RED RUSSIA

Otago Witness, Issue 3571, 22 August 1922, Page 21

RED RUSSIA

VIOLENT FIGHTING REPORTED. LONDON, August 13 According to reports from Russia, violent fighting occurred between Red troops and rebels, especially in Minsk, where two Red infantry regiments joined the rebels, who are equipped with machine guns and artillery. THREE BRITISH SHIPS SEIZED. CONSTANTINOPLE, August 13. Bolshevists seized three British ships at Batum, claiming that they were formerly Russian ships. Several British warships are proceeding to Batum. STIRRING UP REVOLUTION. NEW YORK, August 12. The New York Times’s Washington correspondent states that Soviet documents in the possession of the Department of Justice disclose that Red agents in the United States have instructions to make an effort to paralyse the country’s life and to disaffect the labour unions from within, so as to stir up a revolution. WESTERN EUROPE MENACED. LONDON, August 13. Dr Copeland, of the New York Board of Health, who recently toured the Russian frontier, declares that as a result of inquiries he believes the whole of Western Europe is threatened with an appalling typhus wave in the near future. He has formed this opinion on the reports of responsible authorities. He said that he was no prophet, but he would be amazed if Poland were not swept by typhus or cholera next winter, and Western Europe and America were in serious danger, the latter owing to the large influx if European immigrants. He saw a train disembark 600 emaciated and verminous refugees from Siberia. They were herded ill trucks. Two thousand others died on route. Their bodies were thrown on to the railway track and left to rot. This was a typical instance. The published reports did not do justice to the horrors of the situation. The remedy was to feed, clothe, and doctor the refugees, of whom it was expected there would be 1,500,000 before the winter.

THE RUSSIAN THRONE. LONDON, August 1. A document is published in Paris to the effect that the Grand Duke Cyril proclaims himself the guardian of the vacant throne of Russia, and announces that he will refer to a Russian National Council for confirmation of his legitimate lights.