AN EXTRAORDINARY FARCE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 102, 23 January 1918, Page 5

AN EXTRAORDINARY FARCE

RUSSIA'S FIRST CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY AMAZING STORY OF RED FLAG ARROGANCE By Telecraph-Press A6Sociation--Copv'rizln, London, January 21. The "Daily Chronicle" Petrograd correspondent states:—The Constituent At-sttjibly opened on Thursday afternoon. The Bolshevik Party withdrew at midnight. The oponing inaugurated a fresh phase of terror in the c.'ty, which is hourly sinking deeper into the slough of civil war. Tho struggle is row between the Social Revolutionaries, who form the majority of the Constituent Assembly, and the Bolsheviki, who aro holding tight to the reins of power. The deputies included a largo proportion of young men in tho late twenties and thirties, returned political refugees, and workers of the revolutionary parties, with a.fow peasants, working men, ■ and soldiers. Two hundred and forty Social Itevolutionari.es, ninety Bolshoviks, and thirty of the Left Social Revolutionary Party attended tho opening. Tho Pcoplo's Commissaries wore also present, sitting somo to tho right and some to the left of the Speaker's tribune. They included Lenin, who was apparently in good spirits, and was chatting with General Krylenko, the Bolshovik Com-mander-in-Chief. The Bolsheviki raised a howl of indignation, banged their desks, and whistled when the Social Revolutionaries proposed that M. Shvetsoff, the senior deputy, should open the proceedings. They shook their fists and rushed the tribune to prevent M. Shovtsoff conducting tho proceedings. The arrival of M. SverdlofE, president of the Executive Committee of the Bolshevik Soviet, stopped tho brawl. When M. Shevtsoff had retired, M. Sverdloff declared that the Russian Revolutionary flag had spread to all countries, and was freeing tho working classes from the yoke of Capital. He proclaimed Russia a Federal Soviet Republic, and demanded that the Constituent Assembly should recogniso the power of tho Soviets and confirm their decrees for the nationalisation of laud, banks, and the means of production. M. Sverdloff's declaration continued: "In order to destroy the parasitic classes, compulsory service will be introduced. The workers shall be armed, forming a Red Socialist Army of workers and peasants; and all tho propertied classes shall be disarmed." The Bolsheviki punctuated this astonishing declaration with calculated bursts of applause, aftor which tho crowd rose and sang the "Internationale." JI. Tchernoff was elected President of the Assembly. Ho declared that the tactics of the Bolsheviki rendered it difficult to secure a democratic peace without victors and vanquished. Tho Constituent Assembly must initiate an International Socialist Peace Conference to secure such a peace.—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn. REPORTS OF THE -MEETING C ONFISCATED. London, January 21. The Exchange Telegraph Agency's ix-tiograd correspondent states that the Smolny Institute has issued orders disavowing any fixed meeting in the Taunda Palace. The Bolsheviki have confiscated papers containing reports of the Constituent Assembly, and have entirely suppressed several.—Aus.N Z. Cable Assn. GERMANS AND UKRAINIANS IN AGREEMENT. London, January 21. The Exchange Telegraph Agency repoits that German messages from Brost Litovsk state that the Germans and Ukrainians have agreed on a basis for peace, and will reassemble snortly to sign a treaty.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn, (Rec. January 22, 8 p.m.) Amsterdam, January 21. An agreement has-been reached at Brest Litovsk between the Central .Powers and the Ukraine, which tho war will terminate. Both parties will immediately resume their economic relations. The delegations will consult with their respective Governments prior to the ratification of. the final peace treaty. The telegram does not mention peico terms.—Renter. THE PEACE ARGUMENT AT BREST LITOVSK ANOTHER ROUND BETWEEN TROTSKY AND VON KUHLMANN. Amsterdam, January 21. , At the resumed deliberations at Brest Litovsk on Friday, January 18, jVr. Trotsky reiterated the Russian demand for a referendum' of the peoples in tho occupied territories. Dr. von Kuhlmann repeated the refusal to withdraw the German and Austrian troops. He declared that these territories must be protected from the spread of the revolution. Discussion of this question was adjourned. Dr. von Kuhlmann asked what were the relations between the Government at Petrograd and the Caucasus. M. Trotsky replied that the army of the Caucasus was absolutely devoted to the Petrograd Government. Tho question of the future of tho' Aaland Islands, Dr. von Kuhlmann argued, was one that concerned Finland, Sweden, and Germany. After dissenting from this M. Trotsky intimated thai, he was compelled to leave for Petrograd because of internal questions—Reuter. GREAT GAPS IN RUSSIAN FRONT LINE ABSOLUTE COLLAPSE OF MORALE. ' Amsterdam, January 21. Berlin correspondents _ draw extraordinary pictures of the condition of the Russian front, resulting from th 6 desortion of masses of men. On many sections, up to 150 miles in length, there are no opponents to face the Germans. Troops of deserters arrive m the German lines, including deposed officers who have fled owing to the cruel treatment given them by the men. Apparently the discipline of the Russians U totally disappearing. Much war material has been carted away; the rest is abandoned and buried in the snow, especially the heavy guns, which no one has taken the trouble to remove. The supply of ammunition has practically ceased. Troops barter their horses for food, and even sell their rifles. On the south-east front the condition is somewhat better. The Rumanians are still well organised, and are hostile, to Germany.—"The Times."-

THE REPORTED JAPANESE LANDING AT VLADIVOSTOK

A PROTEST FROM THE RUSSIAN COMMISSARIES.

~,. ... London, January 21. Jhe Jixchange lelegraph Agency's Petiosrad correspondent states that tne Council of Commissaries has sent a protest to Japan against the landing of troops at Vladivostok.—Ans.-N.is. Cable Assu. [The Japanese Embassy at Petrograd has denied that anv Japanese troops have been landed at Vladivostok, or that Japan intends to intervene in the internal affairs of Russia,]