REVOLUTIONARY RUSSIA.

Otago Witness, Issue 3349, 22 May 1918, Page 26

REVOLUTIONARY RUSSIA.

DEPLORABLE. STATE OF AFFAIRS. DRIFTING INTO GERMANY'S ARMS. FIGHTING AT MOSCOW. (By Cable.) ATTEMPT AT ORGANISING. The Finnish Minister Enckell, who has arrived at Helsingfors from Petrograd, states that Lenin is establishing a regular army and is trying to build up the finances on a broader basis. Lenin has telegraphed to all food organisations demanding immediate help, in view of the catastrophic position at Petrograd. Lenin says a counter-revolu-tion is raising its head and turning the discontent of the starving passes against the Soviet authority. M. Thomas Masarik, Bohemian leader of education, who has arrived from Russia, stated that Russia is preparing to strike against the Germans in the closing days of the war. The Czechs and Slovaks are organising an army. A Russian official report states that the People's Commissaries have sent a message to Provincial Councils, ordering compliance within a week with the decree for the creation of a strong united army to defend the republic from internal and external enemies.

M. Kerensky is expected to arrive at an American port from Russia in a few days.

FIGHTING AT MOSCOW

A big battle between the Anarchiste and the Bolsheviks raged /at Moscow ; many casualties resulting. Soviet troops surrounded the Anarchists' headquarters in Moscow, and as the Anarchists refused to surrender, armoured cars bombarded them. The Anarchists replied with machine-guns and grenades, but after half arf hour's fight they hoisted the white flag. Fighting is being continued in other streets, and many guns have been posted at the Kremlin, where the Council of Commissaries is sitting.

REMONSTRATING" WITH GERMANY. A Russian official report states that the Foreign Commissary has sent a message to the German Government calling attention to the terrible position of the peaceful populations of occupied regions in White Russia along the line of demarcation, where there have been violent pogroms, torture, executions, savage treatment of workers, and burning of Russian villages by German Polish troops, wiping out villages with machine guns. The Russian Government complains that persons suspected of Bolshevik symnathies are being shot or imprisoned under terrible conditions. A reign of terror exists, being particularly bad in the town of Minsk and the districts of Bombrinsk and Viborg, where manv hundreds have been slaughtered by machine guns. The Foreign Commissary suggests the formation of Russo-German commissions, including representatives of local populations, to investigate these conditions. THE BLACK SEA FLEET. *A Moscow telegram states that, replying to the German demand for the immediate surrender of the Russian Black Sea fleet, M. Tchitcherin says the Russian Government is prepared to consent to the return of the fleet to Sebastopol, provided the limits of the Austro-Turco-Ger-man occupation of Russia and the frontiers of Ukrainia and Finland are definitely specified; that hostilities on Russian territory immediately cease, and that AustroGerman forces completely evacuate Sebastopol. A telegram from Constantinople states that the Bolsheviks have recaptured Baku. A DEPLORABLE CONDITION. The latest advices from Petrograd give a deplorable account of the- conditions of life in that city. There is very little food, and the official rations are scarcely enough to sustain existence; consequently theft and fraud are rampant. The small quantity of provisions in private hands leads to extortionate profiteering. Hams cost £SO each, and a single egg 3s. The city generally is going to wrack and ruin. Vladimir Bourbeff, a famous Russian revolutionary, recently released from the Petrograd Fortress, has arrived at Stock holm. In a message to the Daily Chronicle he sums up the causes of Russia's debacle, attributing it to republican weakness and Bolshevik vindictiveness. The Bolsheviks had the purpose which Kerensky lacked. Bourbeff firmly believes that the Bolsheviks always intended to sell Russia, in order to have leisure to organise an Anarchist propaganda. He adds: " The Germans, even in Bolshevik Russia, are calmly buying up banks, estates, ships, and railways. The Bolsheviks appointed Ganetsky to nationalise the Petrograd banks. Ganetsky is a notorious German agent, and was once caught red-handed." Bourbeff says that he and other revolutionaries now perceive that the revolution has been a calamity.

The entire French press urges an early combined allied effort to solve the Russian problem, and prevent Germany from reorganising Russia in Germany's interests. Le Temp 3 says that the first necessity is a coherent method. It suggests that the Entente begin by getting coherent information by centralising and examining all news from Russia, for which purpose Washington would be the most suitable centre.

ALLIED SYMPATHY WITH RUSSIA. In the House of Commons Lord Robert Cecil expressed doubt -whether the suggestion of a permanent allied diplomatic

council at Versailles would achieve greater results than the existing machinery. Britain, ho added, had no quarrel-with Russia. On the contrary, she always desired to be on the closest possible terms with the Russian people. We had undeniably suffered grave disappointment and lost owing to Russian political events, but we wore anxious to do all possible to support and assist the Russian people, and preserve Russia as a great allied country, or at least as a non-German country. THE GERMAN ADVANCE. Official advices received in America state that the Germans have sent an ultimatum to the Russian Soviet demanding a German occupation of Moscow, the disbandment of Russian military units, and a reduction of armaments. The Petrograd Labour Commune denies the reports of the threatened occupation of Moscow and Petrograd. The United Press states that a Russian Note to Germany protests against the German invasion of Ukrainia, and demands a clear and precise answer as to whether' Germany considers the BrestLitovsk treaty still effective; also why Germany continues to send troops against the Soviet republic. Russia has notified Germany that she will be compelled to mobilise her forces against German aggression. An intercepted wireless message states that the Bolsnevik Amhassador at "Berlin announces that the Germans have agreed to halt the advance in Russia.

A Russian official report points out that the Germans, despite the agreement for a cessation of hostilities, are still engaged in military operations in the Don region. The Government-communicated wth General von Oirbach, pointing out that there was no justification for refusing an armistice, and requested von Oirbach to expedite his reply, with a view to restoring peaceful conditions. Officials here informed the United Press that_ they have learned that Germany is seeking to augment her armies by conscripting the Russians who are in the border lands.

Several attempts have been made of late at Kieff against the* occupying authorities, and street fighting has occurred. The German command, in conjunction with the Divisional Government, has decreed a state of siege, arrested many members of the Revolutionary Committee, and sent them for trial by military courts. POSITION IN UKRAINIA. The Popolo ' Romano's Moscow correspondent reports that out of a million square kilometres of grain lands in Ukrainia only 50,000 have been cultivated this year, the peasants refusing to cultivate for the Gennans. The Munich Nachrichten states that enormous areas in Ukrainia, including expropriated estates of big landholders, are unfilled, and the coming harvest will be insufficient to provide gfain for the Ukrainian population. In some towns the people are already suffering from hunger. German newspapers are complaining regarding the large number of divisions required to maintain peace in Ukrainia. The Ukrainian newspapers continue to violently attack the Central Powers, accusing Germany of intending to make Sebastopol a German naval base. There is growing unrest and excitement among the Ukrainian peasants. Hand-to-hand fighting occurred in the streets of Odessa. ,*

The Austrian commandant proclaimed martial law, and strong Austrian patrols are constantly in the streets of Kieff, whence thousands of families are fleeing. Anarchists are active.

The Bolshevik Press Bureau has published a secret circular which the German Government addressed to all newspapers in Germany, stating that German commissioners had convinced themselves of the dearth of supplies of cereals hi Ukrainia owing to insufficient sowings la-st year and small .owners secreting supplies. The peasants in Ukrainia wea-e nearly all armed against the Germans. Possibly greater supplies would be discovered with the further advance of the Germans, and better results may be obtained by armed force; but in any case the hope for the improvement of Germany's food supplies was exceedingly problematical. MASSACRES IN FINLAND. Official: After the White Guards had occupied Tarnnierfors 500 Russian officers and soldiers were shot in groups of 40 and 50 with machine guns. A desperate and bloody battle was fought at Lahti, in which 4000 White Guards and Germans were killed. Many civilians were killed by the German bombardment. Twelve thousand White Guards have occupied Helsingfors. The Russians evacuated portions, which the White Guards occupied. The Morning Post's Stockholm correspondent says that three leading Red Guard generals were executed at Helsingfors. The rebellion in Finland -may be considered ended. It is understood that Britain has promised provisionally to acknowldege Finland's independence until the final peace conference, on condition that. Finland releases British.subjects and guarantees to maintain neutrality. THE CAUCASUS. A Constantinople telegram states that Circassia (north of the Caucasus range) has declared its independence. A Tiflis newspaper reports that Turkish regulars and Kurds are advancing in Persia. They have occupied Sujbulak and Dshnuc, south of Lake Urmia, A despatch from Tabriz says the Turkish objective is Enzeli, which has become the base for the Central Powers' menace to the British. Washington officials point out that the Germans are using their influence through Turkey in order 'to strengthen tlie Teutonic power with the Mohammedans.