The situation in Russia changes so much from day to
day that it is scarcely possible to mooed it in detaiL Since we last wrote the extremists of the Petrograd Soviet seem to have recovered a good deal of the power they had lost, and we are sorry to notice also-that General Alexeieff, one of the most experienced and states- manlike of Russian soldiers, has resigned his position as Chief of the Staff. On the whole, wefear that the state of the Russian industries, on which the movements of the Army after all depend, since no army can conduct a campaign without continual support from behind the lines, has become rather too grave for immediate redemp- tion. We do not foresee any military advance that can be of much value to the Allies, and it seems quite likely that before Russia recovers (as we feel that ultimately she is certain to do) she will suffer from famine, and whatever internal convulsions may follow in the train of famine. An important point, however, is that there is no sign that she wishes to make a separate peace with Germany. Her leaders are loyal to their Allies, and so long as this situationexists, the Germans, while prevented by the severe Russian winter from advancing much further, will be held in a state of constant suspense, and not be able to transfer to the Western Front many more troops than hitherto.
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