Robert
Wilton worked for The Times in Russia
for fourteen years. This included him reporting on the First
World War and the Russian Revolution.
Wilton was criticized by Morgan Philips Price,of
the Manchester Guardian, and other
liberals, for the support he gave for the military coup attempted
by General Lavr Kornolov. His book,
Russia's Agony, was published
in 1918.
(1) Robert Wilton, The
Times (2nd March, 1917)
The fine
weather brought everybody out of doors, and as the bridges and approaches
to the great thoroughfare were for some unaccountable reason left
open, crowds of all ages and conditions made their way to the Nevsky,
till the miles separating the Admiralty from the Moscow Station were
black with people. Warnings not to assemble were disregarded. No Cossacks
were visible. Platoons of Guardsmen were drawn up here and there in
courtyards and side streets. The crowd was fairly good-humoured, cheering
the soldiers, and showing themselves ugly only towards the few visible
police.
Shortly
after 3 p.m. orders were given to the infantry to clear the street.
A company of Guards took up their station near the Sadovaya and fired
several volleys in the direction of the Anichkov Palace. Something
like 100 people were killed or wounded. On the scene of the shooting
hundreds of empty cartridge cases were littered in the snow, which
was plentifully sprinkled with blood.
After the
volleys the thoroughfare was cleared, but the crowd remained on the
sidewalks. No animosity was shown towards the soldiers. The people
shouted "We are sorry for you, Pavlovsky (the Pavlovsky Guards
Regiment). You had to do your duty.
(2) Robert Wilton, The
Times (3rd March, 1917)
The astounding,
and to the stranger unacquainted with the Russian character almost
uncanny, orderliness and good nature of the crowds of soldiers and
civilians throughout the city are perhaps the most striking features
of the great Russian Revolution.
At the
Taurida Palace yesterday it was wonderful to see the way in which
the huge gathering of soldiers and civilians managed to avoid collision.
Inside the building the work of the various Parliamentary Committees
went on day and night with unflagging intensity.
(3) Robert Wilton, The
Times (5th March, 1917)
I regret
to have to say that some students of both sexes are blindly cooperating
in this anarchistic propaganda. However, today the outlook is distinctly
more hopeful and it is possible that a breach between the extremists
and the moderates may be avoided, both agreeing to support the present
Temporary Government until a Constituent Assembly decides the fate
of Russia by the votes of all her 170 million people. The organization
of this gigantic general election will naturally take time.
(4)
Morgan Philips Price, Union
of Democratic Control,
(July, 1917)
I have
been appalled at the abominable behaviour of the Northcliffe Press
in England, especially of its correspondent, Wilton, in Petrograd,
whom, by the way, I know quite well, for spreading the provocative
reports about the Union of Soldiers and Workers, and trying to discredit
them in Western Europe. I only hope the Russian people will turn The
Times correspondent out of Petrograd.
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