THE MOVE ON THE MURMAN GOAST

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 255, 16 July 1918, Page 5

THE MOVE ON THE MURMAN GOAST

GERMAN SCHEMES CHECKMATED NEW GOVERNMENT PROCLAIMED IN SIBERIA . , London, July 13. Iho landing nt a liirgn Allied fiirco on Iho iUurmau const represents an elfort to reorganiso Kussiii, assist Iho counter-revolutionaries mid tho O.echo-Slovaks in overthrow Ihn Holsheviki, mid checkmate (jcrmiiny's extensive plans for the annexation of tho ice-freo ports on llui Murniim coast, which provido Iho only means by which Iho European Allies can supply guns ami ammunition and war stores to the Russian forces. It is expected that Japanese and American supplies will bo sent through Vladivostok, which is now in possession of the Caicho-Slovake. who defeated tho Bolshpviki and disarmed the Kussiun warships in tho harbour. Fifteen thousand Gorman troops are. in Finland, mostly in" tho south, and it in difficult for (horn to reach Iho Murnian country, as the communications, except the railways, are bad, and tho terrain is difficult.

I Lenin Powerless. \ Lenin's Government, whose headquarters is at Moscow, is protesting against / the Allied landing, but is unable to tnterl'ero. Tho Governnmnt controls only sixty thousand troops, who aro of poor quality and indifferently equipped. Bolshevik rule is rapidly waning throughout Russia, ami tho influence of Lenin's Government is almost confined to Moscow. Local bands of Uolsheviki, which are largely independent of Lenin, govern tho other towns and districts. Czechoslovak Movement. The most'remarkable feature of tho liussian situation is tho' Czocho-Slovak mnvoinent. Many thousands of .Czechoslovaks deserted from tho Austrian Army and fought with tho Russians against Austrians and Germans before tho Russian irmit finally collapsed. Largo bodies of Czeeho-Slovaks then marched , eastward, intending to reach Vladivostok and embark for America to fight with tho 'Allies on thu Western front. Tlieso captured tho larger part of tho Siberian :ailwny, routed tho Siberian Bolsheviki, and now await Japanese intervention. Other bodies of Gaecho-Slovaks remained in European Russia and defeated tho Bolshisviki in the Samara district. The Czccho-Slovaks now control 2500 miles of tho main railway, from Penza to Nijniudinsk in Liberia, whero they liavo established ihoir own Government. Tho Dolshoviki control » short streteli of tho Siberian railway, from Nijniudinsk to Chita, tho remainder of 'tho lino to Vladivostok being in the hands of tho Czccho-Slovaks. Tho remarkable achievements' of the Uecho-Slovaks, who aro estimated at over a quarter of a million, liavo strengflied the hands of tho Allies. There aro half a million Gorman and Austrian troops on the Eastern front, from Petrograd to tho Black Sea. These iiro of second quality. , Ccnnan newspapers assert that it. is impossible for the Allies to restore 'tho Eastern front so as to compel Lndendorff to withdraw divisions from Franco to fMit tho reorganised Russian armies and fho Czechoslovaks. Tho utmost Germany nn- , ticipates is that tho Allied efforts will result in Lenin's overthrow and create a guerrilla war against German troops, to prevent Germany exploiting tho BrestLitovsk treaty.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. SOCIAL REVOLUTIONARIES APPROVE OF LANDING. ( n-i t, ' • '„ • „ ~■ • , Stockholm, July in Iho Russian Social Revolutionaries manifesto states that they do not fear the Allied landing, and accepts aid in preparing to assist in re-establishing Hie East front. There must bo no interferenco in internal affairs. Tho mauifrslo urges that tho necessary overthrowing of the Bolsheviki, who aro carrying out the-Germnn demands without protest, becomes daily more urgent.—Aus.-N.H. Cablo Assn. A SURPRISED PARTY. Copenhagen, July 13. A trainloiid of Bolsheviki arrived at Murmansk.. The. nnti-Bolshwiki caphired and disarmed all of them and then eent them back to Moscow,—iue.-N.Z. Cablo Assn. : \ BRITISH LANDING. (Rec. July 15, 11.40 p.m.) ™ ...... ' , . .. ~ Rotterdam, July 15. ■ .. Tu « Br !"fl\ have landed on the Murman coa*t. During their march'south they occupied Kem.—Ana.-N.Z. Ciblo Assn. NEW SIBERIAN GOVERNMENT PROCLAIMED STRONG MINISTRY ASSURED OF PUBLIC SUPPORT. ' L'ondon, July in. General Falk Horvat has proclaimed himself Premier of the Siberian 'tovern- . ment. x His programme includes tho restoration, of the treaties with tho Allies, tho re-establLshment of the Army, and Iho abolition of the Bolshovik decrees,—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn. FURTHER DETAILS. London, July 14. Reports from Tokiq state that tho Siberian situation has been transformed by the formatipu at Harbin of a (strong anti-Bolshevik Government, headed by General Horvat, supported by leading Constitutional Democrats, Liberals, and ox-Ministere of tho Duma. Tho new Government is assured of wide public sup-port.-Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn. BOLSHEVIK ATTEMPT TO BRIBE JAPAN. > Amsterdam, July It. ' The "Hamburg Fremdenblatt" states that the Russian Foreign Minister, eppalring in the Soviet, offered Japan favourable commercial treaties as a bribe against Japanese intervention in Siberia.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. REVOLT IN MOSCOW FAR FROM SUPPRESSED Amsterdam, July H. Advices from'Kicff stato that tho Bolsheviki in Moscow aro far from suppressing tho revolutionaries. They are only holding their own with the assistanco of Lettish Guards. Trotsky told the All-Russjan Congress that portion of tho Soviet troops had deeorted to t-ho enemy, as tho result of Anglo-French pro- [ paganda.—Router. \ • REPORTED SHOOTING OF VON MIRBACH'S ASSASSINS. Amsterdam, July 11. It is reported that the murderers of von Mirbach have • been shot.—Aus.N.Z. Cable 'Assn. A PESSIMISTIC REVIEW . , FACTIONAL STRIFE WITH NO POSSIBLE STEADYING RESULTS. (Rec. July 15, 8.10 p.m.) London, July 11. ■ "Tho Times" Tokio correspondent, writing on July 8, states that the Czechoslovaks havo occupied Nieolaeivsk, driving out tho Bolshovik and German supporters. A conflict is proceeding at all (ho Amur ports, whilo south of Irkutsk an interminable conflict continues, from which no stabilising results are possible. Daily reports of factional victories, defeats, oecupations.and abandonments fill tho newspapers, signifying that anarchy reigns supreme. Whoevor is victorious in such ivavfiU'o cannot relieve tho situation, and will only prolong the sufferings of tho populations of this vast region, while tho enemy-will proiit by tightening his grip on European ' Russia, poisoning the simple Russians against the Allies. Four thousand Germans are .still at liberty in China. There is no prospect of deportation to Australia, though China has established a bureau for this pur- ' poss in Japan. The Germans were never more prosperous, moving about unhampered by ineffective official rules.—"Tho Times." I