GOOD SCORE BT THE ITALIANS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 115, 1 February 1918, Page 5

GOOD SCORE BT THE ITALIANS

POSITIONS CARRIED AND HELD SUBSTANTIAL BOOTY AND MANY PRISONERS GERMAN STRIKE CRISIS ■ RUTHLESS REPRESSIVE MEASURES TRANSPORT DISASTER IN THE MEDITERRANEAN The Italian dispatch to-day is a bright and encouraging message. Tho offensivo reported yesterday has been developed successfully, further positions have been carried, and the haul of prisoners and guns, especially the latter, is. extremely satisfactory. In addition, the line defending the Venetian Plain has been greatly improved. A significant item in the dispatch is tho record of Italian prowess in the air—seventeen of the enemy's machines were accounted for in two days. The Gorman official report admits the loss of the positions. The German strike crisis is acute. The shipyards at Kiel and the ■ mines in Westphalia- are idle, and the Germans themselves admit the strike at the Krupp works, but assert that the trouble is unimportant. The Government, however, has authorised the use of machine guns, if necessary, to quell demonstrations. Tho peace conference at Brest Litovsk is again in session. In. the meantime Trotsky has given an account of his provious dealings to the Soviet Congress, and has been entrusted with full powers. Meanwhile civil war is raging in various regions. Preparations are in train for a determined struggle in Finland between the representatives and tho Bolshevik intruders, and a great army has been concentrated to join issuo with the Red Guards. The Ukrainians are reported to havo sustained a reverse at the hands of the Boleheviki. .Kaledin's Tartar troops are stated to he coping successfully with tha anarchist forces of the Russian proletariat. The submarine week has been for Britain less favourable than the previous week, nine large steamers having been sunk. Details are given of a previous three-Jine reference to the loss of two transports in the Mediterranean. The vessels were the Aiagon and the Osmanieh, together with a rescuing destroyer, and the loss of fjie, heavy, is given a tragic aspect by the statement that eight nurses were drowned. Attention, however, is drawn to the fact that to date the total loss of life from attacks on transports is only 2000, out of eleven millions of troops that have been carried by

ITALIANS DEVELOP THEIE OFFENSIVE

FURTHER POSITIONS CAPTURED BIG HAUL OF PRISONERS AND GUNS By Telegraph-Press Aesooiation-Copjright (Eec. January 31, 10 p.m.) London, January 30. An Italian official report states: "We captured Col del Rosso and Col del Chele on Monday, and withstood numerous counter-attacks. We captured Monte Divalbplla yesterday. AVo almost completely destroyed two or the enemy's divisions, and have captured so far 100 officers. 2600 men, 6 guna, 100 machine-guns, numerous trench mortars, and sevoral thousand rifles. We brought down seventeen aeroplanes in two days."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.Reuter. ITALIAN LINE GREATLY IMPROVED. (Rec. January 31, 10 p.m.) Paris, January 30. Semi-official.—"The Italian success yesterday, following the recent French advance at Monte Toraba, has greatly improved tho line guarding the Venetian Plains."—Router. ENEMY ADMITS HIS EEVERSE. (Rec. January 31, 10 p.m.) London, January 30. ■ A German official report states: ''Strong Italian forces maintained their attacks on the Asiago .Plateau. AVe gave up Monte Divalbello and the Col del Rosso after severe fighting,"—Aus.-iS.Z. Cable Assn.-R'euter.

TROTSKY GIVEN A FREE HANI

SPEECH TO THE SOVIET CONGRESS NO PEACE ON GERMANY'S TERMS Petrograd, January 30. Trotsky spoke for two hours at the Congress of Soviets. He declared that the Allies were responsible for Germany's terms, which were quite unacceptable. He was going to Brest lifcovsk with two convictions—first, that Russia had hacked out of the imperialistic war and would not return; second, that he would not sign peaco on the German terms. The debate was adjourned. It is evident that the conference will approve Trotsky's report, and allow the war to continue, employing the guerrilla methods of the volunteer army. A later message states that the Congress resolved to give Trotsky a frue baud. Trotsky said that AVesfcern Europe must not blame Russia if she was forced to conclude a separate peace.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. ■ BREST LITOV.SK MEETING AGAIN IN SESSION. (Rec. January 31, 10.20 p.m.) Amsterdam, January 30. The pence delegations have reassembled at Brest Litovsk. They include Dr. von Kuhlmann (Germany), Count O::crnin (Austria), and M. Trotsky (Russia).— Reutor. LENIN GLORIES IN CIVIL WAR. P9trograd, January 30.— Lenin continually glories in the idea of civil war. He says: "R«al terror has yet to come. AVe are unabashed by the cries of those who weep and shudder in the presence of the great struggle. AVe are the first Government in the world that openly declares it is carrying on civil war."—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn. BOLSHEVIKI CLAIM FURTHER SUCCESSES OVER THE UKRAINIANS (Rec. January 31, 7.30 p.m.) London, January 30. "The Times" Petrograd correspondent states that the Bolsheviki claim further successes against the Ukraine. The Red Guards disarmed twenty Cossack echelons at Alexandrovik, and occupied Kertch, Sebastopol, Jalta, and numerous stations and villages round Kieff, Portava, and Kursk. Kaledin's Tarter troops continue their resistance at Simferopol, Bachtosh, and Isaray.—"The Times."

GOLD COMMANDEERED AS A STATE MONOPOLY. , « • • i i , Petrograd, January 30. The Council of Commissaries has declared gold a Stato monopoly. Gold articles in the hands of private persons, banks, monasteries, and goldsmiths are to pass to tho Stato at a fixed rate.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. FINLAND IN THE THROES WHITE GUARDS VMSUS THE REDS. . , , Stockholm, January 30. It is reported that tho l< inland revolutionaries have overthrown the Senate, arrested tho Senators, and occupied tho Government departments. The Guards Corps is remaining faithful to the Government, and lias refused to lay down its arms. A bloody struggle is expected. A general striko began at Helsiugfors on January 29, and is spreading throughout the country.—"The Times." Amsterdam, January 30. The White Guards have defeated tho Russian soldiers in the north, but the lied Guards are masters of tho south of Finland.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. GREAT FINNISH ARMY MUSTERING APPEAL TO SWEDEN FOR HELP. (Rec. January 31, 7.30 p.m.) Copenhagen, January 30. The Finnish Government has escaped to Tamnierfors, where a great Government army has been concentrated under General Mannerhoim. Tho Swedish Government has closed the frontier to prevent the transport of arms. • A Finnish delegation has arrived in Sweden, seeking military help egainst tho Red Guards.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. SANGUINARY EPISODE IN SIBERIA I SESSION OF NEW ASSEMBLY ENDS IN A PITCHED BATTLE. New York, January 30. The correspondent of the Chicago "Daily News" at Harbin reports that a preliminary session of tho Constituent Assembly held at Tomsk to discuss the question of Siberia's autonomy resulted in a pitched battle hotween tho Bolshoviki and the other elements, twenty mombers being killed. Eastern Siberia is menaced by Austrian and German prisoners of war, of whom tiicro are 150,000 in the Amur province alono. 'Hie prisoners at Tomsk, Omsk, and Irkutsk enjoy their liberty, and may assist in an uprising against tho Bol-sheviki.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. THE STRIKE CRISIS IN GERMANY MEN IDLE AT KIEL, ESSEN AND WESTPHALIAN MINES GOVERNMENT THREATENS MACHINE GUNS Zurich, January 30. Serious strikes are in progress in Berlin. Count von llertliug (Imperial Chancellor) has conferred with the Military Commandant at Berlin in regard to the strikes. It has been decided to confine the troops in barracks, But the officers are instructed to act at thoir discretion. Tho Independent Socialists are issuing pamphlets broadcast, urging a general strike, and even inciting tho workers to overthrow the Government, destroy the bourgeoisie, and proclaim a republic—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. THE STRIKERS' DEMANDS. Copenhagen, January 30. The Berlin strike leaders have elected a committee of nine to .negotiato with, the Government. Their demands include peace, equal suffrage, new arrangements for food supplies, and tho reloase of tho arrested leaders, especially Dr. Liebknecht.—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn. (Rec. January 31, 7.30 p.m.) Copenhagen, January 30. A message from Berlin states that the strikers' demands include peace without annexations or indemnities, the abolition of military control of war factories, the restoration, of tho right to public meetings. It is estimated that thero are 750,000 strikers in Berlin, and the movement is rapidly becoming general in other centres. Herr Haase, Herr Ledebour, Herr Schcidomann, and Herr Ebert, and other prominent Socialists have joined the nowly-formcd Workmen's Council. Tfio Secretary of tho Interior has refused to receive the council's deputation. Bolshevik pamphlets have beon distributed to tho Berlin factories. These declare that since the Russian revolutionaries have triumphed at Brest Litovsk, the German workers muat secure a revolutionary triumph in Ger-many.—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn. KIEL SHIPYARDS AND WESTPHALIAN MINES IDLE. Now York, January 30. Cable messages have been received stating that there are half a million strikers in Berlin, and that tho Kiel shipyards and tho Westphalian mines are idle—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn, MACHINE-GUNS TO BE USED (Rec. January 31, 10.20 p.m.) Copenhagen, January 30. The German Government has authorised the use of machine-guns against the strikers, if necessary. Tho police brutally dispersed demonstrators at Hamburg. The striko at Krupp s is admitted, but a semi-official report as'serts that it is unimportant.—Router.