THE RUSSIAN SITUATION.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16153, 6 March 1918, Page 7

THE RUSSIAN SITUATION.

THE PEACE TREATY. ] i GERMANY'S DRASTIC 1 STIPULATIONS. ! (Reuter's Telegrams.) (Received March sth, 11.20 p.m.) AMSTERDAM, March 4. Berlin has officially issued tho test of tho pcacc treaty between Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, and Tur- : key on ono hand and Russia on the , other. Tho treaty stipulates: — Article I.—Tho contracting parties shall livo henceforth in peace and ' friendship. Article 2. —The contracting parties shall refrain from all agitation or provocation against tlio existenco of tho Government or State, and sparo tho population of tho occupied regions. Article 3.—Tho regions lying wost of tho lino agreed upon by the contracting parties, and formerly belonging to Russia, shall no longer bo under Russian territory. This lino in the wost will bo fixed by a mixed Russo-Ger-man Commission. The regions in question will havo no obligation whatever towards Russia arising from former relations. Russia shall refrain from all intorfereneo in the internal affairs of these territories and shall allow Austria and Gormany to determine their futuro fate in agreement with their population. Articlo 4.—Austria and Germany undertake, whon a general peace is concludod, and tho Russian demobilisation fully carried out, to evacuate tho regions east of the lino in article three, so long as article six does not stipulate otherwise. Russia will completely evacuate tho Anatolian provinces, as soon as possible, and return theso to Turkey. The districts of Erivan, Batoum, and Ears likewise shall be evacuated by Russia without delay. Russia will not interfere with tho reorganisation of tho constitutional and international conditions of these disj tricts, but leaves these to the populations thereof in agreement with their neighbouring states, particularly Turkey. Articlo s.—Russia shall not delay but demobilise completely, including her newly formed forces. She shall transfer her warships to Russian harbours, leaving them there until a general peace or shall immediately disarm them. Warships hostile to tho Quadruplice will bo treated as Russian insofar as they arc within Russian control. Tho removal of mines in the Baltic, and insofar as tho Russian power extends in tho Black Sea, will begin immediately. Commercial shipping in theso waters is free and will be immediately resumed. A mixed commission will fix further regulations, especially as regards merchant ships' routes, which must bo kept permanently froo from floating mines. " Articlo 6.—Russia shall undertake immediately to conclude peace with the Ukraine and recognise the' peace treaty between tli o Ukraine and the Quadruplice. She shall evacuate tho Ukraine immediately and cease agitation or propaganda against tho Government and public institutions in the Ukraine. She shall evacuate without delay Esthonia and Livonia. The eastern frontier of Esthonia will follow the lino of the Narva river. The eastern frontier in Livonia will run through Lake Pripus and Lake PskofT to the south-west corner of Lake Pskbff, thence over Lake Luban in the direction of Lcvensof, on the Dvina. Esthonia and Livonia will be occupied by a German police force until their security is guaranteed and order restored. Russia shall guarantee to release all arrested Esthonians and Livonians. CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES. (Australian and N.Z. Cablo Association.) (Router's Telegrams.) Admiralty per "Wireless Prcs-. (Received March sth, 8.40 p.m.) LONDON, March 4. A Russian official report states: — Ensign Krylenko (Bolshevik Com-mander-in-Chief) has ordered the Russians to cease hostilities, but to icmnin in their present positions. GERMAN COMMENT. (Australian and K.Z. Cable Association.) (Received March oth, 8.10 p.m. ) AMSTERDAM, March 4. An official message states that the

Kaiser sent the following message, to Count von Hertling:— "The German sword, borne by our great army commanders, has achieved peace with Russia. My feeling of thanks to God, who has been with us, is associated with rejoicing for our army's deeds." The Socialist journal "Vorwaerts," commenting on the new Russian peace terms, says:— "Russia ends the war unreconciled, and the policy of patriotic revanche, once it gets a lead, will find an easy game to play." "Vorwaerts"' bitterly comments that when the war is over Germany will stand utterly alone and unfriended. Her people will find themselves faced in peace time by a world of enemies. DIVISION OF UKRAINE SPOIL. ! (Received March oth, 10.25 p.m.) j BERNE, March 4. i Vienna newspapers state that Austria 1 and Germany have agreed to divide the Ukraine wheat equally. ANOTHER "SCRAP OF PAPER." (By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cablo Association.) NEW YORK, March 4. The United Press Petrograd correspondent says "Tho peace treaty signed with Germany is regarded as a scrap of paper. Enthusiasm for fighting is at the highest level here. "Tho Petrograd pan-Exocutivo Council has called an extraordinary session of soldiers, peasants, and Cossacks at Moscow for March 12th, to decido whether to accept or reject tho peace. "The Allied Consuls have arrived at Moscow from KiefT." CONGRESS OF SOVIETS. (Router's Telegrams.) PETROGRAD, March -I. The date of the congress of Soviets to ratify tho peace terms has been fixed for March 12th, at Moscow. IGNORANCE IN PETROGRAD. (Australian and N.Z. Cablo Association.) PETROGRAD. March 4. The Central Executive has summoned ■a.nj extraordinary congress of Soviet deputies to ratify the peace terms at Moscow on February 12th. Tho people in Petrograd are unaware of how the peace terms affect northern Russia. They may possibly include political reconstruction in addition to territorial stipulations. INDESCRIBABLE CHAOS IN PETROGRAD. ("The Times.") PETROGRAD, March 4.

Lenin, who has definitely taken tho loadership of tho Soviets, condemns the denunciation of the peace terms. Ho 1 is obsessed with tho one idea of a coming world revolution and tho triumph of the proletariat. Meanwhile, Russia must accept tho German terms. Fears oi a German attack and starvation are causing a groat rush from Potrograd, especially among foreigners and tho Britishers, including Embassy officials. The Military Mission escaped with difficulty. Tho indescribable disorganisation on the railways is adding to tlio miseries of the. refugees. It is reported that soldiers broke into the British Embassy prior to its evacuation, and burned or confiscated documents. The officials protested, to Trotzky, who replied that tho Government had not ordered the outrage, and therefore was not responsible. AMERICAN EMBASSY MOVED. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Reuter's Telegrams.) TOKIO, March 4. The newspaper "Jiji Shimpo" says American Ambassador Mr David R. Francis is moving the Embassy from Potrograd to Vladivostock. THE AALAND ISLANDS. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) STOCKHOLM, March 4. General Mannorhoim has decided to court-martial the commander of tho Finnish White Guards for capitulating and evacuating the Aaland Islands contrary to orders. SWEDISH PRESS COMMENT. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Received Starch sth, 8.10 p.m.) COPENHAGEN, March 4. Swedish Conservative newspapers regard the German occupation of the Aaland Islands as the natural outcome of the Government's refusal to assist the Finnish Government. Other papers declare that the German action gives the impression that it is a a unfriendly act towards Sweden. THE EX-CZAR'S LOYALTY. PARIS, March 4. Official documents confirm Sir CJeorgo Buchanan's (ex-British Ambassador to Petrograd) assertion that tho ex-Czar would not have betrayed the Allies. An autograph letter by the ex-Czar to President Poincn.ro in April, 1910, which has been publ'shed. stated :— "I am (irmly decided net t-> lay dawn our arrrs except by common agreement and after a definite victory. Russia will recoil from no sacrifices to achieve tho Allies' triumph." GERMANY AND FINLAND. * (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Received March Gth, 1.25 a.m.) COPENHAGEN, Marcli- 5. The "Aftenbladet" states thai ;"if!CO Russian soldiers have arrived at Helsingfors, where Germany's action has caused panic. The Red Guards have docidrd to do fend the town to tho Inst. German squadrons have assembled at the entrance of the Gulf of Finland. A cruiser and three destroyers are reparted to be off Autror, in Southern Finland. Their activities indicate that a German landing is imminent. BRITISH EMBASSY'S MOVEMENTS. (Renter's Telegrams.) (Rcceivcd March 6th. 1.2-3 a.m.) LONDON. March r>. The British Embassy staff from Petrograd has arrived at Helsingfors.