RUSSIA'S STRAITS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17321, 22 May 1918, Page 5

RUSSIA'S STRAITS

FORT INO EVACUATED. LAST DEFENCE OF PETROGRAD. Australian and N.Z. Cablo Association. i _ PARIS, May 20. Tho Matin's Stockholm correspondent says that the Russians on Saturday evacuated Fort Ino, tho last defence guarding Petrograd. ANOTHER " SCRAP OF PAPER." ARMISTICE ZONE VIOLATED. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Renter. LONDON, May 20. A Russian wireless states that the Germans in the Reval region violated the boundary fixed on March 6, and advanced eastwards, despite the protests of the Russian commander. The Foreign Commissary has requested tile withdrawal of the troops. TERRIBLE CONDITIONS IN UKRAINIA. GERMAN BOBBERY AND TERRORISM. LONDON, May 20. A Russian wireless message states that Skoropadsky (German nominee as President of the Rada) has been declared an impostor in various places in Ukrainia, and his decrees are being disregarded. The Peasants' Assembly at Kieff, numbering 20,000 men, was closed by the Germans. The population became exasperated, and the District Assemblies decided to burn all the bread and other provisions. The land-owners were declared to be outcasts. • ■ Skoropadsky has no troops, except a bodyguard of 100 men. The country is groaning under hunger, misery, and slavery. Everybody is endeavouring to flee into Great Russia, and guerrilla bands are forming. Members of the Rada are regarded as traitors. Almost the whole population is armed, and attempts to disarm them are resisted to tlyj death. Towns and villages aro aflame. The Germans everywhere are appointing their own officials, and are exporting to Germany all the provisions they can seize. FOOD SHORTAGE EXPLAINED. DUE' TO BOLSHEVIKS' FOLLY. Auatr&lian and N.Z. Cnbio Association. LONDON, May 20. The German disappointment regarding the food supply from Ukrainia is due to the large sums of money which the small farmers amassed in the'early part of the war, owing to the extortionate prices thev secured for corn. When the Bolsheviks' regime commenced the farmers hid their money and lived on their hidden stores of grain. Thus far they have 'not even tilled the soil. FALL OF SEBASTOPOL. SEVERE BLOW TO BOLSHEVIKS. LONDON, May 20. The fall of Sebastopol is a severe blow for the Bolsheviks, who have been in bodies of 2COO and 5000 strong," with plenty of artillery and machine guns. A battle often lasted two or three days, and the fighting made great demands upon the armies of the Central Powers, which had to cover a vast distance. The Bolsheviks always evaded defeat by flight. ON THE CASPIAN SEA. TROUBLE WITH MUSSULMANS. PETROGRAD, May 21. The Soviets' forces at Baku are in deadly conflict "with the Mussulmans. A Moscow paper states that 2000 wero killed and 3000 wounded. Various parts of Baku, including entire streets and the Persian Bazaar, aro burning. SITUATION IN FINLAND. FURTHER GERMAN AGGRESSION. FLEET COMMISSARY EXECUTED. PETROGRAD, May 21. The Germans have occupied Bjorko, on tho Gulf of Finland (south of Viborg). LONDON, May 20. The White Guards at Helsingfors executed Russian Fleet Commissary Jemtchujin, on the pretext that he was conducting a revolutionary campaign among German marines. The German commander replied to the protests of the Russian Admiral that Jemtchujin had outlawed himself by inciting mutiny; consequently the execution was exclusively a German affair. AMERICAN RUMOUR. GENERAL JOFFRE'S ALLEGED VIEW. NEW YORK, May 20. The New York Times says that Americans from Europe say that the allied Government officials fear the situation on tho west front may reach a deadlock unless something is done to stop German progress and domination in Russia. General. Joffre nine months ago urged that an allied expeditionary force be 6ent to Russia to help to expel the Germans. Joffre pointed out that Germany might extend her control to the Siberian coal, oil, and mineral lands. AMERICA'S DETERMINATION. WILL STAND BY RUSSIA. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter. NEW YORK, 'May 20. • President Wilson, speaking at the Red Cross demonstration, said: "We are not going to be diverted from our given purpose of winning the war by any insincere approaches upon the subject of peace. I can say with a clear conscience that I have tested those intimations, and found them insincere, and I now recognise them for what they are—viz., an opportunity for Germany to have a free hand, particularly in the East, to carry out the purpose of conauest and exploitation. Every German proposal with regard to accommodation in the West involves a reservation with regard to the East. Therefore we intend to stand by Russia as well as by France. If Germany thinks we are going to sacrifice anybody for our own sake, I tell them now that they are mistaken. I'or the glory of this war, so far as we are concerned, is that, perhaps for the first time in history, it is an unselfish war. If they wish for peace, let them come forward through accredited representatives and lay their terms on the table. We have laid ours on the table, and they know what they are." President Wilson eulogised the work of the great Red Cross organisation, which was recognised by international , agreement and treaty. One of the deepest stains on the reputation of the German army was that it had not respected the R-ed Cross. " That," said the President, "goes to the root of the matter. They have not respected the instrumentality of mercy and succour which they participated in setting up as an expression of humanity. DISORDERS AT PAVLOSKY. THE MOB FIRED ON. Australian and N.Z. Cablo Association. MOSCOW, May 20. (Received May 21, at 8 p.m.) Food disorders liave occurred at Pavlosky. Peasants and workmen burnt the Soviet's building, and several members of the Soviet were burned to death. A detachment of Red Guards fired on the mob SO being killed or wounded. '