FIERCE BATTLE ON RUSSIAN FRONT

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3005, 16 February 1917, Page 5

FIERCE BATTLE ON RUSSIAN FRONT

DESPERATE ATTACKS BY THE GERMS NEW OFFENSIVE IN THE SOUTH (lice. February 15, 5.45 p.nk) London, February 14. A wireless. Russian official report states: "The Germans, after a bombardment of chemical shells, penetrated our trenches southward- of Drisvot Lake, but were driven out. Strong German forces on Monday attacked both sides of the Jacobleni-Kimpolung road, and occupied a height eastward of Jacobleni. An all-night battle resulted iu the dislodginent of the enemy, who on Tuesday renewed l tho struggle. After an all-day battle they captured two heights eastward of Jacobleni. We withdrew two-thirds of a mile and consolidated our positions."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reutor. '

GERMAN REPORT. (Rec. February 15, 5.5 p.m.) London, February 14. A German official report states: "We stormed several Russian positions and repulsed fierce counter-attacks in the Mestecausci sector, taking prisoner twenty-three officers and twelve hundred men."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Aesti.Reuter.

RECENT ARREST OF MUNITIONS COMMITTEE MEMBERS , ELEMENTS OP TROUBLE Petrograti, February 14. The arrest of eleven members of the Workmen's Group of the Central Military Industrial Committee at Potrograd who were charged with fomenting labour troubles, aimed' at ultimately 'transforming Russia into a Socialists Republic, are attributed to M. Protowho already has announced! that he believes all public bodies in Russia are animated with revolutionary ideas. It is understood that the majority of Cabinet Ministers, including tho Premier (Prince Nicholas Galitziue) wero in favour of officially recognised 1 representatives of Laboar. M. Protopopoff, being in a minority, instituted a midnight raid to test tho loyalty of tho Labour delegates, and discovered incriminating documents and an indication of a secret organisation which was then greeting a strikes policy. Tho repression of Labour is likely to interfere with, the production of munitions and the distribution of food, in which the nnions have been co-operating with tho authorities. There are' indications that M. Protopopoff is introducing a censorship of all newspapers. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. The "Times'' Pofcrograd correspondent, commenting on the arrest of the leaders of tho Moderate Labour organisations on a charge of revolutionary conspiracy, states that the Premier and a majority of tho Cabinet favoured .the representation of tho Workmen's Group on the Central Munitions Board. M. Protopopoff (Vice-President of the Duma) disagreed, and revived the .talk of revolution. Ho sent tho police to raid the leaders' houses, and it is alleged they found documents disclosing a secret organisation for controlling strikes. The correspondent adds: Tho Russian Labour movement hitherto has not been revolutionary, and strikes have not interfered with tho production of munitions, but M. Potopopoff transferred strikers wholesale to the firing line. M. Protopopoff instituted an intense censorship and banished the leading writers from Potrograd. —The "Times." A MILLION NEW EFFECTIVES. Potrograd, February 14. Russia has called up tho 1897-8 classes (men of 18 and 19 years), which means a million now effectives. —Tho "Times."