RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE

Gisborne Times, Volume XLVIII, Issue 4601, 3 July 1917, Page 5

RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE

FROM RICA TO BLACK SEA.

OPERATIONS ON CRAND SCALE ANTICIPATED. COUNTER OFFENSIVE PREPARING. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. ROME, July 1., Authoritative circles regard a general Russian offensive on the East front as certain from Riga to the Black Sea. It is expected the operations will be on a grand scale.- It is believed that General Brusiloff win. surpass his 1916 successes. The Russo-Roumauian armies are now reported to be in a high state of efficiency. There are indications that the A us-tro-Germans are preparing a strong offensive on the Roumanian front with a view of invading Bessarabia, seizing the abundant harvest, and in-' fiieting. a decisive defeat on the disorganised Russians.

PREPARING GERMAN PEOPLE. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. AMSTERDAM, July 1. German newspapers are preparing the public for Russian activity. They point out recent events, and state that the Stockholm conference was a grim affair. The Germans’ peace offer had possibly led Russia to believe that an offensive would be highly inconvenient to Germany. They add: “We must dispel the popular idea that Russia is incapable of resuming the offensive.”

ARTILLERY . ACTIVITY

REPORTED

United Press Association—Copyright. Reuter's Telegrams. LONDON, July 1. A Russian official message states: Our artillery and the enemy’s artillery are active south of Pripet, especially in the region of Zouotchev. and Brazejany.

EQUAL RIGHTS FOR ALL TONGUES.

A PAN-RUSSIAN PLEA

Eeuter’s Telegrams. (Received July 2, 11.35 p.m.) PETROGRAD, July 2. A Pan-Russian Soldiers’ Congress passed a resolution that the Provisional Government should promulgate laws assuring the various Russian nationalities of the right to dispose of their own political future and proclaiming equal rights for all tongues simultaneously and retaining the Russian language officially.

Australian and N.Z. Cable Association, s Reuter's Telegrams. (Admiralty Intercepts.—Wireless (Received Julv 2, 11 p.m.) LONDON, July 1. Austrian official: — In Eastern Galicia artillery increased' yesterday to the greatest violence. We repulsed strong infantry attacks in the neighborhood of Brzezany. Strong enemy attacks westward of Zalosce broke down.