ROAD OPEN TO INDIA

Evening Post, Volume XCIX, Issue 10, 12 January 1920, Page 7

ROAD OPEN TO INDIA

MENACE THROUGH BOKHARA

THE AFGHANISTAN ATTITUDE.

(BNITEB PRESS ASSOCIATION.—COPYRIGHT.)

(ADSTRALIAX--NBW ZEALAND CABLE ASSOCIATION.)

(Received January 12, 10 a.m.)

ALLAHABAD. 10th January.

With the entry of the Bolsheviks into Bokhara, the road to Afghanistan and the Indian frontier is now open. It is expected that the Bolsheviks will shortly establish communication with Persia. In Central Asia there are no settled Governments, and the population is suffering from acute economic distress. If they' are assisted by the Afghans, who are sullen under their recent defeat, the Bolsheviks could create a dangerous situation on the Indian frontier. At present the British troops in India are untrained in frontier warfare, and their officers are ignorant of the conditions. The old troops have been demobilised and sent to England.

The present Amir-of Afghanistan aspires to the formation of a Pan-Islamic League. The discontent of the Moslem against tho Turkish peace terms is also of great help to the Bolshevik agitators. A strong anti-British propaganda is being conducted in Central Asia. .The Bolsheviks hope to have 50,000 troops in Tashkent by • the spring. Enver Pasha ( who commands a rabble army in this area, is reported to have visited Tashkent and met the Bolshevik commanders.

Persia is still in a state of unrest, there is a steady growth of the campaign against the Anglo-Persian agreement, and disturbances are taking place in North Persia. Communication with T'flis and Armenia is cut off. South ITi-sia, which in under British control, is quiet. The situation generally is arousing much speculation in India.