spring than now. He admitted that the relations between officers and Bluejackets was very strained at Helsingfors where there had been bloodshed, but the question on discipline had been spontaneously settled on the basis of mutual confidence by the sailors and officers of warships taking part in the battle of the Gulf of Riga. General Alexieff declared that unless normal economic life were restored in Russia the army must save itself as it could not at present depend on those in the rear. M. Kerensky protested against General Alexieff’s statement that the army was incapable of fulfilling its duty and declared that but for fanatics and traitors Russia and the Allies would have had an honourable peace by Christmas.
