STEMMING THE TIDE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19849, 19 January 1920, Page 6

STEMMING THE TIDE.

MENAGE OF BOLSHEVISM. JAPAN AGREES TO ACT. 6 By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright Australian and X.Z. Cable Association. (Received January 19, 9.10 n.m.) TOKIO, January 16. It is announced that complete agreement has been reached between America and Japan, by which Japan will endeavour to protect the Siberian railway. Japanese newspapers regard the Siberian expedition with little, enthusiasm, but official circles insist upon the necessity of stemming Bolshevism. THE WEAPON OF TERROR.(Received January 19, 10.30 n.m.) LONDON’, January 17. A Moscow wheless message stales that the All-Russian Commission has resolved that the complete defeat of Yudenitch, Deniken and Koltchak affords the Governmcnt/an opportunity of laying aside the weapon of terror, wiiich will only be renewed if the Entente attempts armed intervention. SPECTAGLES OF RUIN. WELTER OF MISERY AND DEATH. (Received January 19, 12.6 p in.) LONDON, January 16. With the latest, news from Russia, the. military defeat of the Bolshevists passes into the realm of distant possi■jilities. Flame and sfcord are furnishing ghastly spectacles of ruin and disaster in south and south-west Russia. Great Russia is being triumphantly reestablished by Trotsky's armies amidst this welter of misery and death. The last remnants of Koltchak s and Denikin's armies are disappearing, leaving nothing. " The Times's ’’ correspondent at "Warsaw says that General Denikin’s forces have been completely annihilated. The correspondent adds that Trotsky and the. Red officers favour an invasion of Roland, which is regarded as coitain in April. • After two months' reorganisation and regrouping of the forces, the Roles, it is pointed out, are ready in a strong strategic position with the Letts and Rumanians on their flanks, but immediate Allied assistance is vital, as the Bolsheviks are infinitely more numeroij* and better equipped. The Reds are making rapid progress at Odessa, where a few M bites under Allied warships’ guns are rallying and Jalking of opposition. The Black Sen position is complicated by the Russian fleet, which we handed over,to volunteers early in the year. " The Times Teheran correspondent telegraphs that information there shows that toe Russian fleet is permeated with Bolslfbvism. The old Russian Caspian Sea fleet, which is in a similar condition, sailed from Krasnovodsk. apparently joining the Bolshevists. >

The Tartar and Georgian Governments have refused to trust General Denikin, whose- rigid adherence to the methods and ideas of the old regime and failure, to recognise the peasants’ desire to keep their land, raised, wherever he went, a larger crop of enemies than he conquered. Eastern Siberia is in a state bf utter chaos. Hunger is widespread, even the wealthiest refugees dying of the sharpest pangs. Irkutsk is anamc. and local insurrcctionaHes are deposing Koltchak officials everywhere. It is not known what has become of the alert, dapper, sharp-faced little man who since his conn d’etat has signed himself supreme ruler of the Czechs. Troops were turned hack .at the Allies’ request and sent along the railway with orders to effect his rescue. The only news coming from the tbrriforiss ta which they returned are fragments Telling how the British, American and Japanese groups are isolated and apparently overwhelmed and taken prisoners, and that extremist outbreaks are reported at Vladivostock, which the Allies are quelling.

A TREMENDOUS DRAMA.

United n«vrice. (Received January 19, . 1.5 p.m.) LONDON, January 15.

The ‘‘ Daily -Mail” considers that the collapse of the ViTiite force-, in Russia, furnishes.a drama as tremendous as the great war, and equally terrible, for it means the. massacre of thousands, accompanied by hideous tortures. It says; “The unpardonable course would be to yield to the temptation of the financiers, who are begging the Allies to allow Germany to march in in order to pay oft the Allies’ war debts with the. proceeds of the exploitation of Uussia; That policy will make Germany mistress of the world, bringing a new and worse- wav. when Germany has conquered and assimilated Russia.” Ihe “Daily Mail” further declares that unless Japan largely augments her force the 801-hevist.s will soon reach the Pacific Coast. They have travelled at a great pace since reaching Omsk, and are showing brilliant organisation. The whole of the Japanese. Cabinet, except onp. in December favoured military intervention. On the other hand, there are large sections of opinion whirl! view the collapse with equanimity, producing ample evidence of the Soviets' desire to remain within their own frontiers, and reorganising industry and ;ocacty according f 0 Communist theories. Recent interviews with Renin, Fmdey and Joffe indicate the concentration of energies upon economic organisation. I he 1 miner is the strongest believer in a. peace on this basis. "The British Cabinet is tending to peace, but Frame remamj implacable. DENIKIN WILL FIGHT ON. (Received January U). g.o.J p . ni .)

T1 “n -i ,January 16. Ihe Daily Express" correspondent interneueel General Denikin at Taganrog He attributes his defeat t6 overwhelm! iug masses of the enemy from other fronts. He refuses to parley with the Bolsheviks and says that he would hang everybody implieated in the Bolsheviks reign- Russian? are autlHolshevik at heart. ' He denied that the volunteer army favoured the restoration of Czarism. Kvcn if he was beaten, the struggle would continue. until the righteous cause triumphed. He still hoped, with the -lilies’ help. to destroy the Soviets power.

General Denikin added. We are fighting to establish a free democratic state, hut there must be a united, indivisible Russia, including the Baltic States-”

The correspondent adds, “There are \ terrible scenes to the smith. Cmat masses of refugees are fleeing before the red terror. The French are landing mfnv guns, and a squadron of British aviators, disregarding War Office orders, continues to hairy the Bolsheviks.”'