Show Writer Tells of Lovers Lovers' Part in Rule of Russia V. V Treats History of Country From 1727 to 1796 For nearly a century after the death of Pe Peter er the Great in theor theory was ruled by women Actually Ac- Ac the nation was governed or misgoverned for the most part by clever dever lovers who managed the of whom all but Catherine Catherine Cath- Cath erine the Great were vore illiterate ignorant ig- ig and and- uncultured It is this period from 1727 the death of Peter I to 1796 tIle the accession of Paul which V V. treats in his excellent volume When Lovers Ruled Russia RULED BUT 2 YEARS YEARS- The Russian matriarchy came into beIng upon the death of Peter princIpally through the efforts of former lover of the Empress Empress Em- Em press Catherine who vho saw an op op- to establish himself as dictator by placing Peters Peter's widow Upon the throne She Sho ruled hut but two years but her reign handsomely I profitable to accustomed accustomed tomed Russia to seeing a woman lin iq power On her death Menshi- Menshi koff still In t te e saddle reestablished the male line by having Peters Peter's grandson Peter II crowned tsar Peter II H ruled but a few years ears but ho he deposed the first of the line of lovers His Ilis death however saw the reestablishment of the matriarchy wIth the coronation of Peter Pete the Greats Great's niece Anne Her lover Biron uPon her death attempted to follow in footsteps by again restoring ye- ye storing the In the person of Ivan VI but his efforts were Peter the Greats Great's daughter daugh- daugh ter Elizabeth EUzabeth succeeded to the throne to be ruled by her lovers and d to o bequeath he crown t to Peter Pote Ill her nephew Ho He was deposed by his wife the great Catherine the last of the matrIarchs Of tile tho four only one Catherine is worthy of the name of ruler and of the myriad of lovers who controlled the destinies of the nation it was only hers who were an anything more than grasping self self- seekers During her reign Russia continued its growth begun by Peter the Great as a European power STARTED BY PETER GREAT The matriarchy matriarch contends contends con con- tends had bach its origin In Peter the Greats Great efforts to reform Russia on the lines IInes of a European nation and Its end in the completion of those efforts The matriarchy however howe had no discernible effect upon the life ot of the people nor did it adVance advanCe ad- ad vanCe the liberation of Russian women women wo- wo men he declares It as a a system and the revolutions which accomplished accomplished it were confIned to the palace pal pal- ace did not affect the nation and ceased to exist with the firm of the new nobility is particularly rul ul in characterization his presentation presentation pre pre- of Peter and Catherine the Great is admirable lIe He is also adept in his handling of confused and obscure incidents But his book has S one fault fault-a. glaring one lIe ile possesses a strong dislike forthe for tor the present Russian government and can cannot ot resist dragging the thc bolshevists bol- bol bodily Into eighteenth century con con- tury history This defect seriously mars an otherwise intellectually honest honet book D. Appleton Co New York |