OVERTURES FROM THE REDS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 171, 14 April 1919, Page 5

OVERTURES FROM THE REDS

TO PEACE CONFERENCE CONCRETE PROPOSAL SAID TO BE MADE BY LENIN "NO TRUCK WITH THE RUFFIANS" By ToloEraph-Pross Association. Copyright (Rec. April 12, 5.5 p.m.) Paris, April 5. It is asserted that Lenin has made a concrete proposal to the Conference, but the terms aro not published. It is believed that they relate to food, and !hat Lenin promises to abstain from propaganda among Allied peoples.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. OVERTURES DISCUSSED IN HOUSE OF COMMONS IS IT ANOTHER GERMAN STORY? (Rec. April 13, 5.5 p.m.) London, April 10.. Mr. Clement Ward, in the House of Commons, moved tho adjournment to discuss tho Russian Bolshovik overtures to Iho Peaco Conference. He and otner speakers strongly condemned having any dealings with tho Bolsheviki. Mr. E. Shortt, Home Secretary, in leply, said tho Government would not refuse to confer with the Russian Government, but no representative Government worthy of the name existed. They could not havo any truck with tho bloodthirsty ruffians terrorising Russia. Lenin had emissaries in Britain, and others wbi'o coming. Ho believed tho emissaries wero receiving vary Httlo support in Britain. He understood that Lenin's proposals had not reached tho British representatives in Paris. Ho believed the Germans manufactured tho wliolo story of negotiations in order to make other nations beliovo that the Bolsheviki wero peaceful, civilised, and reasonable. A'r. Shortt promised to convey to Mr .Lloyd George the House's unanimous feeling against negotiating with the Bolshoviki.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. M.P.'S MEMORIAL TO MR. LLOID GEORGD. (Rec. April 13, 5.5 p.m.) London, April 10. Two hundred members of tho House of Commons nre signing a hurried memorial to Mr. Lloyd George stating that they had learned with great concern of tho proposal of the Conference to recognise tho Bolshovik Moscow • Government, and urging British representatives to rcfuso to sign such a recognition.—United Service. ARGUMENTS AGAINST RECOGNITION OF BOLSHEVIKI. (Rec. April 18, 5.5 p.m.) London, April 6. Interviewed by the United Press, Mr. Cecil Harmsworth said: "Tho Allied Governments cannot recognise the Bolsheviki for the following reasons: Tho Bolsheviki do not represent tho Russian people. The Bolshoviki havo shown themselves ' the enemies of tho League of Nations. They mado peaco with Germany against the will of their peoples. The Allies will support the Governments of Tchaikovski, Koltchak, and Denikon, lecause they stand for the restoration of Russia and the maintenance of the allianco with the Allies.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. I

TROTSKY APPEALS TO THE RED ARMY • TO RESUME ITS VICTORIOUS ADVANCE. London, April 3. A wireless message from Trotsky urges the Red Army on tho East front to close its ranks and resume its victorious advance. He appeals to tho troops to remember that they are a military organisation and not a debating club.—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn. RUSSIAN CHURCH APPEALS TO THE POPE REGARDING THE BOLSHEVIK OUTRAGES. Rome, April 2. Tho "Osservatore Romano" has published correspondence between the Vatican and the Russian Bolshevik Government following an appeal by the Archbishop of Omsk to the Pope regarding the Bolshevik outrages. These included tho murders of twenty bishops and hundreds of priests, accompanied by the cutting off of arms and legs. Some of tho victims were flayed alive. Tchitcherin replied callously to the Pope's protest, and accused the clergy of hoarding food while tho people were starving. This is the first time the orthodox Russian Church has appealed direct'to the Pope, and tho event will probably facilitate the reunion of the Churches.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. BRITISH FORCES AT ARCHANGEL RELIEF PROMISED AT EARLIEST MOMENT. (Rec. April 13, 5.5 p.m.) London, April 11. Mr. Hamilton Fyfo states, that Mr. Churchill has cabled to Archangel personally pledging relief at the earliest moment. The , troops will be brought homo when replaced by fresh drafts. Tho War Office fears the situation will be critical for a couplo'of months, but believe.s the British will be able to hold out.—Tho "Times." BOLSHEVIK TROOPS DEFEATED. (Rec. April 13, 11.5 p.m.) New York, April 2. Dispatches from Archangel say that the Allies defeated the Bolshevik troops south of Crozerskaya.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

EXCHANGE OP PRISONERS ARRANGED. Archangel, April 11. Arrangements have been made to exchange prisoners with the Bolsheviki — Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. AMERICAN INSUBORDINATION CAUSED BY PROPAGANDA. (Rec. April 13, 5.5 p.m.) Washington, April 11. General March, in an interview, said that Bolshevik propaganda wis the cause of the American insubordination at Archangel—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. BOLSHEVIKI EXPELLED FROM ESTHONIA. (Rec. April 13, !>'.s p.m.) Copenhagen, April 9. Esthonian newspapers state that tho Bolsheviki have been completely expelled from Esthonia. .The fighting continues on Russian soil.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. SIBERIAN FORCES IN AGREEMENT. Vladivostok, April 11. The Semenoff and Koltchalc parties have effected an agreement with tho Government of Siberia, with the object of carrying. on a further campaign against the Bolsheviki—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. TO COUNTERBOLSHEYISM SUPPLY OP FOOD. CT,OTIT,TNG AND MATERIALS URGED. • (lice. April I'. 1 , ").•') p.m.) London, April G. Colonel Tallents, the head of the.British Relief Commission in Poland, has returned with photographs of terrible atrocities committed before the Estonians counter attacked the Bolsheviki. Colonel Tallents maintains that prompt supply of fond, clothing, and reconstruction, materials along tho Baltic coast is the first condition of counter propaganda acainst Bolshevism. Tho Allies are fortifying Perekop isthmus to safeguard the Crimea—Aus.N.Z. Cable Asen.

WAR ON SERBIA DECLARED BY' BOLSHEVIKI. (Rec. April 13, 5.5 p.m.) London, April G. Advices from Vienna, via Finnic, reiterate Unit the Bolshoviki have declared ivar on Serbia. Martial law has been declared in Serbia, which is deninnding help from the Allies.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. THE GERMAN CRISIS BOLSHEVIKI ANDSPARTACISTS FOSTERING STRIKES ffieo. April 12, 5.5 p.m.) London, April (i. Indications are accumulating that Germany is faced with a naw internal crifis, Conditions iu the western industrial districts aro becoming more chaotic. Berlin is apprehensive of the Bolsheviki leaders, .who are daringly outspoken anil are agitating for a fresh general strike, having abandoned hopo of a successful armed rebellion. The Spartacists seek to achieve their aims bv means of numerous local strikes. The numbers idle in Germany on Saturday wore estimated at 220,000. The sitm-lion in South Germany is most grave. The Bavarian Diet will meet on April S. It is expected that on that day Soviet rule will bo declared over tho whole of Bavnria. Thousands of pamphlets havo been issued advocating Bolshevism. A general strike has been proclaimed at Augsburg, where Socialist?, Communis!'!, and Spartacists have united as a Revolutionary Ln'bour Party. The strike is intended as a mark of sympathy with the Russian and Hungarian RoMieviki. There have hesn great Snnrtooist demonstrations in Swinemunde.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. MEETINGS OP BOLSHEVIKI HELD DAILY. (Rec. April 12. 5.5 p.m.) London, April 7. Meetings of the Bolsheviki are held daily in various parts of Germany. Russian agents cross the frontiers unimpeded and procure passports at Koniirsbors enabling them to travel throughout Ger-many—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. PLOT DISCOVERED AT HAAIBURG. London, Anril 9. A plot was discovered at Hamburg aiming at a declaration of n Soviet Republic extending to Bremen and cmbracing tho cutiro coast.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. SERIOUS PQLffICAL SITUATION WEAKNESS OP SCHEIDISMANN'S GOVERNMENT. London, April 3. The Australian Press learns that tho evidence from Germany shows that the political situation is serious. Scheideniann's Government has little power to enforce its measures, particularly in the industrial districts, where there .aro daijy sporadic outbursts of anarchy, which aro the prelude to an outbreak on a large scale now being planned. Tliero is a possibility of ih'» German Government imitating the Hungarian, and resigning its power to the extremists. Karolyi's action in handing over the Government to the Communists was dictated by Nationalist sentiment, and was intended to check tho supposed annexationist ambitions of the 'Rumanians, which Hungary fears tho Entente will sanction. The new Hungarian Government relies for support ljnon Budapest and the larger towns. The peasants, who form 80 per cent, of the population, aro apathetic—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn. PANIC ON BERLIN EXCHANGE. 1 London, April 9. There is a panic on the Berlin Stock Exchange and an all-round fall in prices is recorded, and a general desire to realise securities.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. LEAGUE OF HOME DEFENCE FORMED. (Rec. April 12, 5.5 p.m.) Berlin, April 5. A League of Home Defence lias been formed avowedly to urge the . Government not to sign a humiliating peace. Private reports show that the real intention of the league is to overthrow the Government and organise a desperate re-, sistance to annexation or the permanent subjection of the German nation—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn. PEACE ORBOLSHEVISH' "THE ALLIES MUST HURRY UP." (Rec. April 13, 5.5 p.m.) London, April 10. Mr. Grenwall, correspondent of the "Daily Express" in Berlin, states that the communists owe their strength in Bavaria to possession of tho food depots. The Allies must either hurry up and make peace with the present German Government or they will soon be faced with a Soviet Germany, which will not make peace at all. Bavaria will never pay the Allies a red cent. To-morrow it may be Wurtemburg or Saxony, and perhaps Prussia, until' tho whole country, which is rapidly sinking in a bc-g of despair, goes over to ■ Bolshevism. There ' are already signs of Bolshevism in Prussia. Millions of Russian money are being spent nightly iu Berlin gambling hells. Well-dressed Russians were seen with one hundred and fifty thousand sterling in notes, and nobody carries such sums with an honest purpose. Mr. Grenwall added: "The Allies previously held trump cards and could havo done what they liked with Germany. The position now is doubtful. The Allies must either put in a receiver to run Germany for the benefit of her creditors or allow her to laugh- up her sleeve and get better peace terms than she conceived in hor wildest dreams. The Allies should urgently control the prices and distribution of food. Germany has only one weapon, Bolshevism. If the Allies delay, the German Government will simply throw in its hand and say: 'Do what'you like.' Then there will be danger of Bolshevism over-running and engulfing Franca and Britain. The Peace Conference ought to realise that it is dealing with a desperate, hungry nation. The' issue is simple—peaco or Bolshev-ism."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. THE CONGRESSjN BERLIN A COLLISION OF PARTIES. London, April 9. Numbers has become the pivotal centre of the New Bavarian Government. Herr Hoffmann is established in the Premier's office there. Tho Ministers in Berlin are silent regarding their plans for counteraction, and the Govornmest will probably adopt its characteristic policy of inaction. It is expected that a republio of North Bavaria will shortly be proclaimed. A Congress of Workers and Soldiers Councils in Berlin opened on Tuesday. The city is comparatively peaceful, and tho general strike has apparently not materialised. The Bavarians' seats wero unoccupied. Herr Leinert presided. The first collision of parties occurred on a proposal to send fraternal greetings to Hungary and Russia, at which thorn were cheers, counter-cheers, and uproar, and no decision was reached. The Spartacists were highly inflamed owing to tho failure of the Government to make a definite promise to release Ledeb.rar. Maliska, a Majority Socialist, appealed to the Independent Socialists to renounco their desperate policy. This is regarded as significant, and as a positive proposal to eoino to an understanding. Thero has been violent fighting in Magdeburg. Large numbers of the garrison joined the Spartacusians, and supplied the civilians with arms. They pi-o-ceeded to attack tho polico headquarters with a view to rescuing tho Spnrtaciis leaders. Anarchy reigns in fiio city, and it is reported that tho casualties havo been heavy. Work is at astandsfill. and tho revolutionaries are in possession of tho railways and tho Post and Telegraph Offices. There is absoluto chaos in Munich, and civil war is expected to be announced at any time—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn. THE BAVARIAN SITUATION GERMAN PAPERS PESSIMISTIC. (Rec. April 13, 5.5 p.m.) London, April fi. Whether feigning or sincere, tho German newspapers aro increasingly pessimistic regarding the Bavarian situation. The "Lokal Anzoiger" interprets tho

extremists' threat not, to allow the Diet to meet as a signal for a third revolution. Tlio "Anzeiger" adds: "Swabia, Franconia, and the Palatinate are ready to secede from Bavaria." The "Deutsche Allgemeine Zeitung" says the majority of tiio rural population have secretly armed, and civil war is inevitable if tho extremists at Munich prevail—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Ai?sn. RELEASE OF WAR. PRISONERS ORDEUED. Munich, April 11. The Revolutionary Government has ordered the release of all war prisoners, including thousands of Russians.—Aus.- ' N.Z. Cable Assn. THE STRIKES INTHERUHR DISTRICT TROOPS OCCUPY GREAT TOWNS. Copenhagen, April 2 (delayed). The German Government troops are occupying all the great towns in the Ruhr district. The strikers number upwards of 150,000. A proclamation announces that strikers shall have no food, while men who work 7J hours a day will get more than oilier people. A striko was begun in AVuitemburg. A counterstrike is reported at Stuttgart, where (ho licst, telegraphs, and railways -.ire closed. The Frankfort riot was duo to the scarcity of food. Tho populace looted the stocks.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. CONSIGNMENT Ob' FOOD SENT. (Bee. April 13, 5.5 p.m.) London, April 6. Amsterdam reports that a consignment of i'ood has reached the Ruhr district. Soon it will be possible to issue a supplementary ration to the towns with populations, of half a million upwards — Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. THREE MILLION UNEMPLOYED. (Rec. April 13, 5.5 p.m.) London, April 7. Berlin reports estimate that 'here are three, million unemployed in Germany. A quarter of a million miners are or. strike in the Ruhr district.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.. KRUPP'S WORKMEN INVOLVED IN 'STRIKE. (Rec. April 13, 5.5 p.m.) London, April 7. The WiM'temburg Government an nounees that tho general strike has suddenly collapsed. A considerable number of Spartacist leaders have been arrested. There have been violent disturbances in Croatia. Martial law has been proclaimed. Strikes in tho Ruhr region have spread and involved a number of Krupp's workmen.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assn. APPALLING CONDITIONS IN AUSTRIA A MOST DIFFICULT PROBLEM. (Rec. April 13. 5.5 p.m.) London. April 10. General Smuts brings an appalling resort of conditions in Austria. Children are starving in large numbers. Austria, which formerly was one economic unit, is now split up into five units, which raised barriers against ea:n other. This combined with poor transport, makes it impossible to >ecure food. Austria formerly• looked to Russia for help, but was now looking to the Entente. Aus. fria has become the most difficult problem the world has ever seen, and tho shortage of shipping increases tho difficulty of rendering assistance. To this shortage is also due the decision to send Polish troops across Germany rather than bv sea to Danzig.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. SOCIALISAtWoF HUNGARY

SOVIETS BEING ORGANISED. Budapest, April 11. The socialisation of Hungary is proceeding rapidly. Soviets are being organised everywhere, under threats i'by the Red Army.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. ELECTIONS OF COUNCILS. (Rec. April 13 5.5 p.m.) London, April 7. The elections of- Budapest Workmen's, Peasants', and Soldiers' Councils, from which the National Council will be formed, are. fixed to be held from April 7 to 11. Idle capitalists, employers, and priests are disfranchised.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. AIiCHDUKE JOSEF FRANZ AE--1 RESTED. (Rec. April 13, 5.5 p.m.) Budapest, April 11. Tho Socialists at Keszthely have arlested tho Archduke Josef Franz and Count Julius Comssich. who were fleeing to Germany. The Archduke, who was collarless and muddy, declared (hat he underrated the feeling in Hungary. He was ciuite satisfied with the Soviet ideals. He himself was a partisan of Lenin's ideas. Many women and girls are joining the Red Army.—Renter. DISORDERS IN AGRAM. (Rec. April 13, 5.5 p.m.) Rome, April 6. The "Messagero" learns th.it as a result of disorders iu Agraiu following Radicals' arrests, three hundred people were killed or. injured—Aus.-N.Z Cable Assn. GOVERNMENT TAKING CONTROL OF BUSINESS. ■ Vienna, April i (delayed). The Hungarian Government is taking control of insurance companies, hotels, and boardinghouses, and has ordered the confiscation of jewellery over two thousand crowns in value. It has ordered the banks to pay not more than two thousand crowns a month out of private accounts. Tho Austrian Foreign Office's negotiations with tho Italian Mission, with ,i view to the establishment of an Austrian free zone at Trieste are likely to result favourably. Thirty Bolshevik agitators have arrived in Vienna, and have installed themselves in tho Hungarian- Legation.—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn. PRISONERS OF WAR EN ROUTE TO HUNGARY. (Rec. April 13, 5.5 p.m.) London, April 7. Russia has informed Hunga»y that 801,000 armed prisoners of war are en route to Hungary, through Ukraine — Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. FIGHT BETWEEN HUNGARIANS AND CZECHS. (Rec. April 13, 5.5 p.m.) London, April 7. Vienna telegrams report frontier fighting between the Hungarians and Czechs near Pressburg.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

REFUGEES INVADING SWITZERLAND FOOD SHORTAGrTcAUSING ALARM. (Rcc. April 13, 5.5 p.m.) London, April 9. The spread of Bolshevism in tljo central, south-eastern, and eastern districts threatens Switzerland with n great invasion of refugees. Thousands of terrorstricken inhabitants in Austro-Hungary and Bavaria nro clamouring to cross tho border. Austrian aristocrats appealed to permission to hasten to Switzerland without passports in the event of peril from .Bolshevism. Count Czernin applied for protection. It is learned that the communists condemned him to death. Tho situation alarms Switzerland, owing to the food shortage—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. B PLOT AGAINSTCZECHO-SLOVAKS TO STIR UP REBELLION. (Rec. April 111, 5.5 p.m.) Zurich, April 11. A plot, involving tho German Foreign Office, for stirring up a rebellion against Czecho-Slovakia, has been discovered — Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.