The debate on the Azeff scandal, which was begun in
the Duma on Thursday week, was not finished till the early hours of the next morning. M. Stolypin, according to Reuter's report, declared that he had no evidence on which to accuse police officials of any criminal acts, nor had he any on which to charge Azeff with provocation. Every precaution was being taken to secure the police force against degeneration. " So long," he said, " as I stand at the head of the Govern- ment, it shall never make use of provocation." Abuses when they came to the knowledge of the Government would be sternly punished. Exceptions must not be mistaken for rules, and as a whole the Russian secret police had a great sense of honour and were faithful to their oaths. Ultimately a Government majority consisting of the Extreme Right, the Nationalists, the Moderate Right, and the Octobrists rejected the Constitutional Democratic interpellation, and the explanations of the Government were recognised as " satisfactory and exhaustive." Ntre do not question M. Stolypin's good intentions, or his detestation of agente-provocaltura, but the wording of his speech leaves plenty of room for the supposition that some of the secret pollee have, as a matter of fact, resorted to provocation without the knowledge and authority of the Government officials.
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