THE RUSSIAN SITUATION.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16163, 18 March 1918, Page 7

THE RUSSIAN SITUATION.

IS IT PEACE ? < " * GERMAN TREATY RATIFIED. (By Cable.—Press Association. —Copyright) (Australian and N.Z. Cabl© Association.) LONDON, March 15. The Russian Soviets havo agreed to peace with the Central Powers. The Exchange Telegraph Agency reports that the Moscow Conference ratified the peace treaty by 463 votes to 30. FURTHER PARTICULARS. (Keuler's Telegrams.) March 17th, 5.5 p.m.) PETROGRAD, March 15. A meeting of the Bolshevik members of the Moscow Conference decided, by 453 to 30, to ratify the Peace Treaty. The Conference includes 733 Maximalists and 23fi Revolutionary Socialist delegates. it is announced that in order to strengthen her strategic rosition Germany has demanded the establishment of a new litie seVeti ibilCß Cast of the present Russian positions on the Pskoff front, and is also insisting that the Russians shall help to destroy the pillaging bands. , Fresh disorders are reported by vile German Fleet at the Aaland Islands. Anti-Jewish liots occurred in Odessa prior to its occupation. THE EFFECT ON JAPAN. | "WASHINGTON, March 15. It is unoflk-itilly expected that the Soviet Conference at Mo&Cbtt will agree to the German terms, whereupon Jajjcn will irtltnediately atttitiUrice Ju-r intentioii to intervene. REVOLUTIONARY WAR PREDICTED. PETROGRAD, March 14. The ratification of the German-dic-tatod peace and also immediate preparntiohs for a revolutionary war ate a foregone conclusion when tho Soviet Congress meets at Moscow.

PETROGRAD EVACUATED. LONDON, March 15. It is unnounced that the evacuation of Petrograd has been concluded. Tho inhabitants are prohibited from entering or leaving the city, and all trains have been suspended. Tho bourgeois newspapers have b?en allowed to publish again. APPALLING SCENES IN THE CAPITAL. ("The Times.") 'Roceivcd March 17th. 5.5 p.m.) PETROGIiAD. March 1-1 The evacuation has become a panic. Theie is tremendous railway congestion, and thousands leaving on foot. Many Britishers are stranded. The city has degenerated, and now bears the aspect cf a provincial borough. There are no vehicles, and lighting, fuel, and transit services .re reduced to a minimum. Trotzkv, as Food Dictator, is constantly occupied listening to the fraiiti; appeals of provincial deputations, who declare tintL tile peasants bare now consumed the grain seed and are farr 1 with absolute famine. Petrogrsid's food difficulty is acr.t> All the provision sliofs are closcd, ;• i:<l the uncleaned streets are heaping .:ji with vast masses of snow. From horses which have died from starvation the buttocks have oeen stashed elf by Tartars, who eat it minced and raw. The consumption-of horse-meat- is general despite the appearance of glanders.

The result of Bolshevik legislatioß is apparent in the provinces, wher« the peasants are administrating ferocious lynch law. A whole village in the Kazan district turned out to se» four peasants burned to death, for a crime not stated. Four youths at Barnopoi, in Siberia, 'were condemned for stealing. Three were publicly beheaded, and the fourth barbarously mutilated and tortured to death. Zmievo merchants were ordered to pay 100,000 roubles each. Those failing were thrown into the river liko dogs, with stones attached to their necks. EFFORT TO RESTORE MONARCHY. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Received March 17th, 5.5 p.m.) PARIS, March 15. The "Matin" learns that the Monarchists in Russia are actively negotiating with Germany to restore the monarchy and nominate the Czarevitch I ruler, with three Regents, including tlu> Grand Dtike Michael. It is reported that the Monarchists include Generals Alexieff and Korniloff, and MM. Gutclikoff, Miliukoff, and Rodzianko. Negotiations are also proceeding with the Monarchists in the Caucasus and in Siberia. NO RESISTANCE AT ODESSA. (Ileuter'a Telegram#.) (Receved March 17th, 5.3 p.m.) PETROGRAD, March 15. The Russian warships in Odessft hai* bour fired no shot when the Germans arrived. LABOUR FOR GERMANY. (Renter's Telegrams.) BERNE, March 15. German agrarian newspapers arc urging that all males in occupied Russian territories should bo transported to Germany in order to furnish cheap agricultural labour. PRINCE LYOFF ARRESTED. PETROGRAD, March 15. Tho commander on the northern fronfi > has arrested Prince Lvoff (Prime Minis ter in tho Provisional Government forred after the revolution). The Germans are occupying Abo (the former capital of Russian Finland). They number 3000, with artillery, and came from the Aaland Islands. The town was bombarded for half an hour. Three Russian torpedoecrs and a number of minesweepers were seized. . OPPRESSING THE AALANDERS. ® STOCKHOLM, March. 15. 0 Tho Germans harve ordered th» r Aalanders to surrender all weapons, and have abolished the right of meeting. REPRISALS AGAINST 1 ENGLISHMEN.

(Australian and NX Cablo Aaiociation.) iS (Received March 17th, 7.30 p.m.) H STOCKHOLM, March 15. » The Germans arrested and sent to Germany 20 civilian Englishman from 8 ijie Aaland Islands, in retaliation for I German merchants being arrested in 1 Greece. 1 All tho Russians have been cleared i : out> of the Aalands and the Swedish! ■ B Military Mis&ion. is returning. JH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ' B REVOLUTION. g (Australian and N.Z. Cfcbl* Association*) 8 (RoceivCd March 17th, 7.80 juo.) 1 PETROGRAI*, M&rch 15. {1 The anniversary of the revolution tU celebrated in Moscow quietly. The H population, fearing attarchiat and mon- n archist excesses, remained indoors. B DISAPPOINTMENT *TOR GERMANY. 8 (Australian and N.Z. Ctebld AtfoditUids.) I| (Received itarcli 17th, 11.45 p.m.) fi NEW YORK, March 16.* 1 Advices received in Washington W< state that the Germans will obtain little wheat from southern and eastern RufisiU, but the Siberian farms wiil supply fats. A prominent Chicago grain expert* •ffho lids just returned from Russia, States that thwe is practic&lly no wheat in Odessa. THE COURLAND CROWN. (Australian and N.Z. Cible Association.) , (Received March 17th. 11.30 p.mi) ' AMSTERDAM; Match 16. The Kaiser telegraphed to thfe Cpuiv land Diet that he was deeply moved, by its offer df the Crown, hat could not accept it. It is believed that it will be Offered J to Prince Eitel (second son of the | Kaiser). I ROUMANIA'S OUTLOOK-1 PEACE FORCED ON THE NATION J (Australian arid N.Z. Cable Association.) g (Received Match l?thj 5.5 p.m.) I JASSY. March 15. I General Averescu's Cabinet has re-j signed, refusing to accept Germany's J terms. I King Ferdinand has formed a new! Cabinet which, under duress, will fignl the conditions which tho Austro-Ger- i man armies are now able to enforce. ■

DETAILS OF THE TREA f TY. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Roceived March 17tli, 7.30 p.m.) BERNE, March 15. The Got man newspapers publish d&« tails of the Roumanian .peace, which show that all important strategical heights dominating the mountain passes arc to he transferred to Hungary. Threo Bessarabian districts on the left hank of the Danube are transferred to Rouniania, whose outlet to the Black Sen is limited to a marshy district hardly accessible to navigation. Bulgaria agrees to tho rectification of llio frontier of Lower Maritza in' favour cf Turkey.

LOOTING THE ROUMANIANS. | (Received Marsh 17th, 7.30 p.m.) I PARIS, March 15. A J assy tvkgrfiin states that tho Cen< I trul Poweis' now economic conditions ■ 1 — » WON'T NEGLECT CHILDREN'S EVES. Wo have the latest appliances foi r accurateiy teßting the eyesight. Con saltation and testing free. Specta , ties cofrectty fitted at moderate prica - ft " jON'fiS and SONS, Jewellers, 278 High street, Chriatchurch. ' J461W787

delivered to Ro a mania give the Central Powers ,a monopoly of the Roumanian ivheat for from five to ten yx-ars. All ihe oilfields are to be handed over to Jiorman companies. THE CAUCASUS. £ CAPTURE OF ERZERUM. Admiralty per Wirerpss Press. "'LONDON. March 15. A Turkish official message states: — "On March 12th we entered Erzerum, despite serious resistanco from the Armenians." ENEMY ADVANCE COMMENCED, v '(Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Received March 17th, 5.5 p.m.) PETROGRAD, March 15. The Germans ami Turks at Trebifconil linvo started a quick advance ioWiirds Northern Trans-Caucasus. _ MORE ARMENIAN MASSACRES. (United 'Sarvie?.) (Receii-od March 17th. 7.30 p.m.) LONDON, March 15. A Turkish communique pretends that the Armenians seriously jesi&tcd tho occupation of Erzerum. I. ndoubtcdjy tho message is a sinister pretext /or further wholesale massacres, ;i~ frightful butcheries are proceeding along the re-occupied Anatolian coast, ARMENIAN RESISTANCE. (Australian and N.Z. Gable Association.) (Received March 17th, 11.45 p.m.) NEW YORK, March 16. Unofficial advices stato that 250,000 Armenian and (Georgian troops hold the frontier in the Caucasus Isthmus ii'oni Kars to Batoum, and will resist the German advance. j Ihe Armenians, who are commanded I by Goneral NazarbcgofF, are armed I with rifles and munitions which were' abandoned by the Russian Army. , THE BOOTY. (Australian and N.Z. Oablo Association.) (Iteutcr's Telegrams.) (Received March 17th, 11.30 p.m.) LONDON, March 16. A Turkish official report states: "A\e captured 16S guns and a num-l ber of mine-throwers at Erzerum."'