THE RUSSIAN TANGLE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIII, Issue 1713, 2 January 1920, Page 5

THE RUSSIAN TANGLE.

KOLTCHAK'S.FAILURE.

JAPANESE INTERVENTION

IMPERATIVE.

By Electric Telegrapk—Copyrigh*. Australian New Zealand Cable Association, PEKIN, Dec. 30. The condition of Koltchak's retreating troops is appa'ling, and to this is added the utmost political confusion. While Koltchak i advance was delayed, the Premier and the remainder of the Government at Irkutsk were quarrelling. The Socialist municipal party bitterly opposes the Government,- ana is prepared to compromise with the Bolshe> vikß. A dangerous revolt is threatened, and the local troops are totally unreliable. Com ponies sent out to suppress an adjacent ris ing murdered their own officers and joined the Jiolshoviks, of whom there are many Sand* in operations west of Lake Baikal. Even the Czechs, who are the stablest element in Siberia, aro more sympathetic towards the Socialists than the Government. The Allies must deride whether they will contnue to support an incompetent and intensely unpopular adminstraton. _ . Early Japanese intervention is imperative. > -, ,

JAPAN READY TO ACT.

Vustrahan-Now Zealand Cable Association. LONDON, Dec. 30.

The following official bulletin has _ been issued in view of Koltchak's retreat in Siberia' and tho Japanese determination to stem the flow of Bolshevism: The whole situation is being reviewed by the Japanese Government in consultation- with the Allies, and the United States. At present Japan has thirty thousand troops along the transSiberian railway, and United States seven thousand. It is understood that Japan will act only" after discussion with and the coopeiation of the Allies. If necessary Japan is prepared to increase her forces in Siberia. Meanwhile arrangements are being complcted for tho early repatriation of the 'Jzeoho-Slovnk troops'which are concentrated .•iear Vladivostok.

AN UNDERSTANDING REACHED.

Australian-New Zealand Cable Association. NEW YORK, Dec. 30. The New York World's Washington correspondent says it is authoritatively stated chat an understanding has b<"en reached between the" United States and Japan, under which Japan will have a free hand in any military measures necessary to protect her interests in Siberia. It is announced that Japan will send a fresh force to Siberia. sufficiently large to defeat the Bolshevik army. ANTI-BOLSHEVIK DEBACLE. - DENIKEN AND KOLTCHAK'S PLIGHT. Australian-New Zealand Cable Association. Received January 2. 12.10 p.m. LONDON. Dec. 31. The debacle of the" nnti-Bolshevik forces threatens to become one of the greatest military collapses in history. Part of Denikr-n's forces are retreating in a poor condition towards Odessa, which the civilians are evacuating.- Th)* rest of the beaten army, which a short time ago contained 209.000 bayonets, is now . hurrying eastwards to the Don country. Denikcn ancThis staff have arrived .at Tagaurog and pre nboard a battleship Koltehnß's plight- is worse. He had at least 250,000 bayonets, hut is now unable even to compose the quarrels rynongst his own generals. Neither Deniken nor Koltehak h<is succeeded in administering the territories he conquered. Risings *ni*a reperiteYHy breaking out in tho rear of the armies. The Ukrainian peasants feared Czardorn., while despite KoltchnV." white terror" t!i<- Siberians kept a strong semi-Bol.shoyik p:\rty alive . ".

THE REPORT CONFIRMED

Aur<fcrßlir,n-New Zealand G*He PARIS, D.-c 31. The Zurich opr respond on t of the Echo do Paris reports that Deniken's army has been cut in two. It is .reported that one portion has been thrown back on Odessa.. The other is retreating towards the month r>? the Don. The supreme command is how'fit'Tng.tm- ..*, and has its headquarters aboard a warship in the Block Sop. ' v COPENHAGEN Deo. 31. Litvinoff, interviewed, claimed that the fact of Captain O'Grady returning on Saturday to resume the negot'ntiorg indicates that Groat Britain has accepted the-Soviet's tern's. Litvinoff ridded: "Peace is eomiris: more quickly thm is generally believed." \

POSITION IN SIBERIA

RED CROSS APPEAL FOP HELP. Australian-Now Zt>»l«hd Piblo GENEVA, Dec. 30. The Intcra'a'tippal Conimittoe of the Red Cross is appealing for help for Aus-tro-Hungarian prisoners in Siberia. It states that there are still two hundred thousand men there, and that many have been there since 1914. practically without fires, light, and clothes. > and with little food. A typhus epidemic recently killed nineteen thousand.