THE RUSSIAN ENIGMA.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 14136, 9 June 1919, Page 5

THE RUSSIAN ENIGMA.

DISCUSSED IN THE COMMONS. MR CHURCHILL EXPLAINS. [By Electric Cable —Copyright.] [Aust. and N.Z. Cable Association.] (Received Sunday, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, Juno 6. In tho House of Commons Mr Churchill stated that Koltchak's operations, if they continue to prosper, will facilitate our withdrawal from North Russia. He went on to discourage extravagant hopes respecting Koltchak’s advance. Koltchak was still 100 miles distant from Moscow. We had called Koltchak’s government into existence with a view to. preventing the whole of Russia from falling into Germany's hands. We wore supplying Koltchak with munitions. Was it suggested, that wo should now abandon Koltchak? British operations in i North Russia ivere petty skirmishes, and not serious military movements. British casualties there since the armistice were 129 killed, 36(5 wounded, and 2S missing. SCATTERED FIGHTING. [Aust. and N.Z. Cable Association.] (Received Sunday, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, May 28. Tho "Daily Telegraph’s" Stockholm correspondent states that according to an Esthoniau. report, the Russian northern corps has captured a number of villages, 300 prisoners and many ma-chine-guns, as well as Elisabctinka on tho Gatchina and Yumburg railway. Esthonians after capturing Pskoff, advanced in the direction of Marienbad and Volmar, capturing prisoners and machine-guns. Lenin, in a manifesto, expresses keen disappointment at Bclakun’s revolution, and adds: "Moscow remains the only centre of social revolution. All other centres must obey. * ’

50 MILES FROM PETROGRAD. [Aust. and N.Z. Cable Association,] (Received Sundav, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, June 4. The Australian Press Association learns that the capture of Petcrhof is not confirmed. The Allies are still 50 miles from Petrograd. The Soviet Government is making many concessions to the bourgeoisie as they require the assistance of experts in reorganising the army and other departments of national life. Koltchak’s position is satisfactory, except north of Glatzov, where the Bolsheviks have crossed the Vistra. A Bolshevik advance on the Ufa has forced back the Siberians to the Biclaya River, General Dcnikcn continues his highly successful advance towards Tsaritsin. A CHAOTIC CONDITION. BOLSHEVIK FALL IMMINENT. HORRORS OF MOSCOW. [Aust. and N.Z. Cable Association.] (Received Sunday, 11.5 p.m.) LONDON, May 27. Tho Council of Five has agreed to recognise Koltchak on tho following conditions: (1) That he immediately convokes the Constituent Assembly, and if an election is impossible hoav, the Assembly elected under Lenin in 1917 must be summoned. (2) The recognition of tho independence of Poland and Finland. (3) An undertaking to subnut the claims of the Esthonians and Letts to the League of Nations. Harold Williams, telegraphing from Constantinople, predicts the imminent fall of Bolshevism in South Russia. Tho ouly force at the Bolshevists ’ disposal in Odessa consists of 1500 Chinese, as the workers there refused to enlist in the Red Army, thus upsetting the plan for the relief of Hungary by an advance into Bessarabia and Rumania. Tho workmen of Odessa have no objection to the castigation of the bourgeoiese, but will not permit the nationalisation of factories, which policy has ruined Petrograd and Moscoav. Forty bourgeoiese have been shot, they Avcre mostly profiteers. The news from Moscoav is sheening. The snow is melting and revealing many bodies of women and children. Smallpox also has broken out. The journey from Moscoav to Odessa took 23 days, and passengers had to buy Avood e.t each station to feed the engine. TIGHTENING THE GRIP. [Aust. and N.Z. Cable Association.] (Received Sunday, 11.5 p.m.) COPENHAGEN, June 6. Rcval reports state that the British and Esthoniau Governments have agreed to the British occupation of tho Oesel Island. British squadrons will be stationed at Hangol, Helsingfors and Beval. THE END IN SIGHT. RELIEF FORCE AT ARCHANGEL. E(cecived Monday. 1.10 a.m.) LONDON, May 29. A relief force under General Crogan has arrived at Archangel. Mr Churchill, in the House of Commons, gave a hopeful review of tho military situation in Russia. A junction would be effected in the near future by Kolchak and Ironside. There was reasonable hope that the North Russia problem would be settled this summer. Bolshevism was not a policy, but a disease; not a creed, but a pestilence. We Avanted to make sure that the new Russia should be generally a democratic modern Stale.