RUSSIAN CRISIS.

Taihape Daily Times, 10 December 1917, Page 5

RUSSIAN CRISIS.

AN OMINOUS REPORT*

GERMANY TO REORGANISE RUSSIA.

Received 9 a.m

AMSTERDAM, Dec. 9

It is reported the German Governmetn is preparing to send all army of organisers to Russia to take over fhe food and other supplies, and control of railways, expecting to obtain lavish supplies of fat for Germany.

RUSSIAN MAXIMALIST PROPAGANDA.

RESENTED BY GERMANY.

Received 9

PETROGRAD, Dec. 9

Germany has warned Russian aviators distributing Maximalist proclamations that they will be shot if captured.

AUSTRIA RELEASING RUSSIAN PRISONERS,

Received 9. LONDON, December 9.

It .is reported the Aust'rians' tare releasing Russian prisoners, chiefly those captured in Galicia in 1916, furnished with ample funds, food, clothes and abundant pacifist literature ANTI-BOLSHEVIK ELEMENTS . HOPEFUL. WHEN KALEDIN AND KORNILOFF UNITE. Received 9. WASHINGTON December 9. The Russian Embassy learns that the Anti-Bolshevild dTcmert(ts in fhe Caucasus and so\ith are hopeful of success. It is believed Kaledin and Korniloff will shortly unite and control half-a-milliou Cossacks, when they will attack the Bolsheviks.

Received 9.45.

FINNISH REPUBLIC CONSTITUTED

STOCKHOLM, Dec 9.

The Finnish Diet has adopted a bill constituting Finland a republic. The election of a President for the quinquenniam has been fixed for the fifteenth January, President to be inaugurated in April, the Premier acting as President in the interval. FRANCE'S ATTITUDE TO BOLSHEVIKS. SIBERIA'S LOYAL ACTION. KERENSKY ELECTED TO CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY.

Received 10.20.

PETROGRAD, Dec 9.

Kerensky has been elected a member of the Constituent Assembly for Saratoff.

The French Embassy intimates that France will * only recognise the Constituent Assembly, alone is able to express the Russians' will. France will not sever all relations with Russia, if even the latter enter into a separate peace, inasmuch as war material for Roumania must still traverse" Russia.

According to reports the Peasants' Council has eighty-six members of the Constituent Assembly elected, of whom forty-seven are Socialists, 24 Maximalists, and 15 Bourgeois. STOCKHOLM, Dec 9.

Siberia refuses to send bread or corn to European Russia, save to those troops actively opposing the Germans. BOLSHEVIKS IN A DILEMMA. GERMANY'S HUMILIATING TERMS TRYING TO SHIFT RESPONSIBILITY TO ALLIES. Received 10.20. , LONDON, Dec 9. The Daily Chronicle's correspondent says Bolsheviks are in a dilemma. Their proposals for a peace without annexations and indemnities evoked German terms so humiliating for Russia that the Bolshevik delegation refrained from further pourparlers pending fresh instructions. The news so depressed the Bolsheviks headquarters that they sought to delay negotiations by advancing unacceptable proposals relating to the non-transfer of troops to other fronts and the evacuation of Moon Sound. Their latest invitation to the Allies to participate in the negotiations is simply an attempt to shift to the Allies the responsibility for the situation. The Bolsheviks' difficulty is that, even if the Allies responded, it is nowise certain the Germans were prepared to conclude an armistice with England or France in view of Hindenburg's declaration Germany had no cause to forego submarining.