THE RUSSIAN SITUATION.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16148, 28 February 1918, Page 7

THE RUSSIAN SITUATION.

GERMAN INVASION. THE ENEMY'S FAR-REACHING SCHEME. (By Cable—Prws Association —Copyright.) (United Service.) LONDON, February 20. Germany's terms are interpreted to mean a desire to make the Baltic a_ Gorman lake, and to establish a chain of buffer States between Russia and Germany, and secure a footing on tho Black Sea across the Ukraine. The last-mentioned would have an important bearing on tho Eastern situation, making Germany independent of Turkey and Bulgaria, because sh© would then have a new line of communications from Berlin via Odessa and Trebizond, bringing Germany deep into Persia anil close to India. GERMANY AND THE RUSSIAN FLEET. LONDON, February 2G. Tha "Manchester Guardian" says: — "Tho strange thing about Germany's terms is that no demand has been ma do for the Russian fleet. Presumably, the Germans feared that the Russians would destroy it, and they hopo to gefc it later." AN APPEAL TO THE ALLIES. (Australian and K.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, 26. M. Efremoff, Minister of Justice in M. Kerensky's Cabinet, has_addressed a moving appeal to the Allies. Ho says:— The Russians have lost five millions killed during the war. There has been a dearth of medicines and clothing and ©very kind of industrial machinery since 1914. The distress among the Russian people is unimaginable. The brutal question is—whether Germany shall organise Russia against the Allies, or th© Allies organise Russia against Germany. LENIN REVIEWS THE SITUATION. PETROGRAD. February, 26. M, Lenin, in an article in the newspaper "Pravda," explains that tho acceptance of the German peaco terms was essential to secure the continuance of the Bolshevik regime. Refusal to sign was only possible to those intoxicated by revolutionary phrases. "The army," he says, "is demoralised and refuses to fight. I always tried to persuade the members of our party to clear their minds of revolutionary cant. One of the greatest present ovils is' phrase making." M. Lenin claims that he warned Russia that her refusal of peace would result in worse peace terms. "All the bourgeoisie in Russia," ho : said, "are jubilant at the approach ot tho Germans. We have been compelled to submit to a distressing peace, but this will not stop revolutions in Germany and Europe." GRAND DUKE NICHOLAS CHARGED. BER.NE, February 26. German newspapers report that the Bolsheviks have ordered the ex-General-issimo, Grand Duke Nicholas, to be court-martialled, on a charge of treason against the republic. SCENES IN PSKOFF AND PETROGRAD, ("The Times.") (Received February 27th, 9 p.m.) PETROGRAD, February 26. Fierce fighting continues at Pskoff, which has changed hands several times. Th© Soviet is sending fresh troops from Petrograd. The first German detachments were small but well equipped. Large reinforcements are now approaching. Enormous supplies of valuable munitions are stored in the neighbourhood, hence tho Gorman anxiety to capture the railway to Petrograd, cut the bridges and lock them up. Tho Soviet is almost hourly issuing violent proclamations goading its supporters. Its latest proclamation denounces the approaching forces as a combination of "Imperialist assassins, damned minions of Wilhelm the German, and Kaledin's White Guards." There were strange scenes when the blare of syrens woke Petrograd on Monday night! Few knew what th© noise signified, and went out into the streets. Immediately they were summoned to get picks and shovels and dig trenches in the roads. Telephones buzzed everywhere, telling the residents that the Germans were' coming from Pskoff. The trams ran all night, and motors wcro requisitioned. Tho railways are closely guarded. THE GERMAN OFFICIAL REPORT (Australian end N.Z. Cable Association.) (Eeutcr'a Telegrams.) Admiralty per "Wireless Press. (Received February 27th, 9 p.m.) LONDON, February 26. A German official report states: — "Four days after crossing MOO 2 Sound our troops were marching on Re val. We captured tho fortress After 1 battle. Flags were hung in man.'* towns in Livonia when we entered. "Many inhabitants were arrestee after the capture of Pskoff. "General von Linsingen stormed an< carried Kolenkowitz and its railwa; station. He covered upwards of 30 kilometres in a few days, and, co-operat ing with th© Ukrainians, cleared th

greater part of the country of looting gangs. "Wo recently took prisoner on the Eastern front three divisional staff officers, ISO officers, and 3676 men." ARMISTICE REFUSED. (Reut-ei's Telegrams.) (Received February 27th, 11.15 p.m.) NEW YORK, February 26. Germany has formally refused to grant an armistice. The Germans continue to advance on Petrograd. j 1 PETROGRAD'S FATE. ! I j | ENEMY FORCES' RAPID j I APPROACH. | (Extraordinary.) '.Australian and X.Z. Cab'.o Association.) LONDON, February 2G. The Germans are within a few hours' march of Petrograd. CITY IN A FERMENT. (United Service.) LONDON, February 26. Petrograd has been thrown into a ( ferment, in view of the apparent German intention to occupy the city. The Soviet has ordered tho enrolment of workmen between the ages of IS and 50 into tho Red Army, for a Holy War. The Smolny Institute (Bolshevik > headquarters) has been changed into . a military camp, where workmen are * assembling en masse. Tho British and Americans at the c Embassios have left. The absence of newspapers t brought thousands into the streets to t learn tho news, but there was no panic. | PREPARATIONS FOR DEFENCE. i (•'Tho Times. ) ( (Received February 2ith, 11.35 p.m.) j PETROGRAD, February 26. Workers have joined the garrison at Narva, and have coinbinod with the Red Guards, forming a total of 10,000. A portion of these has been despatched to Reval. Similar mobilisations are proceeding elsewhere, tho Soviets acting as the centres for the rapid distribution of arms and supplies. AN APPEAL TO THE PEOPLE. . ; (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.* , (.Keuter'e Telegrams.) ■ (By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright.) (Received February 27th, 8.25 p.m.) ] LONDON, February 26. A Russian official report states: — "The People's Commissary for Food appeals to all those not engaged in military service to organise a speedier transport of bread and to reorganise the railways. 'We sound the Tocsin,' they state. 'The enemy is before tho pates i of Red Petrograd, and on tho Red Petrograd food supplies depend the suc--1 cess of tho last great decisive battle for peace, for the land, and for Socialism, j The labourers of the whole world, who 1 aro not strong enough to help us immediately, arc watching events with ' " restrained breath and alarm. We ' must, awaiting speedy help, hold out several days in a desperate battle against the world's usurpers.' "Lenin and Trotzky, complaining of the continuance of tho German hostility, have enquired whether Germany intends to reply to Russia's expressed' consent to si<m tho proposed conditions 1 of peace, and to reply to Ensign Kry- > lenko's enquiry as to whether an annis- ' tice does not automatically follow tho j acceptanco of such condition." I ► i JAPAN'S ATTITUDE. ANXIOUS TO INTERVENE. f (United Service.) PARIS. February 26. The "Echo do Paris'' says:—lt is Japan's hour to strike. She alon© is able to check Germany's Eastern penetration. She is anxious to intervene when the signal is given. TIME FOR JAPAN TO ACT. (Australian and 2T.Z. Cable Association.) 1 LONDON, February 26. British and French newspapers aro discussing Japan's attitude towards Russia, in view of the Bolshoviks shamerul capitulation. The "Dttily Chronicle" says:— "Japan's refusal to send troops to Europe was natural and inevitable, as Japan is not a European nation; but now that Russia in Asia looms before German ambition as one of the spoils of war, the situation is different. If 1 the Allies can come to a practical agree- ' ment with Japan, the latter may take ' a military part in the common strug--1 gl°." Th© Paris newspapers generally express tho opinion that it is time for Japan to act. The German peril in the East is too real to bo ignored. The > journal "Le Temps" says:— "Germany's new dream is a road from > Berlin to Tokio, instead of from Berlin t to Bagdad. Japan -understands the. danger to the people of Russia and 3 Siberia. It is no longer sufficient to t police Siberia; war must be 'waged there. Every day German influence is j dragging the*keys of Vladivostock westj ward." s s IMMEDIATE ACTION FORECASTED, e (Keuter'a Telegrams.) (Received February 27th, 11.15 p.m.) NEW YORK, February 27. ° The "New York Times" forecasts im- ® mediate drastic Japanese action in j. RussiaSTATEMENT BY CONSUL IN 3 AUSTRALIA. 0 SYDNEY February 27. The Japanese Consul-General lectur- \ ing here and referring to the war, said, "\ou may rest assured that Japan during and after tho war will bo found j protecting general peace in the Pacific with all her power— indefatigably and energetically—so that justice and tho common interests of mankind shall prevail instead of brutal militarism. There is a strong desire in Japan, as woll as in Australia and New Zealand, that th 9 n German colonies in tho Pacific shall 3 . not be handed back to Germany. If they are, the peace of tho Pacific cana not be regarded as secure from the y operations of threatening and dangerous elements." d ■ ■ , "TOMMY HAS LOST HIS COLD," said one mother to her friend. "He iy used to suffer from hacking coughs and colds, but now he is entirely free from t- them, thanks to Baxter's Lung Pr fire server." Only Is 10d» 3

IN THE CAUCASUS. TUE.KS RECAPTURE TREBIZOND. (Reuter'a Telegrams.) CONSTANTINOPLE, February 26. Tho Turks have entered Trebizoud. THE OFFICIAL REPORT. and N.Z. Cablo Association/) vKeuter'a Tolegrains.) (uo:tuvoil February 23tli, 12.30 a.m.) LONDON, February 27. A Turkish communique states: — "Wo re-entered Trebizond, which is aflame."