THE RUSSIAN PUZZLE

Gisborne Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 4898, 18 June 1918, Page 5

THE RUSSIAN PUZZLE

HUNS MAINTAIN IRON CRIP. EFFORT TO OBTAIN RAIL- . CENTRES. i" ■ ‘ NEW OFFENSIVE STARTED. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association LONDON, June 16. A ICieff message from General Knoenzer states that the Bolsheviks who landed on the coast of the Sea ’ of Azov have almost been wiped out. Three thousand bodies wero counted, I many perishing in the water. ‘ The Press Bureau reports:— A Russian wireless states the Germans are starting an .offensive on the front Staluika-Zlnikuyka, and have seized 1 three villages in the neutral «onc. Our troops retired. All increasing movement has been observed lately at Jevstratavka, tanks and cavalry participating. Our troops destroyed a bridge at Jevstratovka, as a reply to the violation of the treaty. Cavalry were despatched and maintain laiason with our troops, who occupy a line in the neutral zone. The objects of the Germans in creating further incidents is to obtain railway centres at Liski asd Povorino- , - SITUATION IN SIBERIA. CZECH ADVANCE CONTINUES. Eeuter's Tcleijrams. (Received June 17. 7.30 p.m?) LONDON, June 16. After being driven back from Penda, the Czech-Slovaks advanced on Syzran and took possession of the great railway bridge across the Volga which is the principal artery in trans-Siberian communications. , .Advices from Finland are that , Pienhanoff, anti-Bolshevik, is dead. TURKS PUSHING IN. OFFENSIVE IN THE SOUTH. SOVIETS IN~BAD FAVOUR. Reuter's Telegrams. (Received June 17 11.5 p.m.) MOSCOW, June 16. A second consequence of the Government crisis is the increasing energy of the Turkish offensive in the Caucasus. The Diet declared itself dissolved and the Republic no longer exists. The Turks have launched a strong offensive at Akibalin. The General Assembly of factory and workshop delegates at Petrograd | ordered a workers’ strike as a protest against the policy of the Soviet Government. JAPAN AND RUSSIA. A SIGNIFICANT REPORT. JAPAN GETTING READY TO FIGHT. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association LONDON. June 16. Japan will increase her army to 25 corps. A correspondent adds that the Entente Governments are. urging Japanese intervention in Russia. At a council meeting held on the subject, at- which Allied representatives were present. M. Jules Desiree, 'the Belgian Minister to Petrograd, who escaped from Russia, said there were twenty thousand armed German War prisoners in Siberia. The. transSiberian railway is now the only communication with the outside world. Tin's could easily he cut by, the German prisoners' He saw armed Germans at every station, ostensibly allied with Bolsheviks. It is announced that the Peruvian Government has seized German ships interned at Callao, .totalling fifty thousand tons, including several passenger steamers.

STRONC PLEA FOR INTERVENTION. OTHERWISE HUNS WTLL RECOME RUSSIAN MASTERS. Tho Tim of (Received June 17, 10.30 p.m.) TOKIO. June 16. Tlie Belgian Minister at Petrograd, addressing a meeting at Tokio. said the Law-abiding elements in Russia earnestly desired salvation with the aid. of Japan. Delegates of the propertied classes in Samura called on the Japanese Consul, General Sato, and said: — “If the Japanese army advances into Central Siberia all classes in European Russia would rise and overcome the Soviets. Otherwise the only course was to invite the Germans to control the lawless Soviets. After that Russia would become but a German colony.” Tlie newspaper Hochi urges Japan to respond to the appeal. “If,” it bays:, “she hesitates. Germany will become master of Russia,• and tlie colored races of the world would lose their favorable opinion of the Japanese.”