RUSSIAN AFFAIRS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12175, 26 November 1917, Page 2

RUSSIAN AFFAIRS.

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS. BOLSHEVIK AIMS. WANT UNIVERSAL, NOT SEPARATE PEACE. A. and N.Z. Ca.ble Association and Router. NEW YORK, November 24. Messages from Petrograd cover an interview with M. Trotzky, who repudiated a separate peace, and said Russia wanted unliversali peace. If the Allied Governments failed to support a demoenfic peace the Ajllied peoples would demand an international policy calculated to gain the support of the masses. "If Germany refuses to negotiate," he added, "we pin our hope on the German army and working men to end the war. If wo receive no response we shall declare a ievolutionary war against German imperialism and mobilise all forces, confiscate large food supplies and prosecute the war with relentless energy, but we are confident that our proposals will create impossibilities against the continuance of the war anywhere. Only the bourgeoisie oppose the Maximalist Government. The intellectuals are hesitating." LUDENDORFF GOES EAST. TO ARRANGE TRUCE WITH RUSSIA. United Service. AMSTERDAM, November 24. In connection with the Russian truce offer, General von Ludendorff and numerous (members of the German Staff have gone to the eastern front with all secrecy. At Petrograd the Allied legations refuse to accept the new regime. The Bolsheviks refuse to sign diplomats' passports. The Bolshevik Government has announced that it intends to stop the entire goods traffic with Russia. "AN ACT OF BASEST TREACHERY." LORD CECIL'S VIEWS ON SEPARATE PEACE. United Service. LONDON, November 24. Lord Robert Cecil in an interview said that if the Russian people supported the Leninite peace proclamation it would bo an act of the basest* treachery, undoubtedly, inspired by Germans. _ One ray of hope was Kaledin's action, but nothing had been heard o,f him iately. The counterrevolution was the work of a small section of fanatics and did not receive the support of the Socialist majority. The result of the Bolshevik manifesto would be the stoppage of American supplies. STATEMENT BY M. TROTZSKY. ARMY CONFERENCE INSISTS ON COALITION. LONDON, November 23. The "Daily Chronicle's" Petrograd correspondent states that M. Trotzsky, addressing the Soviet executive, said that the Soviet's power was now established in Petrograd, Moscow and the greater part of Russia. He declared that he now possessed secret treaties which would be thrown on the rubbish heap. At a conference at army headquarters he insisted upon the formation of a coalition Socialist Government, with M. Tchernoff as Premier.

NEWS FROM GALICIA

RUSSIANS EVACUATING POSITIONS.

Renter's Telegrams,

AMSTERDAM, November 24

A telegram from Tarnopol announces that the Russians are preparing to evacuate Gryinalow and Skalat, in East Galicia. An advanced position is already evacuated.

THE AMERICAN VIEW

HOW IS RUSSIA TO BE REGARDED?

Reuter's Telegrams.

WASHINGTON, November 24

The Bolsheviks' move is regarded : n official circles as placing Russia almost in the list* of unfriendly nations. It is pointed out that, should peace negotiations succeed, it will be difficult to deal with Russia as a neutral.