RUSSIA.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 31 July 1917, Page 5

RUSSIA.

“THE LEGION OF DEATH.”

WOMEN FIGHTERS IN RUSSIAN

ARMY,

ONE THOUSAND DRILLING IN PETROGRAD.

Received 10.10,

NEW YORK, July 30

Mr. Shepherd, the United Press correspondent at Petrograd, has interviewed members of the “Legion of Death I” Each woman soldier carries cyanide of potassium-, to. be swallowed in the event of capture. Women anU girls from comfortable homes and schools describe charging amidst bursting shells. One hospitalled girl said: “I lunged at a German —’twas his life or' mine— plunged the bayonet into his body and fired. He dropped dead; I took his hat as a souvenir. At first it was awful to hear girls yelling and shouting as they charged, but we soon forgot our fear. When we surrounded a'bunch of Germans they cried: ‘Good Goa, women!’ The Germans threw down rifles and surrendered.” Mr. Shepherd saw a thousand girls drilling in Petrograd, and soon are to go to the front. Stalwart bands are training at Kieff and Odessa. Kerensky has authorised women’s marine detachments, which are forming. THE SITUATION IMPROVING. PETROGRAD, July 30. Korniloff’s wholesale execution of deserters is producing a salutory effect. Some improvement is noted in the Eleventh Army. Kornilof has ordered, to the Army between August Ist and 13th.

Kerensky, Korniloff, Brusiloff, Alexieff, Russky and Gurko are now conferring at headquarters. The greatest importance is attached to the decisions the announcement of which is eagerly awaited. Kerensky goes to Moscow forthwith. FURTHER ENEMY GAINS. « LONDON, July 30. Russian coihmunique.—ln Galicia, an enemy attack in the Quest region was repulsed. The enemy’s advanced elements approached south of Tarnopol. We were .forced to evacuate our lines west of Gossiatine (on the eastern border of Galicia.) Tlic enemy, occupied Jassienowvoolny and Toporovce, west, of Zalestchiki and drove back our elements in the Carpathians a little eastward in the region of the Mount Tomnatik sector, north-east of Kirlibaba. .

PETROGRAD, July 29

There is every prospect of the satisfactory formation of a National Ministry.

The Minister of Justice is drafting a law abolishing class privileges, bureaucratic grades and civil decorations. A REMARKABLE STORY. LONDON, July 29. Mr. Wilton, in a remarkable cable from the Russian headquarters on the 27th, says that a prisonered German officer boasted on the 2nd that the Germans were preparing a bold stroke in conjunction with agents in Petrograd. The Armies in Russia would run and the Germans would have a walk over. Lenin’s agents, before the news of the Petrograd crisis reached headquarters, spread reports that the soldiers and Maximilists controlled the Government and that the war was over. The execution of the German plan became simple. It struck at the most sensitive point. At tlie moment Korniloff was superseding Gutor in the south-western command, the . Sixth Grenadier Division deserted wholesale and fled, exposing the right flank of the Seventh Army Korniloff had eight divisions in reserve, but th e staffs of the armies were left in the wark. Korniloff had to go to Stanislau and transfer the command of the Eighth Array to Chcremisof. It was the 22nd before the information was available. Mr. Wilson joined a transport and British aviation section at Podgsice. The officers managed to remove the planes and material under the full blast of the Russian panic. Wilton and the transport officers fought their way with sticks and revolvers, got ahead of the rout and placed lorries across the roads and stemmed the panic. Later, a town, from which, the enemy were fifty miles away, saw a man on a horse yelling "The Germans cavalry are behind. Save yourselves.” Indescribable confusion ensued, a multitude of deserters on transport cars, lorries and ambulances racing east. The mas was arrested and proved to be a German spy. The British sections at Kanawa fought gallantly, covering the retreat_ Selivachof, commanding the Seventh Army, states that they delay: ed the Germans twenty-four hours. They fought a series of rear-guard actions and lost many cars, some being abandoned because deserters swarmed aboard. Mr. Wilton adds: Korniloff is executing deserters wholesale.

TRAITORS COMING TO A.HALT. SHAME TAKING POSSESSION, _________ fO LONDON, July 30. The “Daily Telegraph's” Petrograd correspondent says there are signs of change in the temper of the retreating troops. The panic is beginning to Subside and a sense of shame is rising. Units which were recently in headlong flight are entrenching and preparing to resist.