A NEW CRISIS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 98, 18 January 1918, Page 5

A NEW CRISIS

RUSSIA SENDS AN ULTIMATUM TO RUMANIA ITALIAN ADVANCE

CAILLAUX TIE TRAITOR

GENERAL SARRAIL INVOLVED A deadlock has developed in the pourparlers at Brest Litovsk, and there is talk in Germany of a military demonstration as a means of breaking the Russians' stubbornness in regard to their demands. The elements of a new crisis are discernible in the tension which has been created between the Bolshevik authorities and the Rumanian Government as tho result of certain arrests by the latter. By way of reprisal the Bolshevik Government arrested the members of the Rumanian Legation at Petrograd, but released them again in doference to the protest of the Allies' representatives. In the meantime, the Bolshevik Government threatens military measures if Rumania should decline to release tho men who were the original cause of the trouble. The Italians have made a slight advance and taken • prisoners. The latest development in l'affaire Caillaux is the sensational revelation that General Sarrail, lately Allied Commander-in-Chief in tho Balkans, is involved in a schcmo by the* ex-Premier to seize the reins of power in France, overthrow the Constitution, and arrest tho President and others. Tho TJ-boat week has been less satisfactory from the German point of view than were the two previous ones, only six big steamers being posted on the wrong, side of the shipping ledger.

COSSACKS AND THE PEACE PROPOSALS

KALEDIfS REQUEST TO THE UKRAINE DELEGATES DEMOBILISATION WILL FOLLOW AGREEMENT By Tel9grapli-PicßS Aesociatioiu-Copvriglit Copenhagen, January ](!. The "Politiken's" Berlin correspondent states that General Kalediri haR requested tho Ukraine delegates at Brest Litovsk to watch the interests of the Don districts, adding that if the Ukraine reached an agreement with the Central Powers the Cossacks at the front would be demofibised.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. BRITISH TRADE UNIONS' MESSAGE . RENUNCIATION OF ANNEXATIONS. London, January 36. The Labour message to Russia continues: "We adjure the peoples of Central Europe to force the Governments to answer Russia and ourselves. We appeal.to.them to renounce annexations iijj Europe in the same good faith as we renounce them in Asia, and demand that they should give tho Alsatian, Italian, Polish, and Danish members of their States the absolute right of self-determination, as Russia has given it to Finland, Courland, Lithuania, and Russian Poland."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. REPORTED ATTEMPT TO ASSASSINATE LENIN. London, January IC. There is an unconfirmed report of an unsuccessful attempt to shoot Lenin in Petrograd.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. "THE ARMY IS PERISHING OF FAMINE" APPEAL TO THE RUSSIAN PUBLIC. London, January 16. A wireless message from Russia states that an appeal has been issued to tlie people of the nation. It says: "Immediate help is necessary. The Army is perishing of famine. Provisioning has ceased, several regiments liavo ;io bread, and horses are without fodder. Every citizen in Russia, do your duty, and work." The appeal directs the Council of the Soviets to do everything necessary, even to making work compulsory, to ensure the feeding of the armies, and says that attempts by railwaymen and others to capture military food will be severely punished.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. A DEADLOCK AT BREST LITOVSK . RUSSIAN STUBBORNNESS CAUSING TENSION. (Rec. January 17, 7.50 p.m.) London, January''t6. Swiss advices confirm the gravity of the difficulties in Berlin over the proceedings at Bhest Litovsk. Tho latter has reached a deadlock, owing Ito the stubbornness in demanding a constitution for Poknd. ; Consultations with Berlin raise the question of the necessity for a military | demonstration in order to bring the Prussian delegates to terms, even, to the !'extent of threatening the occupation of Petrograd and Moscow—Aus.-N.Z. | Cable Assn. GERMANS DESTROYING THE REPORTS FROM BREST LITOVSK. (Rec. January 17, 7.50 p.m.) . Petrograd, January 16. It is officially declared that the Gefman version of the peacc pourparlers distorts the real meaning of the report. Dr. Von KulUmann said that the German Government reserved the right' to delete, everything tending to excite the German masses.—Reuter. TENSION WITH RUMANIA A BOLSHEVIK ULTIMATUM. (Rec. January 17, 7.50 p.m.) London, January J6. The representatives of the 'Allies have strongly protested to M. Lenin against the arrest of the members of the Rumanian Legation, and demanded their release. The Rumanian Minister and a few other Rumanians were released on Tuesday aftefnoon. The Russian Government accuses Rumania of hostile acts against the Russian troops, and also of arresting the committee of a Russian regiment and Austrian officers who were visiting the regiment.- Tho Russian Government has sent an ultimatum to Rumania demanding their release, tho punishment of tho authorities concerned, and a guarantee against a repetition of such acts; failing a reply within twenty-four hours Russia will break relations and take energetic military measures—Renter. BRITAIN'S ATTITUDE TO THE BOLSHEVIK GOVERNMENT UNOFFICIAL IRREGULAR RELATIONS. (Rec. January 17, 7.50 p.m.) London, January IG. In the House of Commons, replying to a. question inquiring into our attitude towards the Bolshevik Government,, Mr. A. J. Balfour (Foreign Minister) said that Britain did not recognise the present administration at Petrograd as do facto or de jure tho Government of the Russian people. "We are carrying on tho necessary business wit-h that administration in an unofficial manner through an agent attached to the Embassy, and wo arc establishing similar unofficial relations with M. LitvinofT. whom the .Bolshevik, authorities appointed Russian representative in London. These arrangements ( are irregular, hut are best suited to tho circumstances. Wo have instructed the Consul-Goneral at. Holsingfors to enter into relations with do facto authoriL ties there."—Renter. , DRAFT OF NEW SOCIALIST ARMY LEAVES FOR THE FRONT (Rec. January 17, 9 p.m.) Petrograd, January 16. Five thousand volunteers of the new Socialist army have left for the front to protect the border populace. They wero tremendously enthusiastic.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

JAPANESE WARSHIPS SENT TO VLADIVOSTOK (Ron. January 17, 7.50 p.m.) un: ■n: ■ii ii. . T Tokio ' Jalmi,r y 16. . ls officially announced that Japanese warships have been sent to Vladivostok. Japan does not desire to coerce .Russia, but insists that foreign lives and property must be protected.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. AN ITALIAN ADVANCE HEAVY LOSSES INFLICTED ON THE ENEMY , n; • i i. j. i ~t London, January 16. An Italian official report states: "In order to rectify the line from northward of Ostena le Lepra to the head of the Osilla Valley, we made an advance, and gained considerable advantages, besides inflicting heavy esses We entered the enemy's trenches in the Obolarolo salient, tended our bridgehead east of Caposile, and captured trenches."-Aus.-N Z Gable Assn.-Reuter. (Rec. January 18, 0.20 a.m.) i. u i; m ■ , . . ~ London, January 17. «i i , f" report states: 'Wo repulsed a counter-attack in the region of Monte Asolone and Caposile.-'-Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. ' THE ENEMY'S REPORT. A German official report states: "Violent Italian Attacks Against^the kvtsafr&ts&s? ** !lo " to '" ohe d°™imr(Rec. January 17, 9 p.m.)