RUSSIA’S INTERNAL AFFAIRS

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 7 May 1917, Page 5

RUSSIA’S INTERNAL AFFAIRS

RUSSIA'S ALLEGIANCE, V THE DISLOYAL COMMITTEE. GOVERNMENT WILL NOT BETRAY ALLIES. PETROGRAD, May 4. The Committee of Workers and Soldiers delegates is gravely dissatisfied with the Note which the Provisional Government has addressed the Allied Powers, promising to carry on the war to a victorious end, and not make a separate peace, A Pinnish infantry regiment demonstrated outside the Mars Palace, demanding the resignation of M. Miliukoff, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and M. Gutchkoff,, Minister of War and the Navy. Other labour demonstrations making similar demands aroused energetic counter demonstrations in favour of the Government point of view. A sitting of the Provisional Government and the Committee of the Workers-' and Soldiers’ delegates was immediately summoned. During the sitting M. Miliukoff apjreared on the balcony of the palace, and in the course of a dramatic midnight address to an excited crowd in the Square, said: “The Government is hot going to allow Russia to betray her allies. Russia will never consent to a separate peace. ”

The ‘ ‘ Telegraph’s ’ ’ correspondent at Petrograd states that disquieting news has come from Helsingfors, where there are serious strikes due to the work of German spies.

SOLDIERS’ AND WORKMEN’S ATTITUDE.

VOTE OP CONFIDENCE IN THE

GOVERNMENT,

PETROGRAD, May 5. The executive of the Workmen’s and Soldiers’ delegates, by 34 to 19, accepted as satisfactory the explanation by the Provisional Government on M. Miliukoff’s note. The Council of Workmen and Soldiers’ delegates, consisting of 2500 members, voted confidence in the Provisional Government by a majority of thirty-five. The Duma meets to-day for the first time since the revolution. The streets on Saturday were filled with excited crowds discussing the situation. The majority denounced the- pacifist agitation. Suddenly a band of so-called Leninists, who are pacificist and ' anti-Government, marched on to Nevsky Prospect. A collision occurred, partisans of the Government, including many soldiers and Leninists, fired rifles. Several on the other side were killed and wounded. The Leninists finally dispersed. The streets were picketed. LONDON, May <5. The “Morning Post’s” Petrograd correspondent states: The German policy in regard to Russia’s internal development has notably changed. The Germans apparently regard the Stokhod attack as a psychological mistake, despite a Russian army corps being wiped out, because it consolidated the army and checked the growth of revolutionary principles therein. The German attack on Pet-

rograd may be regarded as postponed for the present, in the hope that the v political ferment will produce a more favourable situation later. Meanwhile a best of German .agents are working /for the same end. The Anglo-French activity on the Western front is a contributing factor to Germany’s inactivity in the East. Already she has withdrawn seventeen divisions. In any case, Russi?_will not he caught unawares on 'rife, despite the political ferment, becStee the belated thaw is causing exce*janal floods, rendering operations impracticable on the several fronts.

GREAT PRO-ALLY DEMONSTRATIONS. SPEECH BY BRITISH AMBASSADOR Received 9.30. PETROGRAD, May (i. In consequence of a further collision of the Leninists and soldiers, the executive of the ’Workmen’s and Soldiers ’ Delegates has forbidden meetings and demonstrations, and asked that no further soldiers be sent to the capital without a written request from the delegates. Great pro-Ally demonstrations were held on Friday outside the Anglo-French-ftalian embassies.

The British Ambassador, in a speech, outlined Britain’s efforts in the war, saying her only object was the solemn vindication of right and justice, and called upon the Russians to support the Government, which was a sincere defender of the .people’s interests.

GERMAN PEACE AGENTS. ENTER RUSSIAN ARMY. PETROGRAD, May 5. General Brussiloff warned the armies that German parlemcntaires were entering the Russia lincts, (osteite;, bly on peaceful missions, and added; —“Several of these have been made prisoners. They confessed to acting on instructions to inspect the Russian lines, and to learn the dispositions and strength of the Russian forces.

INCIDENTS OF THE WAR. SENSATIONAL FRAUDS IN ITALY PSEUDO-COUNT ARRESTED. Received 9.25. ROME, May 6. A sensation lias boon caused by the arrest of a Pseudo-Count named Cortesc an ex-army officer and journalist, in connection with collosal frauds. Ho amassed a fortune by selling war material in Italy during the Tripolitan and present wars. He then started a gigantic theatrical trust and combined leading newspapers, surrounding himself with the leading Italian nobility, and resembling prominent piedmonteso capitalists, secured by means of forgeries with the assistance of two individuals vast credits from financial houses. Commendatorc Manfrcdini, head director of the Bank of Rome, has been arrested as an accomplice, also Coresc’s legal advisers. Cortesc’s personal debts exceed a quarter of a million sterling. AN EXTRA-ORDINARY AFFAIR. BLEEDING A MILLIONAIRE. Received 9.25. LONDON, May (i. An extraordinary ease is reported of the American millionaire, James Slater, aged 56, who came to France a year ago, with a young Dutch woman, and lived in a Chateau, where she imprisoned him in a summer house, a subjected him to most cruel treatment. She recently married a chauffeur at Paris and forced Slater to sign cheques for several million francs. They were arrested on charges of swindling.

ENGINEERS AND THE WAR. AN AGREEMENT REACHED. Received 9.30. LONDON, May 6. As a result of Mr. Arthur Henderson’s conferences with delegates of the Amalgamated Engineers’ Union, an agreement has been reached in connection with the schedule of protected occupations. It is officially announced that adequate protection of skilled men and apprentices will be secured. The delegates undertake to urge that there will be no stoppage of work.