RUSSIAN CRISIS.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 21 September 1917, Page 5

RUSSIAN CRISIS.

GERMANY PLANNING NAVAL ATTACK. WITH ITS BALTIC FLEET. Received 8.45. NEW YORK, Sept 20. The Herald's Loudon correspondent says it is believed in well informed circles that Germany is planning a quick stroke with the Baltic Fleet against the Russians before ice forms. DASH ON PETROGRAD UNLIKELY. LONDON, Sept 20. The Morning Post's Petrograd correspondent says the public is calmer regarding the possibility of a German dash on Petrograd this Jear which would require half a million men. This is improbable, but the Germans are making strenuous efforts to raise anothef~army. Garrison s in the interior of Germany have been replaced by Turks, who are cheaper to feed and more reliable to deal mercilessly with internal disorders. It is believed Germany intends to use the new army to secure Russia's rich black earth zone. An eye-witness states that when the Russians abandoned Riga, the Letts, armed with knives, invaded the richer quarters. They went from house to house and slaughtered Germans without exception. When the German army entered they sought out the guilty parties and shot 800. A significant fact is that Riga merchants had been bringing in vast quantities of goods before the German occupation.

FRATERNISING WITH ENEMY. GOVERNMENT PROSECUTING OFFENDERS. PETROGRAD, Sept 19. The Government has ordered the prosecution of Socialists and soldiers for fraternising with" the enemy and refusing ty obey their officers' orders. Some soldier s have bSen sentenced to ten years' hard labour. Received 11.25. PETROGRAD Sept 20. M. TerestchenEo has been appointed Deputy-Premier, and ~M. Nekrassof Governor-General of Finland, in succession to M. Sta"kbovitch, who has resigned on account of ill-health. GERMANS DRIVEN BACK IN RIGA REGION. WASHINGTON Sept 20 Advices from the Russian Embassy state that the Russians have resumed the offensive on the Riga front, and have forced the Germans to evacuate several villages. General Alexieff, the successor to General Korniloff, is handling the army well. The new Russian advance is interpreted to mean that the army supports Kerensky's Government, also that there will be most vigorous fighting later, when the army is reoijganised. It is believed some German units have been withdrawn to aid the Austrians to meet the Italian offensive. THE POLISH LEGION REVOLT. BERNE, Sept 20. The recent trouble in Poland aros|s from the transfer of the Polish Legion to the Austrian front. Revolts broke out at Przemysl. Two regiments were disbanded and the officers and men were transferred to the Austrian army. The legion is now commanded by an Austrian. GERMANS SPREAD FALSE REPORTS. LOYAL RUSSIAN SOLDIERS ATTACK OFFICERS. Received 12.10. NEW YORK Sept 20. The United Press Stockholm correspondent states that German agents at Viborg spread false reports that General Vassiloff, commander-in-chief in Finland, refused Kerensky's requests to send troops to quell the Korniloff rebellion. The infuriated loyal soldiers attacked the officers, threw ten (including Vassiloff) into the river, shot them dead, and decapitated and hanged others. A reign of terror existed until the soldiers realised that Kerensky's request had been honoured. GENERAL CABLES SIR THOMAS MACKENZIE. LONDON, September 20. Sir Thomas Mackenzie has returned from the front. He was delighted with the New Zealanders, whom he found in good heart. He was specially struck by the medical and nursing arrangements.