RUSSIAN SITUATIONS

Wairarapa Age, 20 November 1919, Page 5

RUSSIAN SITUATIONS

DEBATED IN COMMONS

ME. LLOYD-GEORGE SPEAKS PLAINLY.

(By -telegraph—Press Association^ (Australian-N.Z. Gable Association.) Received Last Night, 8.55 o'clock. LONDON, Nov. 17. In the House of Commons, Lord. Robert Cecil said that Bolshevism had been a regime of atrocious, coldblooded murder and outrage, and one of the , most brutal and bloodiest despotisms that ever stained his'torjr. Armed foreign intervention was absolutely impossible. He hoped that General Denikin and Admiral Koltehak would abandon their Moscow expedition, and re-organise the terri- 1 tories already occupied, establishing stable government. This would speedily have an overwhelming moral effect upon their Bolshevik neighbours. Lord Robert Cecil urged th(f Govern* ment to bo absolutely clear and dofinite, displaying no ambiguity or vacillation. Mr. A. Henderson re-stated Labour's position, emphasising its i opposition to intervention in Russia, and declared that the Allies' policy ( liad strengthened tho reactionary efforts. Ho appealed to the Government to withdraw material support from Admiral Koltchak and General Denikin. Colonel Ward pointed out that the

question of intervention or nonintervention did not affect Britain alone. Colonel Ward said that Admiral Koltchak was a Democrat. Replying, the Right Hon. David ✓ Lloyd-George said that he was glad, the debate had shown that all were agreed as regards the horror of jjotfi the practice and principle of Bolshe* vism. It was undemocratic, and did not represent freedom. He emphasised this by quoting from a Bolshevik proclamation, stating: "We have raised the standard of discipline in thet army, and must npw raise the labour discipline." This proved that the Bolsheviks'- notion of freedom for the working classes was compulsory labour.

The Premier defended his describing of Mr. Bullitt's disclosures as "tissues of lies." It was an obligation of honour to help men who assisted to i reconstruct the Eastern Front against Germany. We had fully discharged ( that obligation, but there were other . of the Allies who were in a better I position to support Admiral Koltchak s than oursolves, and any failure there I bad been did not lie at our door. Wa : had helped General Denikin, and the I policy was successful. The regions of Don and Ukraine were anti-Bolshevik, ' but it was clear that whenever the armies marched into Central Russia beyond a certain point they had failed,' though none could say what Central Russia wanted. Britain, however, could not finance a civil war in Russia indefinitely. Our first concern was for our own country, where the "shortest road to Bolshevism was financial bankruptc}'. Britain had contributed more than any other country to the anti-Bolsheviks. She had contributed more than France, Japan, and America combined. He boasted of our action in this connection, because it was to meet an obligation of honour. Franco and Britain had come to a similar view, namely that the Government could not burden the taxpayer further in respect to the operations in Klissia. Among the present difficulties was the fact that Admiral Koltchak and General Denikin were fighting for a reunited Russia, whereas Esthonia and Latvia and Lithuania were fighting for their independence, while other great anti-Bolshevik forces were fighting for local independent nationality. Therefore, it was most difficult to lay down a policy. He pointed out that those favouring intervention In Russia opposed intervention in Armenia, and vice versa. Mr. Lloyd-George added, further, that the Germans were still in th 6 Baltic Provinces. They must be cleared out. otherwise the peace of Europe would be unsafe. He asked who advocated the terrible responsibility of restoring order in a country which was a continent in which every nation and every army which was interested hitherto had harvested disaster. Ho refused the responsibility. (Cheers.) The Right Hon, A. J,' Balfour commented upon the remarkably small differences revealed as regards Russia. None had suggested a clear-cut policy, although the Government was criticised for not possessing one. Mr. Balfour pointed out that our difficulty in regard to Turkey was that we were unable to say exactly what we desired to do there. That would be unfair to our Allies. There must be a common Allied policy. Nevertheless, it was a profund misfortune for all the population in the Near East that the Peace Conference had not settled their

future. It was not Britain's fault, but was duo to the fact that America had not given a- clear lead of 'her own policy. Until that was dono, it was impossible to lay down the common policy of all tlie associated Powers, of which America was one of the most important. It was also true that the prevailing Turkish unrcat was doiag infinite harm, making it more difficult every day to find a satisfactory; solution.