RUSSIAN AFFAIRS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3898, 27 November 1928, Page 30

RUSSIAN AFFAIRS.

CONVICTS ESCAPE FROM PRISON. WARSAW, November 19. By scooping with their hands a tunnel 30 yards long and over three feet high, 16 convicts escaped from the Grudzindz prison, in Pomerania in a manner reminiscent of the Count of Monte Cristo. Their absence was not noticed for several hours. Some of the fugitives raided a tailor’s shop and secured civilian clothes, then stole a motor car. None of them have been recaptured. THE FAMINE AREA. LONDON, November 19. The Riga correspondent of the Daily Mail states that people with relatives in Russia are posting thousands of packets of flour, rice, and lard thither every week, owing to the famine in Moscow and Leningrad. The unemployed are living almost exclusively on apples. AIMED AT SOVIET RUSSIA. LONDON, November 19. The Vienna correspondent of the Daily Mail states that the entire press gives prominence to Bucharest and Moscow i ssages concerning an alleged RumanianPolish war alliance against Soviet Russia, including the formation of joint armies under French command. The Moscow correspondent of the Neue Freie Presse declares that the agreement between Poland, Rumania, and France provides for French naval co-operation in the Black Sea. It is asserted that th e French Generals Lerond and Morin have already been designated to form a plan of campaign. It is stated that Hungary and Bulgaria would assist in forming a ring round the Soviet. TROTSKY RETURNS TO EXILE. HIGA, November 20. It is confirmed that M. Stalin summoned M. Trotsky from his exile last week, and engaged in a three days’ conference with him in an attempt to win over the groups which at present are in a state of armed neutrality. M. Trotsky refused to give way a single inch, and returned to his exile. This failure has considerably weakened M. Stalin’s position. SOVIET COMMISSARS. BERLIN, November 22. Acting on instructions from Washington, the United States Embassy refused visas to two. Soviet commissars desiring to go to America to negotiate fo r the estab lishment of motor factories in Russia and the purchase of £4,000,000 worth of cars. GERMANY AND RUSSIA. BERLIN, November 22. A German delegation is going to Moscow to renew trade relations which have been suspended since the Donetz espionage cases. . The mission is ascribed to the realisation of the seriousness of Amerifan competition. A GLOOMY OUTLOOK. LONDON, November 23. The Riga correspondent of The Times states that the agricultural commissars throughout Russia have conferred to consider the Soviet farm directors’ request not only for cancellation of farm debts, but for a loan of 152,000,000 roubles as the only way out of a hopeless situation. The spokesman (M. Dmitrieff) disclosed the fact that the debts had grown from 22,000,000 roubles in four years. Wages were four months in arrears, and the failure of enterprise seriously affected the agricultural policy.-