RUSSIAN CRISIS.

Taihape Daily Times, 7 December 1917, Page 5

RUSSIAN CRISIS.

THE ARMISTICE MAY .SPREAD TO ROUMANIA. LONDON, Dec. 5. A German official report states that negotiations for an armistice are spreading- to the Koumanian troops. Renter's Agency learns that the British ar.my in Mesopotamia is in touch with Russian forces who are assisting their operations, showing that there is still some portion of the Russian army willing and able to fight. Tho Swedish Foreign Ministry denies the report that the Swedish Legation iu Petrograd is mediating in the Russo-German negotiations. AN EMPHATIC DENIAL. Received 10.50. LONDON, Dec 6. The Press Bureau states there is no truth whatever in the shameful Austrian official statement that the Roumanian troops have made overtures to the Austrian commander-in-chief for an armistice.

i HOW FRATERNTSATION WAS i RECEIVED. Received 10.50. LONDON, Dec 6. Roumanian Official.—Our artillery prevented enemy attempts at fraternisation in the region of Tsaleasiret. HIGH-HANDED BOLSHEVIKS PETROGRAD, December 5. Mr. Bourchier states that Trotsky, replying to a statement that negotiations were ordered nineteen hours be- ' fore Ambassadors were -informed of the Soviet's declaration, says the Soviet sufficiently informed tho Allies. They did not regard their views as important, and were guided, only by the principles of democracy and the interests of the workers of the world. They desired a general, not a separate peace. The Bolsheviks arrested many hostile journalists for alleged plotting. Other arrests of anti Bolsheviks are continuous. The remnant of the Provisional Govcrnpaent appealed to the army and citizens, to defend the Constituent Assembly and eject the usurpers stating that the armistice would lead only to ruin and economic slavery. THE VATICAN STANDS OUT. ROME, December 5. The Vatican is not assisting and will not assist in the separate peace movement between Russia and the Central Power. RUNNING RIOT. PETROGRAD, Dec. 5. The Bolsheviks have drafted a law abolishing church marriages and substituting civil -ceremonies; conferring equal rights to legitimates and illegitimates; providing, easy divorce; and permitting burials in consecrated ground without ceremony. Red Guards are leading a reign of terror. Arrests are apparently instituted as a pretext for plundering and looting the houses of the wealthy. The newspaper Novoe Vremya has been seized| ARMISTICE CONFERENCE OPENS.

RUSSIA AIMING AT GENERAL DEMOCRATIC PEACE. HUNS HAVE NO AUTHORITY TO DISCUSS PEACE. THEIR EVASIVE REPLIES. ARMISTICE PROLONGED FOR TWENTY-EIGHT DAYS. Received 10.50. LONDON, December 6. Russian official: The Armistice Conference opened on December 5, in the presence of military representatives of Germany, Austro-Hungary, Turkey and Bulgaria.| Our delegates made a declaration of their peace aims. The enemy delegates represented that these were questions for the politicians. They, as soldiers, were Only empowered to negotiate an armistice, and could add nothing to the declarations of Czcrnin and Kuhlmann. Our delegates, taking note of this evasive declaration, proposed immediately addressing to all belligerents and States unrepresented at the Conference a further proposal, for a general armistice. The enemy delegates replied evasively that they possessed no such powers. We proposed that they should ask their governments for authority. This was accepted, but a reply so "far has not been communicated. We proposed an armistice on all fronts and a retirement of the Germans from Moon Island. The enemy delegation proposed an armistice from the Baltic to the Black Sea. Our military experts are now examining this and negotiations were adjourned till to-morrow. ■ .. '•:«

The enemy, in rejecting our armistice, said demands us we formulated could only be addressed to a conquered country. Our delegates replied they were aiming at a general democratic peace on the basis established by the PanEussian Congress of Soviets. The enemy again evasively replied they wore authorised and could only negotiate with Eussia in view of the absence of the latter's allies. We replied we wished to draw all belligerents together to negotiate a general peace. The Germans agreed to a prolongation of the armistice to twenty-eight days, beginning from December 10th. Eeeeived 11.30. LONDON, December 6. We requested the next meeting to be held in Russian territory, with an interval of days in negotiating to enable our delegates to return to Petrograd. We insisted on the full publication of the proceedings in the Russian and German languages.