DARK HOUR OF MENACE

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 August 1920, Page 5

DARK HOUR OF MENACE

POSITION STILL CLOUDED,

SOVIET AND THE POLES,

WARSAW HEMMED IN.

J’Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.]

Received this day at 11.20 a.m. LONDON, August 15.

The “Central News” learns authoritatively that the Polish delegates reached Minsk. Newspaper correspondents accompanying the Poles were not allowed to cross the Bolshevist lines, despite the Bolshevists’ announcement that open diplomacy would be observed in the. armistice and peace negotiations. Kd news of the negotiations are expected to reach London before Tuesday. The Bolshevist advance is progressing, and the fortress of Sol dan has fallen. A delegation of seven Russian trade unionists with eight secretaries reached Reval, when British authorities refused them permission to continue the voyage to Britain, where they had arranged to conduct extensive Bolshevik propaganda on the tour. BERLIN, ngust 14.

According to Warsaw reports 100,COD Russians are about to attack and .storm U.e city on several sides. Advices from the German eastern districts state that the Poles are preparing defences against the Russian attacks at Thorn and Gaudcnz.

POLISH SOVIET. WARSAW SURROUNDED. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) Received this day at 10.40 a.m. BERLIN, August 15. Th‘c Bolsheviks* report that Warsaw is surrounded. Dumowski, the leader of the Polish National Democrats, is heading a revolutionary movement to overthrow the Polish Government, Tchitcherin states that Russia intends to include in the peace terms a. provision for arming the Polish Soviet and militias of trade unions as a counterpoise to Imperialist landlords and a protection to Russia against attack. Russia will insist on Poland granting free land to the families of Polish citizens killed or wounded in the war. The Soviet has an absolutely free hand in the Orient till a general agreement is reached with Britain. Limitations can be determined only by treaty “I can give assurances,” he said, “that such limitations will be rigidly observed.” Received this day at 8.10 a.m. BERLIN, August 15.

Tchitcherin further states that the Soviet has not the least intention of annhhlating Poland. Russia desires only a guarantee agonist the Polish armies’ new attacks. “We demand,” he said, “the reduction of the Polish Army to 50,'000. Russia stands ready to withdraw her Army from, Poland and the Polish frontier, where only 203,000 will be left. “ANOTHER NAME.” Received this day at 9.40 a.in. VIENNA, August 14. According to advices from Warsaw, the Poles are not likety to accept disarmament, which they regard as ignominious capitulation. The Poles °ai’3 recruiting to their utmost extent for the battle near Warsaw which they hope to prove another Marne. LONDON, August 14 The newspapers are vigorously discussing the Labour Conference’s attitude in tiie direction of precipitating direct action. Many scout the Labour plea, pointing out that Mr Lloyd George was previously pledged not to militarily assist 1 ■’eland and net to employ the blockade, if the Bolsheviks were prepared to make a fair peace in respect to Polish independence. Labour, therefore, is incongruously threatening a stiike in support of the Government policy. Some r.ewsI apers describe the excited action of tho conference as m the main an electioneering move, hence the support of Adamson, Clynes. O’Grady and Thomas. Others note that what is called the Council of Action includes Smillio, Williams, Cramp and other avowed sympathisers with Bolshevism, who, it is believed, are now regularly in contact with the Moscow Government through the Kameneff mission, f hey fear that the direct actionists may become a serious menace if distress and severe industrial Trouble should arise in the coming winter. The “Westminster Gazette” believes that the conference reflects the growing dislike, of old diplomacy, Parliamentary inert.a, and the failure of statesmen to secure peace. The “Times” does not doubt that astute •aliens, essentially anti-British, instigated the recent Labour developments in !’• Lain. \ AMERICAN LABOUR. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) Received this day at 8.10 a.m. LONDON, August 14. Mr F. P. Christinseft, a FarmerLabour candidate for the United States Presidency, cabled Mr Adamson (Chairman of the Labour Conference), congratulating tho British workers .on their determination" to res’st Allied military intervention against Russia.

, “HEART OF AMERICA.” (Australian and N. 7. Cable Association.) (Received t.lii ~ day at 8.10 a.m.) WASHINGTON, August 14. In an address at Milwaukee, Mr. .Roosevelt, the Democratic Party vicePresidentlal nominee, said : “If America had been a member of the League o£„. Nations -to-day, then Poland would not be fighting with the Bolsheviks now. If only America had- been able to throw her moral force into the scale, the Bolshevik armies would not be where they are now. ‘ The heart of America has gone out to Poland, bat America’s hands were tied. ” this day at 12.15 a.m. HELSINGFORS, August 14. Zinovieff, addressing the Congress of the Third International at Moscow declared that it had not any nse .for Socialists and Pacifists in its membership. BUDAPEST. August 14. The mobilisation of Czechaslovkian tropes has been greatly accelerated during the last few days'. _ They am concentrating at various pointsmen the Hungarian frontier.

ALLIANCE DENIED. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.' BERLIN, August 14. The Russo-German alliance is semi-ofli-cially denied, Kopp, the Soviet representative, declares that the report was circulated for the purpose of prejudicing the efforts to secure an economic rapprochement between Russia and Germany. CONDITIONS TO STAND. [Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.] LONDON, August 12. Kameneff, in a letter to Mr Lloyd George, states that despite the rumour emanating from interested quarters indicating that the Soviet altered its terms to Poland, and also despite France’s hostile acts rendering peace more difficult, the Soviet Government does not' consider it necessary to alter conditions to Poland, which Mr Lloyd George communicated to the House of Commons on August 10th. Kameneff adds that the Soviet -Government signed peace with Latvia on August 12th, and the armistice with Finland on August 13th. BOLSHEVIKS SEIZE STOCKS. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.] Received this ‘day at 8.4 a.m. DELHI, August 14. It is reported from North Persia that tha Bolsheviks seized huge stocks of rice and exported the greater portion to Rusisia. Indirect assistance in the shape of munitions was received in return. The Bolsheviks are endeavouring to obtain control of all foodstuffs, with a view to starving the population into joining the so-called Persian National Army. They also,imposed a fine of £IOO,OOO on the town of Tesht.

ARABS’ TREACHERY. DELHI,. August 13. While the Acting General Officer at Telafar was parleying with the leading thcef, some Arabs treacherously fired on hb, cavalry escort, killing Captain Carter, cf the 11th Lancers, and six Indian troopers. The cavalry returned the fire, killing eight Arabs, including the leading chief. MOSLEMS EM EG RATING. PROTEST AGAINST TREATY. [Australian and N.Z. Cable Association! Received this day at 5.5 a.in. DELHI, August 14. The emigration of Indian Moslems to Afghanistan, as a protest against

tlie Turkish peace terms, is assuming alarming proportions. About twenty thousand have crossed the frontier. This is a result of the preaching by the Mullahs, who declare that the Moslems remaining in India will Income outcasts. Lying reports have also been spread that the holy places at Mecca and 'Medina, in the hands of the British, have been ficsecrared or destroyed. Many small landowners, who sold everything in order to emigrate, are starving at Khyber Pass. Many have returned to India with stories of ill treatment at the hands

of the Afghans. The constant influx is becoming so inconvenient that the Amir has ordered a stoppage of the movement until further notice.

BRITISH MEET BOLSHEVIKS. [Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.^ Received this day at 11.25 a.m, .'DELHI, August 15. Advices from Persia state that British troops successfully engaged the Bolshevik Jungali forces at Yuzbaschichai on the Karvisi-Resht road. Advices from Mesopotamia state that a British column from Hilhah occupied Maisaiyab after some resistance. The tribesmen, are making isolated attacks on various places, but concerted action appears to have ceased. A. column operating in the neighbourhood of Bagbah met with some resistance, v

MESOPOTAMIA. [Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.] SIMLA, August 15. Reinforcements have been sent to Mesopotamia consisting of three infantry brigades, each containing three Indian battalions, one field artillery brigade and the usual auxiliary troops. FORBOWING OF DISASTER. REMARKABLE LETTER. (Australian and N.Z. Gable Association.) Received this day,.-at 11.20 a.m. PARIS, August' 14. “Le Matin” publishes' the Crown Prince’s letter to the Kaiser of July, 1917, strongly urging peace. The Prince declared that the spirit of the German people was deplorable. “If peace does not come before the end of the year a revolution will be imminent. It is no longer any Question of victory, but of the life of the Geipnan people, and our dynasty is in danger. That is a great misfortune, but nothing compared with the danger threartening Germany.” Received this day at 9.20 a.m. BERLIN, August Id. The Government, reolying to a Soviet witless, denies the allegations that the Polish troops are concentrating in the plebiscite area, and adds that Germany

intends to .maintain neutrality and has already interned some Polish troops which entered German territory. TO PREVENT WARS, (Australian and N, Z. Cable Association.] BRUSSELS, August 15. The International Seamen’s Congress resolved that, in order to prevent future wars, seamen should refuse to transport troops and munitions. The decision apjlies to the / Russo-Polish conflict.