RUSSIA.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3390, 20 January 1920, Page 5

RUSSIA.

_.._..__.0,.___.,. THE‘. BOLSHEVIK Pimxr...

LEININ COMPLETELY VICTORIOUS

RUSSIAN WAR NOT POPULAR Received 9.25 am.

LONDON, Jan. 16.

A review of the Bolshevik peril states that the situation revealed yesterday by Mr Churchill and Admiral Beatty’s sudden call to Paris, is lll'oSt serious. The Allies are now reaping the fruits of utter lack of statesmanship ‘in dealing W.ltik.B'oiSllCViSln. Since the armistice the trouble has been that the Allies have dissipated the effort they had given in support of Deniken, Sasanoif, and Yudenitch, but the assistance given was never sufficient to ensure victory, and given regardless of the necessity of a connected policy. The Allies now realise that all generals have failed them; Lenin and Trotsky have the whole of Russia and Western Siberia. at their mercy, and Allied leaders seem utterly at loss to know how to meet the peril. France would doubtless like Britain to put forces into Russia, if only to save some of her huge Russian investments, in exchange for which Frenchginvestors are anxious to secure grants to Work mines, forests, etc. There is not the least ‘likelihood of this, as public opinion in Britain is strongly averse to resuming war in Russia. The pity is, as John Ward says, “in the middle of 1918 40,000 Britishers could have got through to Petrograd, and wiped out Bolshevism, now the Red Army numbers two millions or more. It is true the force has been raised by terrorism, but it is a formidable danger.” In the ';‘East serious peace xvith Turkey has not yet been secured. There are eliments favourable to the spread of Bolshevism 'in Asia Minor. Deniken’s breakdown leaves the road to India. open. and B-olshevik elements are already at Herat. Britain’ quasifailure in the Afghan War 11:15 increased the danger, while there is much unrest among border tribes. The obvious precaution. is to control Persia and the waters of the Caspian, where loyal Russian warships should inniiediately be manned. by the British Navy and that situation seeiired.

JAPAN BLOCKS THE WAY.

ALONG TRANS-SIBERIAN RAILWAY.

Received 9.25 .a.m.

LONDON, Jan. 16.

The review of the Bolshevik peril continued: There is no real danger of a serious Bolshevik aflvancer in Siberia, as a very small Japanese force is capable of dealing with the huge Bolshevik rabble. Indeed, it is believed that Lenin and Trotsky do not contemplate attacking Japan, and will prefer to transfer their forces to Esthonian, Lettish, Finnish, and Polish fronts. The Poles are quite incapable of meeting 3 big attack by Red nrmies_, unaided, as they are poorly led, and would be greatly outnumbered. This is not the least difiiculty, as Allied leaders in Paris are now considering tlmt Pmand has been the bulwark against. Bolshevism in Western Europe. There are alsoldangerous possibilities in SouthEastern Europe.

SOUTH-EAST ERN EUROPE.

FAMINE THREATENING-.

SYMPATHY WITH BOLSHISVISM.

LONDON, Jan. 16.

Received 9.25 am:

The Daily Telegraph’ correspondent, as a result of a. persTon'al tour in Central and Eastern Europe, expresses the opinion that Roumania is faced with famine. Practically no wheat has yet been sown, though seed should be in the ground early in December. Not ten per cent of maize land has yet been ploughed. The new class of peasant proprietors are responsible for delay. Peasanfs hairvested enough of the 1919 crow for personal use, and left. the rest to rot, arguing that “they had been exploited by townsfolk for centuries, and they were not going to support the rest of the cornmunify any longer. There is unrest in Bessarabia owing to Rounranian exactjons and mi.sgovernment. As Bessarabia adjoins Odesvsa and the Ukraine, both of which are under the sway of Bolshevism, eruption in Beg. saralbia is inrminem,

Serbian men have developed a distaste for manual labour, as a result of the war, but the land is fairly well cultivated by women, whom the men have not allowed fo become infected wifh male ideas regarding work. Shortage of food is likely in Serbia, but there. is no fear of famine if Dalmatia, is fed from overseas_

B'u'lga.rian agricullural labour is so. scarce that the Grovernment is considering the possibility of forced agricul tural labour, based on the principle of “no work no food.” There is much sympathy for Bolshcvism amongst the masses and the governing classes are occupied with political feuds and intrigues. Indeed, through Central and Eastern Europe ‘the upper classes are behaving with disgusting e:«;trava-I gancc and reckless rlisrogarrl for their countries’ future.

BRITISH WAR SHIPS.

SAILED FOR BLACK SEA.

Received 9.45 a.m. _ MALTA, Jan. 19. Bl'itish warships. have sailed for the Black Sea.

AMERICANS QUIT SIBERIA.

JAPANESE TROOPS MAY FOLLOW. Received 9.45 am. NEW YORK, Jan. 16. The Times’ Washington Correspondent -says that it ris wntders-tood that it its. the Unrite-d States intention to with; drraw troops from Siberia. This has presented an embarrassing problem to the Ha-ta Ministry, which may be com. pellezd to resign. The-re is also a, prob. ability that Japan Will not attempt, .s~ingleh‘anded,. to -stem -the Bolshevik advance, and «she will prbbably also with-draw her troops. .