RUSSIAN BOLSHEVIKI OVERTURES.

Colonist, Volume LXI, Issue 15046, 14 April 1919, Page 5

RUSSIAN BOLSHEVIKI OVERTURES.

A HOUSE OF COMMONS DIS-

CUSSION

NO NEGOTIATIONS

[Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.)

(Received April 13, 5.5 p.m.) ~ ■*! London, April 11. Mr Clement Ward, in tlie House of Commons, moved the adjournment in order to discuss Russian Bolshevist overtures to the Peace Conference. He and other speakers strongly condemned having any dealings with the Bolsheviki.

Mr Shortt, in replying, said the Government would not refuse to confer with the Russian Government, but no representative government worthy o f the name existed. They could not have any truck with the bloodthirsty ruffians who were terrorising Russia. Lemn had emissaries in Britain, and others .were coming. He believed the emissaries were receiving very little support in Britain. He understood that Lenin's proposals had not reached the British-representatives at Paris. He believed that Germany had manufactured the whole story of the negotiations in order to make other nations behev.© that the Bolsheviki were peaceful, civilised, and reasonable. Mr Shortt promised to convey to Mr Lloyd George the House's unanimous feeling against negotiating with the Bolsheviki.

Interviewed by the United Press, Mr Cecil Harmsworth said: '.'The-Al-lied Governments cannot recognise the Bolsheviki for the following reasons:— The jßblsheviki do not represent the Russian people, the Bolsheviki have shown themselves enemies of the League of Nations, and they made peace with Germany against the will of their peoples. The Allies will supE? r 1 t v ? Governments of Tchaikowski, Koltdiak, and Deniken, • because "they stand for the restoration of Russia and the maintenance of the alliance with the Allies."