RUSSIA.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 16039, 25 January 1918, Page 3

RUSSIA.

THE BREST LITOVSK CONFERENCE. GERMAN ANNEXATION AIMS.' PETROGRAD, Jan. 23. M Trotsky has returned to Petrograd from Brest Litov.sk. He says the German terms preponderate in favour of annexation. No secret was made of the -desire to seize Polnnd, Tiithuania } and Courland. The Gormans-hope to make Moon Island a new Gibraltar, with a view to strangling Russia economically and politically. He added that the Austrians did not participate actively jn the negotiations, merely assenting to every German proP °M* Trotsky believes the final decision will .shortly be reached. _ The Secretary of the Russian delegation at Brest Litovsk/has officially protested against the German version of the proceedings, wherein M. J rotsky s protest against Germany s change of front is not mentioned. General Hoffmann warned the, Russian Government that if the Bolsheviks carry out their intention of giving German officer prisoners-the sirme regime, as the mon,|Gcrmany would cancel the project for .'reciprocal improvement of the war prisoners’ conditions in Germany. , . .... The Bolsheviks report that their troops defeated the Ukrainians at Jolrava, capturing

A wireless Russian message states tliat a political official statement declares that the German annexationists have been sufficiently powerful to impose their will upon the evasive diplomats of the Hertling-Kuhlmann school The Anstro-German delegation refused ,to guarantee the withdrawal of their armies from occupied territories. This is a monstrous annexation, and the Austro-Gcrman peoples are being deceived by their own governments before the whole world. The statement continues: At tne Brest Litovsk negotiations aJiumble approval to all Lhat Hoffmann and Kulmann said, hut all this did'not prevent the Austrian Socialists from telling fahlos to Austrian workmen regarding Count s endeavour to obtain peace.”

BOLSHEVIK JUSTIFICATION. OP DISSPLUTION OF ASSEMBLY. LONDON, Jan. 23. Dr. Harold Williams, the Chronicle’s correspondent, writing from Petrograd, says that tlie dissolution decree thus justifies Bolshevik action. It says the Assembly was to he the crown of. bourgeois parliamentary republic, but proved an obstacle in tbe path ot the October revolution. It 'V as [. ticnal, hut only class institutions like the Soviets which were able to overcome the resistance of the propertied classes and lay the foundations of Socialist order. _ Lenin, speaking at a Socialist meeting, said the Soviets were kindling the flames of a revolution, and would command all the people to fight. The Soviets were breakmg the pillars of the bourgeois order, not with gloved hands, but Si a proletarian way. Dr. Williams goes on to. saj that evidently Socialism is to be introduced Z the baronet’s point. The programme will not be executed without a struggle. The position is extremely critical. BOLSHEVIK PLEA. FOR HELP FROM ALLIES. (Received Jan. ,25, 9.35 a.m.) NEW YORK, Jan. 24. The New \Wk World’s Poti-ograd correspondent says that, lyhde Trota y is making an unflinching fight for democratic peace terms, ho may fail if the Allies refuse aid. Russia will able to continue a. defiance of Germany unless she receives material -assistance. THE STATE OF FINLAND. FOOD VERY SCARCE. AND SERIOUS DISORDERS. (Received Jan., 25, 11.6 a.m.) LONDON, Jan. 24. Kililman formerly Attorney-Geneial of Finland,’ is visiting England in connection with the relief fund. , Interviewed, bo said that Finland was on the verge of famine Iwo-fitths of the population were unable to obtain bread of any description. '1 he food sup■nlies available include some millions ot kilogrammes of Iceland moss which has been declared unfit for human consumption and a small quantity of giain, but altogether only half what is necessary to sustain life. The Finlanders arc threatened with destruction unless speedy help is available. Ihe illicit supply of weapons to the lowest elements in the community enables them to rob and plunder and this aggravates the situation.

(Received Jan. §5, 11.6 a.m.) ' STOCKHOLM, Jan. 24. Frontier messages state that a reign of terror prevails in tlio. Finnish towns. A sanguinary encounter occurred on •Monday at Tornen\ between Finlanders and Russian soldiers. The latter armed with machine-guns and rifles, attacked the town hill and arrested the Mayor and police commandant. the Finlanders disarmed the Russians and forced the Russian reinforcements to retire. Serious excesses followed Two hundred Red Guards VtWibol'g barricaded the streets, stormed the factories and killed and wounded many people. Red Guards and Socialists occupied the Government buildings at Helsiucfors, arrested several memheis rh the Government and all officiate.