A sign of the power of the Social Democrats, led
by M. Cheidze, is their success in prevailing upon soldiers to throw off military discipline. A significant fact also is the order issued that the old Russian titles of " Highness," " High Nobility," and so on which Russian soldiers used in addressing their officers should be replaced by "My Captain" and similar phrases on the French model. This may seem a small matter in itself, and personally we prefer the simple French style ; but the fury excited in revolutionary minds by titles which, after all, have very little meaning is the symptom of a spirit which tries to lead on to much more important and dangerous changes. Cromwell was addressed as " Highness," and no one could have been a sounder revolutionary than the Protector of the liberties of England. We trust that the military discipline which was relaxed by open encouragement from the Social Democrats may be speedily restored, and on the whole there seems to be a good prospect of this. Russian liberties still depend entirely upon the conduct of the Armies in the field.
