RUSSIAN CRISIS.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 13 September 1917, Page 5

RUSSIAN CRISIS.

REVOLUTION WORSE THAN WAR. KORNILOFF HAS GOOD BACKING. LONDON, Sept. 12. The “Daily MO.” states that special information from Russia says the Russians are more fired of revolutionary excesses, plunder and class-hatred than of the war. The Soviet chiefly consists of anarchists and syndicalists. Some members are known to be in German pay. Kerensky, is an honest visionary, afraid of the Soviet, which fears its own shadow. The cavalry and artillery may support Korniloff as well as the Cossacks. Food considerations arc likely to govern the German war policy in Courland and Lithuania, which are wheatloss. A quarter of the population of Conrland are believed to have died of starvation. STATEMENT BY KERENSKY. ADDRESSED TO ARMY OFFICERS.

LONDON, September 12. Wireless. —Kerensky has issued the following statement to superior officers everywhere: Acting in agreement with the Government and committees at the front, I have arrested General Denskin, together with the headquarters staff, also General Erdelli, who has broken the army’s obedience. Several of Erdelli’s staff have been arrested. Only small detachments, which Korniloff, through deception, is leading to Pctrograd, remain deluded regarding the position. Their advance has been arrested. Individual units, have sent delegations to Pctrograd, requesting the arrest of the commanders who betrayed th e Government. Energetic meas\iros arc being made to defend Pctrograd. I hope bloodshed and civil war may be avoided, I am receiving evidence of the loyalty of the troops and people in all provinces. Public organisations have announced their determination to support the Government. It is essential to the safety of the Fatherland that complete unity of action should be preserved. KERENSKY’S DILEMMA. PETROGRAD, Sept. 12. The “Retch” says Titlinkoff and Alexioff visited Kerensky and offered their services to avert civil war. Kerensky declined, to negotiate with the law-breaker, but said he would not object to the new Cabinet negotiating with Korniloff. At a private conference Kerensky and ex-Ministers agreed that Alexieff should be chief of such a Cabinet. but Kerensky eventually refused to entrust power to Alexieff and opened negotiations with the Soldiers and Workmen’s Committee. It is believed there will be stronger Socialist representations in the new Cabinet, where in Terestchenko and Nekrasoff are the sole non-Socialists retaining posts. KORNILOFF GAINING STRENGTH. LEADING GENERALS JOIN HIM PETROGRAD, Sept. 12. Newspapers state that Klcinbovsky, the new Generalissimo and Generals Denignc and Yalouyeff, respectively commanding the south-western and western fronts have joined Korniloff. STATEMENT BY KERENSKY. PEOPLES CAUSE WILL TRIUMPH. Received 11.30. PETROGRAD, Sept. 12. Kerensky has issued a statement that the internal situation is more serious than anticipated, but the Government unanimously favours decisive measures with people’s support. The Government has complete faith in the triumph of our’ cause. DICTATOR OR REBEL. AN AMERICAN PROPHECY. Received 11.30. WASHINGTON, Sept. 12. The New York World states that Korniloff is more likely to be known in history as a rebel than as a dictator KORNILOFF’S POLICY .DEFINED. Received 10.50. LONDON, September 12. The Daily Telegraph states that Korni’off has clearly defined his policy, including the elevation to the throne of the head of the Dolgorouk family, which is more ancient than that of the Romanoff. The widespread knowledge of an almost certain famine next year is paving the way for a dictatorship. The Food Controller is now invested in provisioning committees, largely composed of ignorant peasantry who are utterly incapable of judging the needs of the country, but are acting energetically and unselfishly.

COSSACKS SPEAK OUT. TOO MANY MILITARY COMMANDERS. Received 10.50. PETROGR AD,- Sept. 12. Kuban Cossacks arc protesting against the Government’s changes in military commands. Previous to Korniloff’s ultimatum, (they said, we had enough of these kaleidoscopic changes which serve only the interests of Germany as those .ij’os possible changes are aware. . COMEDY AND TRAGEDY. KORNILOFF AND KERENSKY MANOEUVRING. LONDON, Sept 12. The “Daily Telegraph’s” Fetrograd correspondent reports that on Monday Komiloff attempted a coup d’etat Hy asking the Government to fesign. He offered Kerensky the post of Minister of Justice. Kerensky indignantly rejected f&e proposal, which Prince Lvoff voicecl. A telephone conversation between Kerensky and Komiloff led to no more satisfactory result. Kerensky thereupon formed a Directory and appointed Alexieff commander-in-chief. Kerensky states he is assured oT support from Moscow and has force enough to quell possible disorders in the capital. Komiloff arrested General Verkhovsky, commander of Moscow, and several commissaries, who were at headquarters. The Directory arrested a number of leaders of the'antiSocialist party. KERENSKY MURDER REPORT PROBABLY A HUN CANARD. STOCKHOLM, Sept. 11. Reports of Kerensky’s murder emanate from Haparanda, in Sweden, close to the Russian border] Travellers state, that it occurred on Saturday night. The Government made every effort to suppress the news. It is not stated whether the Extremists or the Reactionaries are implicated. Petrograd is in a state of panic, momentarily expecting the arrival of Komiloff’s army and the commencement of bitter internecine fighting. Komiloff refused to resign, and is collecting all possible forces against both the Socialists and Germans. The Extremists are organising to fight the bourgeoisie and the militarists. The Russian Legion at Stockholm does not unconfirm the murder of Kerensky. ARGENTINE PROTEST. AGAINST SWEDISH INTRIGUE BUENOS AYRES, Sept. 11. A popular patriotic committee is organising a meeting to protest against the attitude of Swedish and German Ministers. The latter is in the interior, and his whereabouts is unknown His statement that the Argentine Goernment promised not to permit steamers to go beyond Las Palmas is ofeially denied. The Government accepted no German proposal on the subject of navigation from the Argentine. SWEDEN REPENTANT. COPENHAGEN. Sept. 11. An official statement says that messages by consent ar e frequently transmitted between neutrals in America and Germans in Sweden, and transmitted by cypher messages to the Argentine. The Swedish Government will inform Mr. Robert Lansing (American Secretary of Stated that if there lias been misuse of privileges it will prevent a repetition. If Great Britain and America desire cessation of such messages, Sweden will accede. SWEDEN’S NEUTRALITY INJURED. 1 " ~ ' THE POPULACE DEEPLY HUMILIATED. Received 9.15. STOCKHOLM, Sept. 12. M. Branting, in the Social Dcmoeratin, says the Swedish Foreign Office’s explanation entirely confirms the blind confidence and compromising readiness to serve Germany, and the Entente’s confidence in Swedish neutrality is injured. The affair is regarded throughout the country with a feeling of deep humiliation. ARGENTINE BREAKS WITH GERMANY. BERLIN MINISTER WITHDRAWN. Received 10.50. BUENOS AYRES, Sept. 12 It is believed the Government is withdrawing th e Minister from Berlin and dismissing Luxbnrg. Another message states Luxburg has been handed his passports. A

KILLING NO MURDER. A WHITE SLAVER’S FATE. LONDON, September 11. The trial of Lieutenant Douglas Malcolm, of the Field Artillery, charged with the murder of Anton Baumberg, otherwise known as Count Deborch, was concluded to-day. For the prosecution it was admitted that Deborch seduced Malcolm’s beautiful young wife while he was absent at the front. Malcolm returned and discovered the intrigue. He thrashed Deborch and pleaded with his wife to give up Deborch, but she refused, saying that she loved him. Malcolm challenged Deborch to a duel but the challenged was not accepted. Malcolm subsequently shot Deborch then lit a cigarette and walked a cross the street to a policeman, to whom he surrendered saying: “I did it for my honour.” The prosecution said that the unwritten law had never boon pleaded in a British court, and he hoped it would not be pleaded now. Sir John Simon, defending Malcolm, elicited the fact that Deborch was well known to the police as a white slaver. He had lived in London with a German spy, variously known as Baroness Veremberg, and Mrs. Meyer, who was subsequently shot in France. Malcolm was acquitted. The public cheered and demonstrated for five minutes, the officials being powerless j to check the cheering, which also extended to the crowds outside the court. VON BISSING DEAD. TYRANT RESPONSIBLE FOR MUR- , DEE OF MISS CAVELL. It was announced recently that Von Bissing, the notorious Governor of Belgium wa’s in ill-health and that the Kaiser had appointed Von Zwehl, the Governor of Antwerp, to take his place. A few hours later the news came to London that Von Bissing was dead. The dead tyrant of Belgium will live in history as the murderer of Miss Cavell. It may be argued by his apologists (if any) that the crime was one of “incidence of judgment.” or that it was 'actually committed by other officers than the Governor himself; but, under the Kaiser, he was the man responsible. In fact, Von Bissing caused to be published a long explanation of the case, in which he tried to justify the carrying out of the death sentence, though he had to admit that Nurse Cavell was no spy, but only helped men to escape. “I do not see why the woman’s death should cause hysteria in_ America,” he said. “In England, yes; there are many hysterical persons in England, and England is at war with, Germany. ’” ’ ONE OF (WAR’S TRAGEDIES. AN UNEXAMPLED BEREAVEMENT. Four brothers killed at the front; fathe*iu-iaw and cousin killed also; and now -wife and two children —the whole family—killed in the Folkestone air raid. Such is th e tragic history of Corporal G. W. Moss, a young Canadian soldier, as told in the following letter to the Daily Mall: Sir, —At the front w e have read of cunning Cuthbert, coodled consciences, and soulless strikers until we have become sick at heart. Let the whole Empire hear of a young Canadian who has just been in my billet and is leaving for England to-night. Corporal G. W. Moss, of the Canadians, enlisted in Canada on 'August 8, 1914. Ho was sent with the first batch of Canadians to the front. He has been through the whole campaign, has been twice wounded, and three times back to the front from England. He is on e of five brothers. The other font have all given their lives on the field of honour, and his cousin and father-in-law have fallen also. Now, to crown everything, the corporal ’s wife and two young children — the whole family —have been killed in the great air raid in England. He has lost all, yet to-night stands calm and resigned in his confidence in the righteousness of our cause and in the guiding hand of God. The corporal’s C.O. is a brick and has done all that a father could have done for him, and wc shall look eagerly to see what the Empire has to say to one of its truest sons, whose father and mother, bereaved of all their own children, are anxiously watching day by day in Canada. Before the war Corporal Moss was a captain in the Canadian Salvation Army, and his great desire is to become a chaplin.