Remarkable Achievements of Czecho-Slovaks.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 7039, 15 July 1918, Page 3

Remarkable Achievements of Czecho-Slovaks.

Australian and N.Z. Cable Assoc

Rec July 15, 9.25 a.m

London, July 13

Bolshevik rule is rapidly Availing throughout Russia. The influence of Lenin's Government is almost confined to Moscow. Local bands of Bolsheviks, "which,are largely independent of Lenin, are governing other towns and districts.. A most remarkable feature of the Russian situation is the Czecho-Slovaks, many thousands of whom deserted from the Austrian army and fought with the Russians against the Aiis-tro-Germans before the Russian front finally collapsed. Largo bodies of Czecho-Slovaks then marched eastward, intending to reach Vladivostok, embark for America, and fight with the Allies on the Western front. These captured the larger part of the Siberian railway, routed the Siberian Bolsheviks, and are now awaiting Japanese intervention. Other bodies of Czecho-Slovaks remained in European Russia and defeated the Bolsheviks in the Samara district The Czeeho-Slovaks now control 2,500 miles of the main railway from Penza to Xijni Udinsk in Siberia, where they have established their own Government. The Bolsheviks control a short stretch of the Siberian railway from Nijni Udinsk to Chita, the remainder of the line to Vladivostok being in the hands of the^Czecho-Slovaks. The remarkable achievements by the Czecho-Slovaks, who are estimated at ovsr a quarter of a million, have strengthened the Allies 1 hands. The half-million German and Austrian troops on the Eastern front are of second quality. German newspapers assert that it is impossible for the. Allies to restore the eastern front and compel Ludendorff to withdraw divisions from France to light the reorganised Russian armies and Czecho-Slovaks. The utmost Germany anticipates is that Allied eil'orts will result in Lenin's overthrow and create a guerilla war against the German troops, thus preventing Germany exploiting the Brest Litovsk treaty.