THE RUSSIAN SITUATION.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16168, 23 March 1918, Page 9

THE RUSSIAN SITUATION.

GERMANS PRESSING ON. ENEMY DESIGNS ON MOSCOW. (By Cable.—Pres3 Association.—Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. C-ablo Association.) LONDON, March 21. Despite the so-called peace, the 3ermans are speedily advancing in South Russia. They occupied Nikoiaie.t'f without resistance. There are indications that the Germans in the north have re-grouped their forces, preparatory to an active policy. The enemy troops have reached the outskirts of IvharkofT. Other regiments are approaching the railway between Petrograd and Moscow. It is apparently intended to assemole at Moscow by sweeping movements from the north and south. The government has prepared to leave Moscow if it is serious threatened. <"The Time*.' s (Reeevod March 22nd. ~.2-j p.m.) LONDON, March 21. '•The Times" points out that the probability is that as soon as the Germans have completed their predatory operations in South Russia, and as soon as the Turks have occupicd the ceded Caucasian territories, the enemy will invado Persia, and strike at the British Mesopotamia line. "The Timej" declares that it is not enough that Japan should land ou tho Asiatic mainland and try to savo Siberia. From the British stand-

point the threat to Persia is far more imminent, and more deadly. We must not bo caught napping. (Received March 23rd, 2 a.vrO MOSCOW, March 21. The Commissary of Foreign Affairs denies tho rumours that a German Commission is controlling the denationalisation of banks and demanding extra territory from the Petrograd Soviet. The Government will never agree to such domands. The Commissary also denies tho occupation of Ro=toff. The Germans are still 180 versts from Kharkoff. The Ukraine Executive has proclaimed martial law in Poltava, Khnrkofr, and Tciiernigoff. A general mobilisation of workers botwean the ages of 18 and 37 has bi?en ordered. M. Tretzky. addressing the SovietConference a t Moscow, said he believed that a geneva! pence was ivssible at Russia's e\; on.v\ therefore Russia must create a strong arn y of opposition. Sprakcrs drew attention to the inconsistency of Trolzky iii advocating a new army in view of .Lenin's demand for tho ratification of the peace treaiy. Speakers urged that 1 hcountry's defence should be placed in the hands of tho Constituent Assembly, adding that the Bolsheviks were powerless to create an army. THE BLACK SEA FLEET. r . WASHINGTON. .March 20. 'I lie State Department has received advices from the American Consul at Moscow that the Russian Fleet at Odessa escaped to Sebastopol. LONDON, March 21. Although the Entente and neutral shipping at Odessa escaped to Sebastopol, the German bootv at Odessa is estimated at 150,000,000 roubles. Tbe Russian Church has repudiated the peace trc.itv. PETROGRAD, March 21. It is reported that Herr Ballin the German shipping magnate) is coming to Petrograd to hasten the «resuinption of Jiusso-Geriiian commercial relations. POSITION IN SIBERIA. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) TOKIO, March. .'l. -Japan has warned China to end the internal strife and assist Japan in meeting the German menace in the F»u East. Officials deny that Japanese troops haw landed at Vladivostock. PEKING, March 21. * The Japanese and - Chinese Ambassadors froin -Petrograd have arrived BRITISH LABOUR LEADER'S VIEWS. LONDON. March. 21. Mr Arthur Henderson's speech in London will be a complete denial 'if Labour's international policy to accept concessions from the Central Powers in the West, conditionally that they aro left undisturbed in possession of j their conquests in tho East-. ! Such diplomatic compromise, he considers, must be regarded as a betrayal of the cause for which international democracy stands. Labour had ranged itself bv the sido of the Russian people in resistance to an iniquitous partition which the shameful militarist peace imposed. He is'convinced that the Japanese intervention will seriously compromise the Allies unless it is made clear — Firstly, that the Russian people a»>-pro'-e; secondly, that all the Allies, including the United States and China, give their sanction; thirdly, that Japan gives an unequivocal pledge of her "Jisinterestedncss and promises to withdraw her troops immediately the danger of German occupation has passed.

THE LOOTING OF ROHM AN lA. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) BERNE, March 21. Austria's territorial demands from Roumania total 7000 square miles, including the Vulcan l'ass, Porta, Or:ntala, and the Iron Gate. Count Czernin (Austrian Prime Minister) has demanded a strip of territory 20 miles wide, from Ocna northward for 140 miles. It is proposed to compensate Roumauia for the loss of this territory and the Dobrudja by giving her u ho Befsarabian terriiorics westward of the Dniester. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Received March 22nd, 10.15 p.m.) AMSTERDAM. March 21. M. Marghiloman has been appointed Premier, of Roumania. It is reported that the Cabinet is strongly pro-German.