RECONSTRUCTING RUSSIA

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 196, 14 May 1919, Page 6

RECONSTRUCTING RUSSIA

Some of the later reports which havo_ come through in regard to Russia wear a distinctly hopeful aspect. The strongest individual force at present operating against the Bolshcviki is Admiral Kolchak's army, which is based on Western Siberia, and has in recent

clays advanced victoriously into European Russia. One of yesterday's messages riot only conveyed an assurance that Kolchak is still building upon his late successes, but cast some light upon the state of affairs in Southern Russia, north of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. North of the latter sea a body of Kuban Cossacks is stated to have destroyed a Bolshevik force and eased t.hc pressure on General Dexiken's left flank. Denikkn, one of the last commanders of the Russian Southern armies before the Russian -line collapsed, is said to be still in somewhat serious difficulties, though holding his own. Apart from the fact that he is "vastly outnumbered," his difficulties no doubt arc largely clue to the difficulty of securing and maintaining supplies. He is shown" to be holding a front in Southern Russia, nearly 300 miles cast of Odessa. The Cossack success now reported may enable him to get into touch with the Allies on the coast of the Sea of Azov. In Murmansk, at the other extremity of the Russian front, the Allies seem to be at least holding their own. It is now suggested that the British force in this region will be withdrawn shortly, but not before the local Russian army is in a position to make head unassisted against the Bolsheviki. Little information is available at the moment in_ regard to the progress that is being made in the arming and reorganising of Poland, and a report thatthe Entente Powers are aoout to give naval and other support to a Finnish adyance on Petrograd awaits confirmation. Poland, certainly, has an important part to play, if only in interposing between the Germans'and their Bolshevik allies, and the present dearth of news from Poland does not necessarily mean that affairs in that country are taking an unfavourable turn. It may easily mean the reverse. The best hope in sight for Russia, however, seems to be that Kolchak may be enabled to undertake an advance on Moscow .and strike down Bolshevism in its chief centre. The apparent difficulties of the enterprise are enormous, though less on account of theremaining power of the Bolsheviki than because of the chaotic con- , dition to which the whole country has been reduced. The day of continuous fronts in Russia is, of course, over. The several anti-Bol-shevik armies are operating separately, and at immense distances apart. The grand difficulty to be overcome is that of establishing areas of settled organisation' and maintaining communications. On the whole, however, there are apparently some definite grounds for the hopeful prediction cabled yesterday, that "dramatic events may be expected soon, preparing the way for a united country."