CHURCH AND STATE.

Hokitika Guardian, 7 February 1918, Page 3

CHURCH AND STATE.

ANOTHER RUSSIAN DIVISION

(Received This Dav at \0.!5. a.m.) LONDON, l'cb. 0., The “Daily Chronicle’s” Petrograd correspondent says the Bolsheviks are now up against the Russian Orthodox Church. Prior, to October, the revolutionaries and churches disregarded each other. The Church then elected a Patriarch, namely Tekhon, formerly Metropolitan of Moscow' replacing the cx-Czar as the Church’s nominal hhad. The Bolsheviks began a propaganda ultimately aiming at the Church’s complete extinction. Anti-religious agitation was started in villages on the protext of counter-acting anti-revolutionary activities of priests, and church lands were declared common property. The Ministry of Public Welfare a few days ago anneXated Alexnndronevsky Lavra, in Petrograd one of_ the most important and wealthiest monasteries in Russia, converting all the building except the churches intolioines for the aged infirm. This action resulted in free fights in Lavra grounds between monks and Red Guards. The latter remain in, occupation of the monastery whose buildings and property are the size of a small .city. Many religious protests and processions are expected in Petrograd, and bloodshed is predicted. The Bolsheviks issued a decree separating the Church from the State and declaring the complete freedom of conscience and the forbidding ot religious teaching in schools, and declaring religious bodies incapable of owning property.

ANARCHIST DOINGS: (Received This Dav at 19.15- n..n > LONDON, I'eb. 6. The doings of four anarchist parties is attracting attention. Anarchists in Petrograd dress entirely in l>lack and are always armed; ft is predicted that anarchists will shortly assert themselves. A bomb exploded in an anarchist club on Sunday, wounding eleven.

CORRESPONDENT’S REPORT. (Received This Da-v at 10.15. a.m.) LONDON, Feb. 6tli. Ransome writes from Petrograd that immense anti-Bolshevik religious pioceedings were held on Monday. Priests clad in gold, green, silver and purple robes, each church being represented, by a cluster of rich bankers and group of ikons. The Bolsheviks wisely kept the Red Guards off the streets and thus trouble was avoided, and the day passed quietly.

FOOD PRICES. L fßeceived This, Da vat 10.15. a.rn 1 LONDON, Feb. 0. Food difficulties in Petrograd arcacute. Many trains bringing food have been held up and looted by armed robbers.

Peasants are disinclined to sell flour or produce and prices are soaring. A chicken realises'.26s 3d, a small hare 30s, potatoes half a crown a pound, butter is almost unobtainable at 24s per lb, sugar is 14s per lb. Under these conditions it is not surprising that crime and typhus are spreading together.

THE INTERNAL FIGHTING. (Received This T)ov a.t 11.20. a.m.) PETROGRAD, Feb. 6. A considerable force of Maximalists have departed from Petrograd reinforcing the Finnish Red Guards. Russian troops have evacuated Aaland Islands, A body of Red Guards, - after their defeat at Trevaldo, escaped in a train. White Guards at a neighbouring town dispatched a train against them. The trains collided mid-way. Many were killed on hotli sides, and the Red Guard were dispersed.

A POLISH SUCCESS. (Received This T)sv Jit 11.2* - *. a.m.) PETROGRAD, Feb. 6. The report of the occupation of Bolshevik main headquarters at Mohiliff, follows an announcement that twentysix thousand Polish legionaries belonging to the Russian Army, who joined the revolt against the Bolsheviks, have succeeded in occupying Rogateeheff, sixty miles to the southward.

TREATY WITH UKRAINE. (Received This'Dsv at 11.25. a.m.) LONDON February 6. The Daily Express’ Amsterdam, corres pondent believes Kuhlmann and Czernin will return to Berlin with the terms of a complete peace treaty with Ukraine for the purpose of submitting it to the Kaiser.

It is understood that the Treaty embraces political military and economic matters, and provision for the exportation of vast quantities, of Ukrainian wboat to Germany.

NEWS FROM BERLIN.

(Received, TW r, J”- it 11.25. a.m.) LONDON, February 6. The “Daily Chronicle's” Petrograd correspondent points out that Berlin has latterly been publishing first news of anything unfavourable to the Russian Government consequently there may be some foundation for the repon which the German press are emphasising namely thn,tthe revolting Polish legionaries have captured the Russian military headquarters taking prisoners Krylenko and his staff.

1 -RELEASING PRISONERSReceived this day at 2.36 p.m.,) PETROGRAD February 6. Local Soviets are releasing thousands of war prisoners, who are becoming war prisoners \Vho are becoming nomads. There are forty thousand in I’etrograd district alone. RUSSIA’S NATS’. Received this day at 2.36 p.m.,) PETROGRAD February ,6A Under the new decrees, the Supreme Command of the Army is vested in a Council of Commissaries. A Naval conference decided to reorganise the navy on Anglo-American lines, with a maximum personel of 42, CO'J and to pay sailors and officers alike 150 roubles monthly. 1 UKRAINE TROOPS. Received this day at 2.36 p.m.,) AMSTERDAM February 6. German reports state the Ukraine Rada concentrated half a million troops near Kieff. REPORTED RECAPTURE. , (Received this day at 1.30 p.m.) j AMSTERDAM, February 6. According to the “Vossiche Zeitung” the Rada troops have re-captured Kharkoff.