RUSSIAN MIX-UP.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 January 1920, Page 3

RUSSIAN MIX-UP.

fAUSTRALIAN & N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION]

THE BOLSHEVIK DANGER. LONDON, January 15. The “Daily Mail” considers the collapse of white forces in Russia furnishes a drama as tremendous as the great war and equally terrible,, for J means the massacre of thousands, accompanied by hideous tortures. 0 “Mail” says the unpardonable course would be to yield to the temptation of the fin*A'ders, who are begging the A'Uies to allow Germany to march in, * in order to pay off the Allies war debts with the proceeds of the exploitation ,pf Russia. That policy will make Germany mistress of the world, bringing a now and worse war, when Germany has conquered and assimilated Russia. The paper further declares that unless Japan largely augments her force, the Bolshevists will soon reach the Pacific coast. They have travelled at a great pace since reaching Omsk and are showing brilliant organisation. The whole Japanese Cabinet, except one, m December favoured military intervention. On the other hand, a large section of opinion views the collapse with equanimity, producing ample evidence of the Soviets desire to remain, within their own frontiers, reorganising industry and society according to communist theories. Recent interviews with Lenin, Rndez, Joffe, indicate the concentration of their energies upon economic organisaton. The Premier is the strongest believer in peace on this basis. The British Cabinet is tending to peace but France remains implacable

JAPAN AND SIBERIA. (Received this day, at 9.30 a.m.) NEW YORK, January 16. The “Times” Washington correspondent says that it is understood that United States intention to withdraw troops from Siberia has presented an • embarrassing problem to the Kara Ministry which may be compelled to resign. That is also a probability that Japan will not attempt single handed |,o stem the (Bolshevik advance and she probably will also withdraw her troops.

POLISH FRONT DANGER. (Received this day at 9.30 a.m.) LONDON, January 16. The review of the Bolshevik peril continued, says there is no real danger —of a serious Bolshevik advance in Sibera, as a very small Japanese force is capable of dealing with the huge Bolshevik rabble. Indeed it is believed

that Lenin and Trotsky do not contemplate attacking Japan, and "ill prefer to transfer their forces to the iWsthoni'nn, Lettish, Finnish and Polish fronts. The Poles are quite incapable of meeting a big attack by the Red armies, unaided as they are, and poorly led, and would be faced with - poorly led, and would be greatly outnumbered. This is not the least of the difficulty the Allied leaders in Paris are now considering as Poland has been the bulwark against Bolshevism in Western Europe. There are ' also dangerous possibilities in southeastern Europe.