RUSSIAN’S CLAIM

Hokitika Guardian, 29 May 1933, Page 8

RUSSIAN’S CLAIM

MILLIONS-FROM GREAT BRITAIN. PARIS, May 23: A very heavy . claim against the . British Government', amounting' .in- all to million's- of. pounds, ig- about' to the made before a Paris Court, by the Russian Major l -General L. Bitcherakofft inuring' the- years - 1917, 1918, and 1919, he wielded absolute 1 power 1 in the , Caucasus and‘ the Caspian provinces, •his ’ authority: extending •• tas far . as Moukhai’a and a part of-Astrakan. In yaddiiiclri' : tb "Kis‘ military command lie; fhad' the .rank of rMTmister;. Plenipotentiary for these : .proVinces. Alajor- , Gehfefal ! BitchenaJfofl i 6 now- employed . in .a 'sub’hrdinate position as; a coax in ' the kitchen of- a l -Paris 1 restaurant,, but' he belieVes ' that 1 ’ he Tias a ; good claim for some million?.-} of -pounds'. sterling against’ Btitiain' om account' of services rendered'dtori,ng‘ war.

He claims RSOJOGO as a personal indemnity some millions on account of' - compensation - to- .the .. . proyinc.es hecomm:ndedii (which lost 150,€00 men in the r fight' against the Central Em'-' pires an<T Turkey),'- move millijOhs fori ' oil seized bv the British l authorities one 'hehalf of' the ■ Allies at Baku and, B) a ek 'Sea ports, and 60- millions for bank : deposits,-"which; hedeclares, w r ere seized by- ; the Allies; m , ■

In 1917, Bitoherakoff,- then a' Colonel, found himself on the shores of the Caspian' Sea ' with 600 officers. and 360 men-' Milder big command. He soon built up l on this skeleton force an aridy of 80,000 men, w'hich he used in fighting the-Central Empires and Turkey on the one side iand the Bolsheviks on the other. /

The .Bolsheviks confiscated his possessions, - whilst the White Russians for their part accused him of Socialist tendencies, and said that he ‘had simply: been, the tool of Britain. When in 1920 he claimed- reparation a® the diplomatic representative, pf the provinces he; had governed, the British Government'decided that he really represented oply : hi mstdf. He is now confident, however, that he can make good hi© claim,, which he hag instructed a lawyer to present here.