REVOLUTIONARY RUSSIA.

Otago Witness, Issue 3426, 11 November 1919, Page 18

REVOLUTIONARY RUSSIA.

(By Cable.)

FRIGHTFUL BOLSHEVIST ATROCITIES.

LONDON", November 1. A wireles3 message from kin states that the Bolshevist committee at Voronezh, Don Valley, was responsible for terrible atrocities. Its victims' eyes were picked out, their arni3 and legs twisted in their sockets, their ears cut off, their na:'; pulled out, their foreheads branded with a. hot iron and submerged in boiling water, and melted tin was poured down their throats.

.COPENHAGEN, November 3. A horrible story of Petrograd states that Chinese mercenaries have begun selling at high prices the flesh • of prisoners shot nightly in St. Petur and Paul fortress.

STOCKHOLM, November 3. It is reported that 40,000 died of starvation in Petrograd last month. LONDON, November 6. Cckmel John Ward, Labour M.P., created a profound impression when lie made his first reappearance in the House of Commons after prolonged service in Russia, giving an unvarnished tale of his experiences and narrating horrors in plain, colourless style—how the dead bodies were tumbled into the streets daily from windows and wells were choked with dead. Some Bolshevists were better than others, but Ihcir crimes beggared description.

TROTSKY INTERVIEWED. . , _ NEW YORK, November 4. Interviewed at Taulu by the correspondent of the Chicago News, Trotsky said: "Our interests are wholly European, but If we are driven eastward we shall divert our energies to Asia. If the British persist in their present policy towards Russia we may show them that we can learn Hindu as easily as European tongues. "The proletariat dictatorship in Russia is only temporary ; as soon as the conflict is over freedom of the press and other liberties will be re-established.

KRONSTADT BATTERIES SILENCED. COPENHAGEN, November 3. After several days' bombardment the Allied fleet has silenced the' Kronstadt and K'rasnaya Gorka batteries. Heavy explosions were heard, suggesting that munition dumps were blown up. The British steamer Volturnus, carrying food to the British Baltic fleet, was mined and sunk. Her crew was rescued.

YUDENITCH FORCED TO RETIRE, LONDON, November 1. • A Bolshevist communique states: ** Our artillery drove off enemy ships in

the Gulf of Finland

We recaptured

Luga after fierce fighting. 1 November 4. Helsingfors reports state that General Yudenitch has been forced to evacuate Luga «nd Gatchina, ind declares that Yudenitch's army is surrounded; but reports from Yudenitch deny this. November' 5.

A Bolshevist communique states: Yudenitch is retiring hastily on the entire Petrograd front. We have occupied Gatchina. The pursuit continues. We have captured Luga. Yudenitch's army is dissolving, and we closely surround the remnant. South of Moscow we flung back the enemy i 100 versts beyond Voronezh. -November 6.

While the Bolshevist claim to have surrounded General Yudenitch is unconfirmed, it is at least certain that Yudenitch has been badly defeated at the very gates of Petrograd, and the menace of envelopment is not yet averted. The immediate cause of Yudenitch's general retreat was the Bolshevist capture of Luga, on the Petrograd-Pskoff railway, threatening his rear, as,-jany delay in retirement would have endangered his communications and perhaps the very existence of the, whole army. The War Office announces that Yudenitch's left is still in touch with the right wing of the Esthonians operating in the Gulf of Finland, who are holding their original line. Yudenitch, who reached a point within four miles of Petrograd, is now 12 miles from the city. Experts express the opinion that any fresh offensive against Petrograd must be supported by an attack from the north.

General Denikin, in a wireless communication, says: We secured 54,000 prisoners and many guns and machine guns in the last 10 davs.

BERMONDT'S OFFENSIVE. HKLSINGFORS, October 31. The German offensive against Riga is checked, though an occasional bombardment continues. The Letts were chiefly responsible for holding up Bermondt. The Bolshevists defending Petrograd now outnumber the forces under Yudenitch. They are well supplied with material, including armoured trains. DENIKEN'S OPERATIONS. LONDON, October 31. The Bolshevists claim to have captured Petropavlovsk (in the region of General Denikin's operations). , November 1. General Denikin's wireless message states that Petloura's newsp'aper admits the difficulty of officering the Ukrainian army, necessitating handing over the command to German officers, <gt whom 2000 have been incorporated. November 4. General Deniken's reports fierce fighting around Orel, south of Moscow. A Moscow wireless message claims the occupation by the Bolshevists of Novo-

Rossiisk (Black Sea port, in Kupban terriI tory). ' | ■ ■ November 6. i General Denikin, in a communique, announces a smashing victory in which Don Cossacks overwhelmed a Bolshevist division eastward of the Khoper River, taking : 3300 prisoners and 16 guns. The retreating Bolshevists blew up two armoured trains. LETTISH TROOPS ENGAGED. COPENHAGEN, November 6. The Lettish Press Bureau states that German troops, presumably Colonel Bermondt's, supported by artillery and armoured trains, strongly attacked Libau on the 4th inst. ,but were repulsed by the Lettish troops in Libau, supported by British artillery. The Lettish positions were bombarded throughout the day. A fresh violent offensive launched in the ; evening was repulsed with heavy loss. November 8. The Letts, supported by a sea bombardment, advanced and captured an important j bridgehead on the Dwina. The Russian Soviet has warned neutrals ' that participation in the blockade will be | regarded as a hostile aot. POSITION GENERALLY REVIEWED. PROSPECTS FOR THE WINTER. LONDON, November 6. The Australian Press Association learns J that the Russians in the Onega sector I should be able to hold the present lines securely throughout the winter. The Bolshevists are still pushing forward on General Yudenitch's extreme right, and probably now possess the whole of the Gat-china-Pskoff railway. The situation in Southern Russia during the week was somewhat established, but the map shows a balance in General Denikin's favour. The winter is not considered likely to stop operations in thi3 area. The position on the eastern front has taken an unfavourable turn for Commander Kolchak, and the fruits of last month's offensive have been already lost. The Bolshevists in this region havo ie ! gained their morale. Mr Churchill, Secretary for War, announced in the House of Commons that 531 British troops were in Siberia, 1103 in South Russia, and 140 in the Baltic States, including the Military Mission. GENERAL VIEWS OF LABOUR PARTY. LONDON, November 5. Mr Churchill, in his reply during the Russian debate, ridiculed the idea that the Labour Party represents the view of the masses regarding Russia. Everybody wanted a clear-cut policy, but the Great Powers were baffled by the peculiar aspects of an unprecedented problem. Great Britain was acting: in harmony with the Allied Powers. They were all anxious that Russia, should not rise from the dead

as a foe of the Allies. Britain during 1919 sent General Denikin £28,000,000 in cash and £17,000,000 worth of stores.

Mr W. Adamson declared that the vast majority of Britishers was opposed to intervention' in Russia, and appealed to, the Government to withdraw the Baltic fleet.

An amendment was defeated by 250 votes to 52.

BRITISH EXPENDITURE. LONDON, November 3. A White Paper shows that the British naval and military expenditure in Russia since the armistice has been £78,000,000, including stores, and cash advances' to the Baltic States, General Denikin, and Commander. Kolchak, apart from a "final contribution of £15,000,000 to General Denikin.

LIBERAL MEMBER'S PROTEST. LONDON, November 6,

In the House of Commons Mr J. C. Wedgwood moved to reduce the War Office vote by £15,000,000, as a protest against the help given to Generals Denikin and Yudenitch.

Colonel Cecil Malone, who has been visiting Moscow, states that he interviewed Trotsky, who said he had discussed matters with the Soviet leaders, and believed that peace between Russia and the Allies was possible on term 3 substantially the same as those which Mr Bullitt published. He believed that a peace conference could arrange that "all existing Governments should remain in full control of the territory they now occupy. Mr John Ward, who had been in Russia for a year, protested against deserting their Russian allies. Commander Kolchak was the only man able to restore constitutional democracy in Russia. GENERAL ITEMS. WASHINGTON, November 6. The State Department is advised that Commander Kolchak will withdraw from Omsk shortly. BERLIN, October 31. The German Government has declared that German troops remaining in the Baltic States after November 11 will become deserters and lose their citizenship. WASHINGTON, November 4. Evidence given before the Senate Military Committee indicated that the Bolshevists were _ spending large sums of money in America on a propaganda, with the object of overthrowing the Government.

November 8,

The Government's raid on Bolshevist sympathisers throughout the country resulted in 200 being arrested in Chicago and 40 at Akron (Ohio), the object being to prevent the celebration of the anniversary of the establishment of Sovietism in Russia.

The immediate deportation of 300 arrested "Reds" 'has been ordered.

THE TRANS-SIBERIAN RAILWAY. AN AMERICAN COMPLAINT. THE JAPANESE REPLY. TOKIO, November 7. Japan's reply to the American Note complaining of lack of co-operation on the part of the'Japanese troops in connection with the control of the Trans-Siberian railway draws a distinction between the military protection which Japan is willing to undertake and obedience to the orders of the Interallied Railway Commission, which is in nowise contemplated. The reply invites the United States to present specific incidents when Japanese troops refused to protect the lives and 'property of Interallied railway inspectors. The reply assures the United States that Japanese troops will extend the fullest co-operation. Copies of the Note have been sent to Britain, France, Italy, China, and Russia.