Bay of Plenty Times FRIDAY, DEC. 8th, 1916. GERMAN DUPLICITY IN RUSSIA.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XLV, Issue 6805, 8 December 1916, Page 2

Bay of Plenty Times FRIDAY, DEC. Bth, 1916. GERMAN DUPLICITY IN RUSSIA.

FOR some time past we have heard of the duplicity piactised in Kussia by the Getraans, but the removal from power of M. Stunner, the then Premier, may be assumed to mark the end cf German machinations in Russia. It is asserted by M. Wesseliteky, the author of a work entitled "TV German Canker," that German agents have been colonising the Russian frontier, and have sought stragetical positions, always near Russian fortresses. They have established banks, which have been buying up produce and withholding it from the people, and by agreements with shipbuilding firms have aeriuusly checked tho growth ol the Russian fleet. A member of the Duma, M. Kliostov, is also responsible for an account of the treachery of these people. On taia proposal, the Duma appointed a standing commission for. the study of German predominance and the inweuti gation of Germnn plots in industrial and commercial spheres. Prom all parts of Russia, says M. Weaselitsky, a flood of documental evidence is rushing towards that commission, clearly proving that undertakings under German innfluence have consistently diminished their output and are working much slower than in time of peace. All this immense material verified by the comonission will foira a basis for the prosecution before the Courts of all Germans and their Russian dependants who have been trying to weaken the fighting power of Russia. Startling revelations have been mads on tha origin of simultaneous fires in several munition factories, which have taken place just when munitions were mos^ needed by the Russian Army. Tbe commission ieceived touching complaints from workmentagainst their German or Germanled employers, who were not allowing them to prepire munitions every day of thejweek, and were reducing the number of working hours. Many workmen, one after another, emphatically declared they wanted to work every day, day and night, in order to furnish^ munitions needed by their brethren, the soldiers, and that it was breaking their hearts to be kept from, doing jjfthat. It is know, moreover, known^that the chief] traitor-spy, his family,^'and his accomplices stood on intimate footing with people in high position at Court, in the Government, and the Army. The assistant of the head of the secret police waa a member of the spring organisation, :.as well as chamberlains, barons, and bureaucrats. Some of them in truth have already'been hanged, but others are still free'and active.