RUSSIAN AFFAIRS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17666, 19 December 1917, Page 7

RUSSIAN AFFAIRS.

INTERNAL SITUATION. FAMINE APPROACHING. NEW YORK, December 17. Tho United Press correspondent at Tokio states that the conditions in Russia are becoming intolerable. There is increasing evidence that famine is approaching. Mr Francis, the American Ambassador at Petrograd, has advised all Americans to leave the capital. One hundred and sixty-seven arc now awaiting passages via tho Siberian railway. THE ELECTIONS. THE LATEST RETURNS. LONDON, December .17. The “Daily News” Petrograd correspondent says that the latest returns of the Assembly election show:— Social Revolutionaries . 148 Bolsheviks • ■ 78

OFFICERS ABOLISHED. GERMAN SPIES ENCOURAGE SOLDIERS. LONDON, December 17. The “ Daily Chronicle’s ” .Petrograd correspondent reports that the Leninist decree ordering the abolition of officois came into force on December 15. Practically all officers were degraded, many were assaulted and their medals and ’epaulettes torn off. Officers were subjected to every insult, and German spies encouraged the soldiers. Colonels were forced to exchange work witli their own orderlies and other officers were forced to clean the stables.

OUTRAGES AND CONFISCATIONS. LONDON, December 17. Every day brings niore outrages and confiscations by Leninists. The contents of seven hundred wine vaults in Petrograd were destroyed, valued at millions of roubles. Pools of wine formed in some streets, which the people bailed into anything handy.

GENERAL KORNILOV WOUNDED. PETROGRAD, December 17. It is reported that General Kornilov has been wounded in a fight with Bolshevik troops near Potshev. Reutex'o Telegram*. PETROGRAD, December 17. There is no confirmation of the arrest of General Kaledin. CIVIL WAR EXTENDING. (Received December 18, 8.50 p.m.) PETROGRAD, December 17. In fighting yesterday at Odessa between Ukraine and Bolshevik regiments, tho latter wero defeated. Nows from the south and Siberia indicates an extension of civil war. The banks in Petrograd are closed. HARBIN DISTURBANCES. CHINESE TROOPS GOING TO CITY. Reuter’s Telegrams. (Received December 19, 12.35 a.m.) LONDON, December 17. Reuter learns from Japanese sources that Harbin, the population of which is largely Jewish, is entirely under Bolshevik control. Great disorder prevails. Brigands attacked tho premises of important Japanese and other firms. The Allied Ministers at Pekin have decided to entrust the preservation of order to Chinese tro.ops, who are already en route. JAPANESE LANDING DENIED. TOKIO, December 17. The landing of the Japaneso at Vladivostok is denied. THE ARMISTICE. GENERAL MURDERED. WOULD NOT SIGN DISGRACEFUL PEACE. PETROGRAD, December 17. The violent death of General Skalon, the army representative at the peace negotiations, caused a sensation. Leninist members of the conference state that General Skalon committed suicide, hut the general belief ia that he was murdered as he refused to be identified with a disgraceful peace.