RUSSIAN CRISIS.

Taihape Daily Times, 23 February 1918, Page 5

RUSSIAN CRISIS.

ANOTHER REVERSAL. ULTIMATUM ACCEPTED. PETROGRAD, February 21. The Bolshevik Government accepted the German ultimatum by five to four. Lenin was the principal advocate of acceptance, declaring that peace was necessary in order to save the revolution. Trotsky favoured war, as the Germans in their advance were issuing proclamations urging that further resistance was futile. The Germans are trying to cut the Libau-Ramen railway. The Russian Red Guards and arc offering no opposition, retiring and leaving their ammunition and supplies behind them. The Turkish army has appeared in Trebizond. RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR IN LONDON. FIRED OUT BY HIS LANDLORD.| Received 9.10. LONDONN, Feb. 22. Litvinoff, the Bolsheviks' nominee as Russian Ambassador, has been ejected by his landlord from offices in Victoria Street, on the ground that he had not observed the clause providing for propaganda work. GERMANY'S DEMANDS INCREASED. BALTIC COAST AND FLEET. WANTED. Received 9.10 AMSTERDAM, February 22. Germany regards the proposals made at Brest Litivosk as annulled. It is believed that she is now determined to demand the whole Baltic coast, including possession of the Russian Baltic fleet. Germany has levied on Warsaw a fine of 150,000 marks" as a punishment for the recent disorders. JAPAN CLOSELY WATCHING EVENTS. ACTION MAY SHORTLY BE TAKEN. [„ i Received 9.10 ■■;-.', -■,. ~ TOKlO,'February 22. The menace of Petrograd is exciting the closest attention in view of the imminence of complete German domination of Russia, There is a special significance in the presence of Japanese warships at Vladivpstock. Japanese assistance has hitherto ben purely naval and financial, but it may shortly tako another form, because their contiuned advance will probably give the Germans control of fehe TransSiberian railway.

RUSSIANS ORDERED TO RESIST, GERMAN ADVANCE.

Received 9.10

LONDON, February 22

The Bolsheviks have issued a proclamation ordering the Russians to resist the Germans' advance.

BOLSHEVIK GOVERNMENT DISILLUSIONED.

IS THE AWAKENING TOO LATE?

LONDON, Feb 21

The "Daily Chronicle's" Petr.ograd correspondent says the Bolshevik Government, believing German soldiers would refuse to attack Revolutionary Russia, are surprised and alarmed by the German advance. The Government has decided to suspend demobilisation, and ordered tn"e retiring troops to destroy military stores. The front has ceased to exist owing to desertions and demoblisation, and any resistance will be in the nature of guerilla warfare. The Germans apparently intend to force an entrance to the Gulf of Finland and lan'd troops on the Finnish coast. A captured army order signed by Prince Loepold states that the object of the advance is not annexation, but the re-estab-lishment of order and the prevention of the spread of anarchism in Western Europe.

ALEXIEFF'S AMBITIOUS PLAN.

LONDON, Feb 21.

The "Times" Petrograd correspondent says General Alexieff has made an elaborate plan in conjunction with Generals Korniloff, Endel, MarEblf, and Deukven, to seize the railways and cut oft* all communications of Central a nd Northern Russia from the south, and make a clean sweep of the southern Bolsheviks. The Bolsheviks fear the superior discipline of General Alexieff's army and the ability of his large staff of officers. The results of the plan will ultimately depend on Alexieff getting sufficient artillery and munitions.