BOLSHEVIK ACTIVITY

Waikato Times, Volume 92, Issue 14369, 22 May 1920, Page 5

BOLSHEVIK ACTIVITY

BRITISH PRESTIGE MENACED. ! UNRELIABLE PERSIAN TROOPS. P' ■—■ MAY JOIN THE BOLSHEVIKS. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn.) Received May 21, 5.5 p.m. CONDON, May 20. Owing to Ihe Bolsheviks' enormous superiority tile British detarhmcn.l ;"• f Enzeli accepted the Bolshevik terms an I quitted the town, where the invaders are now in full possession. The Bolshevik capture of Enzeli is regarded as Ihe most s'erions move m v.ew of Ihe military helplessness of P'ersia and the new responsibilities it places on Ihe British in mid-East, and the risks as regards India. If is assumed lhal the Bolheviks first aimed ai, the seizure of General Deniken's volunteer fleet,, which is interned al Enzeli, but it is doubtful if their ultima'e purpose was Ihe occupation of Teheran. The situation is aggravated by the unreliability of Persia's Cossiack division, of which 5000 are reported to openly sympathise with Bolshevism. It is feared a whole division will join Ihe Reds. The Daily Mail estimates that the British troops who were driven out of Enzeli number helween 100 and 500. A handful remains al, Tabriz, whose fate like those captured at Baku, is unknown. The whole situation involves a serious menace to our national prestige throughout the Middle East, and endangers vitally-important oil interests in Persia. In the Hous'e of Commons, Mr Bonar Law, in reply to a question, stated the new Anglo-Persian agreement did not, involve Britain's obligations towards Persia.