Russia

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 75, 26 February 1918, Page 5

Russia

THE ENEMY ADVANCE.

PROGRESS IN ESTHONIA.

Press Association—Copyright, Austra

lian and N.Z. Cable Association

London, February 24

Wireless German official: We advanced by forced marches in Esthonia, the enemy resisting at some points. We are approaching Reyal. We took 1000 prisoners and liberated 600 Austro-Germans at Galk. We also captured Ostrov.

THE TRAIL OF THE HUN. The Morning Post states that the Germans are moving on Petrograd at the rate of fifty miles a day, by motor car dashes, capturing everything and spreading a panic eastwards. Specialist troopers , are acting as advance guards. Supported by aeroplanes, small bodies of specialists dash right

through the principal towins, often without attracting notice, and then cut the railways and stop the roads beyond, thus preventing the withdrawal of any war material. Other Germans then follow and secure all the booty intact. Their main difficulty is to destroy the hooligan crowds of criminals or wandering soldiers who seize the opportunity, with cries ot "Kill- the. Bourgeoise," to run s'moh in the townships, pillaging, killing men, women, and carrying off girls. The hooligans, who are all armed, cause fires, so the Germans shoot them oil sight. Owing to the hooligans, many of the towns, welcome the-a rival of the Germans. .-Meanwhile the Lenin Government has-;proclaimed a holy war, and calls on men from the age of 17 to 55 to defend the country, hut. practically all the artillery has now been captured, and there are enough German prisoners with officers at Petrograd to deal with the extremists when Germany gives the word. The Germans at present are not seeking to reach Petrograd, which is merely a spectacular move. They are driving at lightning speed to reach the railways about Bologdi, midway between Petrograd and Moscow. THE RUSSIAN THRONE. The Grand Duke of Hesse has been appointed commander-in-chief of the Riga section of the German front, because his sister, the ex-Emprese Alexandra, as guardian of the Czarevitch, is the favourite German candidate for the Russian throne. It is certain that Nicholas will not accept the throne from the Germans. GUERILLA WARFARE. Many non-Bolsheviks and Socialists favor guerilla warfare, believing that the proletariat of the Central Powers will yet rise. This Commissaries, RCweved, plead that they must, like defeated strikers, accept the enemy's terms, in order to rescue the country and the revolution from ruin and exhaustion. The Commissaries are issuing a pandemonium of decrees, proclamations an dexhortations, first stating ( that the Germans intend to restore the landlords, bankers and the monarchy, and calling on all workers to enrol in the Red Array, and expel from the ranks and wipe off the face of the Earth all hooligans and cow- , „ards; then, an hour later, announcing their readiness to accept the German terms. : The perplexed peasants and soldiers and hurrying back to tlieir villages faster, than ever, meaning that a new national force must necessarily be raised from the unemployeds whose in- I creasing numbers owing to the Bolsheviks' policy in clpsing mills ana j factories, is becoming a serious danS9 r - DEFENCE OF PETROGRAD. The enrolment of volunteers to de- '■ fend the capital is proceeding rapidly, and it,is anticipated that 50.000 will be under arms in a few days. Besides the soldiers, who desire to figlit, special Socialist regiments are forming from the Esthonian, Lettish and Mussulman regiments. In Petrograd many .women wish to take up arms against,the Germans and the supporters of Kaledin. The same thing is happening at Kieff, Moscow* and Pskov. , ..■ A <~'STANCE OF TERMS. ' Wireless Russian official: Lenin and Trotsky have sent a message to Berlin, notifying Russia's acceptance of the Germans' peace,. conditions, and

i the ending of a delegation to Brest Litovsk.

Lenin, in urging the acceptance of the Genuan terms, stated that the retreating, demoralised army refused : to fight, and he declined to remain! in a government relying on mere' phrases. The Commissaries had suppressed anti-Soviet papers and ordered the managers to continue to pay the wages of the staffs. A wild panic seized the Seventh and Eleventh Armies, which are retreating iu disorder. Trotsky, in an interview, declared: We have no army, for it has been in a state of rebellion for three niontnb. Crowds continued to live in the trenches, .but" waited the first chance of escape. EMBASSIES LEAVE CAPITAL. The Japanese and American Embassies, the Chinese, Siamese, arid, Brazilian missions left on Saturday, and are going to Piatka. ,If necessary, they will reside in Siberia or Vladivostock. Many centres report the formaion of revolutionary detachments, composed of soldiers and civilians. THE A ALAND ISLANDS. Au agreement has been: reached as to the evacuation of the Aaland islands by Russian and Finnish troops. A Swedish force has gone to maintain order. ■■. i -* i TROTSKY'S BELIEF. Press Association—Copyright, Austra* lian aDd N.Z. Cable Association. (Received 8.50 a.m.) February 25. , Trotsky, in a further interview, pro. i'essed the belief that the. Bolsheviks were still able to carry on the revolu 7 tion if a favourable peace was impossible. "We are not less determined on class war," he said. "Wevknow how to make the war-cry reach the German masses despite ; the Imperialists.'"