BOLSHEVIK WAR

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 87, 7 January 1919, Page 7

BOLSHEVIK WAR

RED TROOPS CAPTURE RIGA 3 TERRIBLE STREET FIGHTING 1 BRITISH WARSHIPS IN ACTION e By Teleerapli-Press Association-Copyright ' Copenhagen, January 4 }! The Posen correspondent of the "Na- " tional Tidende" states, that the Baltic ! provinces are organising against the Boiaheriki, and a joint front is being formed through 'Livonia, Esthonia, and Courland to Lithuania, Travellers from Petrograd report that the Government is nervous, and is mobilising all officers up to sixty years of age, and compelling e them to enter the Red Army. All tho - bridges inside and outside Petrograd are - mined, and preparations have been made ■- for a speedy departure.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable t Assn. \ THE GERMAN WITHDRAWAL FROM RIGA THOUSANDS ABANDONED. Copenhagen, January i. The German troops which were wifhf" drawn a 6hort distance from.Riga had to a abandon thousands of their comrades and j an enormous quantity of property to the Bolsheviks.—Reuter. ■ ' FIERCE STREET FIGHTING (Rec. January 6, 7.10 p.m ) Copenhagen, January 5. A wireless report from a steamer .off Riga, with refugees on board, states that the Bolsheviki have entered the town. - Fierce' street fighting is proceeding.— r Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. (Rec. January 7, 0.50 a.m.) r London, January 5. e Advices from Berlin give details of r terrible street fighting at Riga, and many murders. The (Bolsheviki control the die-. 8 trict, and are splendidly equipped, even ' as regards artillery. They have levied 1 four and a half million roubles by way > of indemnity.—"The Times." BRITISH NAVATgIs IN ACTION (Rec. January G, 11.30 p.m.) Copenhagen, January 5. The British warships landed guns and ammunition'at Reval and Riga, and lx>mt bnrded the Bolshevists-at Riga,' where i* they number forty thousand.—Aus;-N.Z. >' Cable Assn.. ■' ) . . * (Rec. Jnnuary 7, .0.55 a.m.) 1 ' London, January 6. The latest London telegrams announce j ' that the British warships .are bombarding the Bolshevik quarters at Riga — Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. •. BRITISH SQUADRONS"rETURN FROM EASTERN BALTIC TO AVOID ICE' AND MINES. . 1 Amsterdam, January'-3. The British naval forces have withc drawn from the Eastern Baltic owing to . the -ice and floating mines, but .will re--1 main in the Western Baltic—Aus.-N.Z. B Cable Assn . ■ TBE ALLIESMOTERVENTION . JAPAN WITHDRAWING HER ' | ; ■ FORCES. ; . .' London, January, i. The Tokio correspondent of the "Daily Express" reports that the Japanese War e Office has announced that 31,000 Japan- ■„ ese troops' have been withdrawn from - Siberia, and Japan is only maintaining t the smallest forces there. Allied and ~ American observers criticise the intervena tion, which has, been a relative failure i owing to the absence of unity amongst e the Allies—Aus.-N.Z". Cable Assn. ] i ' THE SITUATION TO-DAY 0 DREADFUL'PICTURE <OF RUINED e ... ■ NATION. (Rce; January fi. 11.30 p.m.) London, January 6. Accounts from Russia show that the great'mass of the population is starving upon an allowance,of from one ounce to four ounce's ,of black bread and a little fish daily. The Bolshevik Army is nowhalf a million strong, well fed, and reB ceiving £W per man monthly. The '• situation in the provinces is worse than J in Petrograd and Moscow. The local *- Soviets, which aro called "Committees 0 of the Poor," consist of illiterate ruff fians, often jwssessors of criminal pasts, i- and supported by bands of brigands,' who i- pillage the people. These committees h have sometimes so angered the peasantry ■ that the latter have buried them alive. Tho Bolsheviki then wiped out;_ the peasantry, being afraid to requisition N food from tho peasants for fear the'latter would hide the corn. Accounts say that active help is required from the Allies, particularly in the,. Caucasus, to,rehabilitate the country. 'Under the j Bolsheviki the revolt of the peasantry , continues though ruthlessly In despair the peasants cut the railroads, , thus stopping tho food transport. ,' [• There is no. fuel in Moscow. The ■labourers''who nioved'into tho palaces are suffering bitterly from intense cold, and their old honies have faßen to pieces, as repairing stopped when they moved into the palaces.- As many of the factories have stopped working the Soviet Government' has ordered the men to do anywork provided,-without the right to strike. This compulsory labour decree has aroused intense discontent. The Soviet Government meanwhile- has asj signed 6i,000,000 roubles to the revolu- ,. tionary propaganda fund for activity in ~ foreign countries.' . . ■_ ' . A delegation representing all/ the ~ moderates, ■ including Socialists, has d readied London, via Odessa. They tell ~ of the' critical situation created by the Bolsheviki in Northern and Central Rus- °. eia, which threatens general starvation ;, and the-annihilation of Russian civilisation. All the newspapers, except the Bolshevik Press, havo been suppressed. Justice and the Law Courts do not exist. For the most part youngsters of eighteen have replaced the dismissed niagis. trates. People aTe frequently, shot by their-guards while being taken from one prison to another. The Soviet Government is flooding the country with worthless paper money, and the national food 1 supply is based on the principle that ,i only a Bolshevik is entitled to regular j food—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn. L" YELLOW TERROR~ADDED TO THE RED BOLSHEVIKI EMPLOY CHINESE MERCENARIES. (Rec. January G, 7.45 p.m.) .London, January 5. The Bolsheviki in Esthonia are employing 7000.Chinese auxiliaries, who are robbing, huirning, and assassinating everyd where.-+Reutei'. , a GORKY JOINS THE REDS. !• (Rec. January 6, 5.5 <p.m.) Paris, January 6. a The "Matin" states that Maxim Gorky 0 (the author) has become a member of the •- Petrograd Soviet.—Aus.tN.Z. Cable Assn. STATE WIVES IN RED RUSSIA THE "BUREAU OF FREE LOVE." 1 Copenhagen, January 3. The Petrograd Town Council has decided that all unmarried women from I 18 to J5 shall be provided with husbands ' selected by the council. The children of 0 these unions will be educated under tho '■' control of the Soviet Government.—Aus.0 N.Z. Cablo Assn. Petrograd, January i The Northern Cominu.ne, which includes Petrograd, is enforcing the "nationalisation" of women. Those between ■ IS and 15 are forced to accept Statechosen husband?. The children do not remain under family control, but will bo brought up by the State. Lord Denbigh has forwarded a copy - of tho Bolshevik decree, which declares i that every woman of 18 is national property, and must register at a "bureau

of free love," wiiero both Bexes are compelled to assemble once a month to select husbands and wives. Those selected have not the right to refuse.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable A6SII.