GENERAL MAURICE.

Hokitika Guardian, 12 September 1919, Page 3

GENERAL MAURICE.

COMMENTS ON RUSSIAN POSITION. ' (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) ' f AUSTRALIAN & IT.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION ! (Received this day at 10.15 P.m.) , LONDON, September 11. > General Maurice in the “Daily News’’ says arrangements for . the withdrawal from North Russia are proceeding ifflnoothSy. The operation is delicate hut the prospects are much brighter than a month ago. The withdrawal i should be completed in a few weeks, j TJ e behaviour of the Russians fighting with us, has the chief cause of anxiety. since the intention to withdraw wa* announced. It is well known we had an ambitious programme for the spring, when it was hoped w e could organise an army largely composed of Russians, which would be able to advance towards Petrograd from-the north an.l eastward by Vologda railway and effect a junction with Koltchak s right, establishing a sure barrier gainst Bolshevism. We also hoped to organise a combined’ Finnish, Lettish, and Estholnian advance on IPetrograd from the west, Britain supplying the money and material. All the plans broke

down owing to the same cause, the in- ■* ’ '"“competency of the various anti-Bolslie-vik forces and the impossibility of organising efficient military forve from these troops. Gieneral Maurice says {Ludjqndorff s reminiscences finally dispose of the. fiction that the Archangel expedition exercised an influence on the war. The reminiscences show that the Murmansk landing had no effect whatever. Maurice proceeds—“We failed to galvanise the Russians into energy with troops and competent leaders on the spot, , and we are unlikely to he successful if we confine our assistance to advice mon*v and material. There is not the remotest chance of arriving at a. settlement of the Russian problem during the next half year. The only sensible . f —.course i s to revise the policy drastically ami scientifically so as to make the committments square with our means.