“BLOOD IS FLOWING”

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 11933, 13 September 1924, Page 5

“BLOOD IS FLOWING”

REVOLUTION IN GEORGIA PRACTICAL PROBLEM FOR LEAGUE OF NATIONS. A “GESTURE” DESIRABLE. By Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright Reuter's Telegram. GENEVA, September ll._ The Assembly of the League of Nations has referred to the Agenda Committee a joint resolution, in the name of the British, French, and Belgian delegates, inviting the Council of the League to watch attentively the events in Georgia, and to seize an opportunity to enable the country to return to a state of peace. M. Boncour (France), on, behalf of the three delegations, said that in the face o? the- bloodshed in Georgia, it eecmed desirable for the Assembly to make a gesture against which no State could take umbrage. “We have heard talk of peace,’l lie said, “yet blood i» flowing.” He mentioned that before they left Geneva, Mr Macdonald and M. Herriot had received an appeal from Georgia. The Georgian Socialist Soviet Republic, affiliated to the Moscow Soviet, contains about 2J million people. In 1918 a separate State was formed, and it secured recognition by the Allies in 1921. In tdi© same year a revolution occurred, and the Communists gained control. Recently there has been news of a counter-revolution, and the rebels in severe fighting have made considerable headway. WIDESPREAD REVOLT REBELS CAPTURE CAPITAL. BOLSHEVIKS RETIRING. R«ut©r’« Telegram (Received September 12, 9.15 p.m.) CONSTANTINOPLE, Sept- lilt is reported that the revolutionary movement in the Caucasus is widely extended, fierce fighting has occurred in the east and south _of Trans-Caucasia, where the Bolsheviks sustained severe defeats. It is stated that the insurgents occupied Tiliis andi Kutais, and that the Bolshevikte retreated, leaving hjehind ammunition dumps intact. Batum is also threatened. Georgia (or Trans-Caucasia) lies between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. The capital, Tiflis, is in the interior, and it is connected by rail with the important ports of Batam fin the Black Sea), and Baku (on the Caspian). Batum and Baku are also connected by a petroleum pipe line.