MURDER OF THE RUSSIAN EXMINISTERS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 109, 25 January 1918, Page 7

MURDER OF THE RUSSIAN EXMINISTERS

CONDEMNED BY BOLSHEVIK LEADERS MOB PASSIONS OUT OF HAND By Tcleirraiili--Pres6 A6Bociation.-Copyrigln London, January 23. The jPetrograd correspondent of the "Daily Chronicle" states that M. Lenin and the Soviets condemn the murder of MM. Shingareff and Kokosh-].-in, the ex-Ministors, and have issued orders for the arrest of tho assassins. It is clear that the murders were not committed by order of tho Central Bolshevik Government, which fears tho consequences.. Talk in the streets on Monday in connection with the murders was menacing towards the Bolshoviki owing to the popularity of M. Shingareff in Petrograd and M. Kokoshkin in Moscow. The murders indicate that the Bolshevik leaders are no longer ablo to control the passions of the mob which they have aroused. The "Morning Post's" correspondent states that it is rumoured that other ex-Ministers in tho fortress of Peter and Paul suffered the same fate ss MM. Shingareff and Kokoshkin.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable, Assn.

ON THE VERGE OF FAMINE BOBBERY,- BLACKMAIL, AND FELONY AT THE CAPITAL. London, January 23. The food shortage in Petrograd is reported to be approaching the vorga of actual famine. Money is unprocurable by private persons .and public bodies. The methods adopted by the proletariat for raising money for currant expenses are robbery, blackmail, and felony.—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn. BRITAIN AND THE BOLSHEVIKI PROLETARIAT "AMBASSADOR" AT THE LABOUR CONFERENCE. London, January 23. A meeting in connection with the Labour Conference accorded M. Litvinoff, the Bolshevik Ambassador in London, a tremendous reception. Litvinoff denied that tho Bolsheviki had usurped power like a band of conspirators. If they had been a lot of adventurers, they would have been swept away long ago by the people. More history hadbeon made at Brest Litovsk than during three years of war. Ho did not believe that the Gorman people would continuo to shed their blood for the benefit of capitalists. The Russian revolution was a revolution against war. If peace did result from the negotiations at Brest Litovsk; a revolution in Germany would come within the category of immediate possibility—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn. DANGEROUS SOCIALIST LEAFLETS. ■ , : ' . London, January 23. Sir George Cave, Secretary of State for Home Affairs, replying to Mr. C. P. Trevelyan, said that the police had raided the premises of the British So-cialist-Party, and had seized leaflets intended for distribution at the Labour Conference at Nottingham, and containing the party's views on the policy of Labour and a message from M. Litvinoff (the Bolshevik representative in London). The leaflets contained statements calculated to lead to civil strife and gross misrepresentations of the Government's attitude towards the Russian people. The Government was considering whether prosecution should follow. He denied that a person claiming to represent a foreign Government was at liberty to engage in propaganda in this country.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. TROTSKY RETURNS TO PETROGRAD STRANGLING TACTICS AT BREST LITOVSK. (Rec. January 24, 11.35 p.m.) Petrograd, January 23. M. Trotsky has returned to Petrograd from Brest Litovsk. He says that the German terms preponderate in favour of annexation. They make no secret; of their desire to seize Poland, Lithuania, and Courland, and_ hopo to make Mohn Island a new Gibraltar, with a view to strangling Russia economically and politically. He added that tho Austrians did not participate in the negotiations, but merely assented to every German proposal. Trotsky believes that a final decision will shortly be reached.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. • THE GERMAN VERSION OF THE BREST LITOVSK NEGOTIATIONS OFFICIAL PROTESTS'BY RUSSIA. ■ (Rec. January 24, 8.10 p.m.) Petrograd, January 23. The Secretary of the Russian Legation at Brest Litovsk has officially protested against the Gorman version of the proceedings at the conference, in which 51. Trotsky's protest against Germany's change of front is not mentioned. General Hoffmann warned the Russian Government that if it carried out the intention of giving German officer prisoners the same regime as the men, Germany would cancel the project for a reciprocal improvement for the war prisoners' conditions in Germany. —Ans -N.Z. Cable Assn. "A MONSTROUS ANNEXATION!" (Rec. January 25, 1.20 a.m.) London, January 24. A Russian political official statement declares that tho German annexationists have been sufficiently powerful to impose their will upon the evasive diplomats of the Hertling-Kuhhnann school. The Austro-German delegation refused to guarantee the withdrawal of the Austro-German armies from the occupied territories. "This is a monstrous annexation. The Austro-German pooplos are being deceived by their owa Government before the whole world." The statement continues: "At the Brest Litovsk negotiations Austria gave her humble approval to all that Hen- Hoffmann and von Kuhlm'ann said, but this did not prevent the Austrian Socialists from telling the fables to Austrian workmen regarding Count Czernin's endeavour to obtain peace."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Router. REPORTED DEFEAT OF THE UKRAINIANS (Rec. January 24, 8.10 p.m.) Petrograd, January 23. The Bolshevik authorities report that thoir troops defeated the Ukrainians at Joltava, capturing the town.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

SOCIALISM AT THE BAYONET'S POINT (Rec. January's, 1.10 a.m.) , r „ ~ .... . . London, January 24. Mr. Harold Williams, writing fromPetrograd, states: — "Lenin, speaking at a Socialist mooting, said that the Soviets wore kindling the flames of revolution. "I command all the people to fight. The Soviets are breaking the pillars of the bourgeois order, not with "loved hands, but in a proletarian way." ° "It is evident," comments Mr. Williams, "that Socialism will bo introduced at the bayonet s point. The programme will not bo executed without a struggle. The position is extremely critical."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn