RUSSIAN CRISIS.

Taihape Daily Times, 18 March 1918, Page 5

RUSSIAN CRISIS.

JAPANESE INTERVENTION.

BELIEVED TO BE IMMINENT.

WASHINGTON, March 15.

It is unofficially stated that it is expected the Soviet at Moscow will agree to German terms, whereupon Japan will immediately announce her intention to intervene.

WHEN JAPAN WILL ENTER.

WASHINGTON, March 15.

It is announced that in order to strengthen her strategic position Germany has demanded the establishment of a new line seven miles east of the present Russian positions on the Pskoff front, and is also insisting that the Russians help ‘to '.desfroy the pillaging bands.

MONARCHISTS NEGOTIATING.

PARIS, March 16.

The “Matin” learns that the Monarchists in Russia are actively negotiating with Germany to restore the Monarchy, and nominate the CzareV aS a ru l er j with i three regents, intdmling the Grand Duke Michael. It is reported that the Monarchists inclnde Alexieff, Horniloff, Gutehkoff, Miliukoff, and Rodzianko. Negotiations are also proceeding with the monarch-, ists in the Caucasus a n,d Siberia. PETEOGRAD, March 16.

■ ■A. thousand delegates are attending the Soviet Congress at Moscow. The ratification of the German peace by a large majority. A preliminary meeting of the Bolshevik factions showed 453 favoured acceptance of the German terms,: while eight declined to vote.

PETEOGEAD PANIC-STRICKEN ,

PETEOGEAD, March 16.

The evacuation has become a panic There is tremendous' railway congestion, Thousands are leaving on foot. Many Britishers are stranded in the city. There are no vehicles, lighting or fuel, and the transit services .are reduced to the minimum. Trotsky, as Food Dictator, is constantly occupied in listening ta v frantic appeals from provincial deputations, who declare that the peasants, have now consumed the seed and are faced with absolute famine, Petrograd’s food difficulty is acute. All provision shops are closed. The uncleaned streets are heaping up vast masses of snow. From the horses which have died of starvation the buttocks have been slashed off by Tartars, who eat them minced and raw. The consumption of horsemeat is general, despite the appearance of glanders.' The result of Bolshevik legislation is apparent in the provinces, where the peasants are administering a ferocious lynch law. The whole village of Kazan turned out to see four peasants burned to death for a crime not stated. Four youths at Barnopol, in Siberia, were condemned for stealing, and three were publicly beheaded, and the fourth barbarously mutilated and tortured to death. At Zmievo, merchants were ordered to pay a hundred thousand roubles each, and those failing were thrown into the river like dogs, with stones attached te their neekff. The anal versa rv of the Revolution, was celebrated in Moscow quietly. The population, fearing anarchist and monarchist excesses, remained indoors.

IRISH AFFAIRS.

IRISH CLUB DINNER.

IRELAND’S PART IN THE WAR.

Received 11.30

LONDON, March 17. At the Irish Club dinner, Sir Thomas Mackenzie was* present. Mr. Thomas, member of the House of Commons, said he refused to separate Irishmen and women from the great struggle in which this nation was now engaged. The issues were so great and fundamental that no Englishman, Irishman, or Welshman, could remain neutral. Ireland’s future was involved, because war was settled on a democratic basis the only alternative was an armed Europe and an end to democracy and freedom.

STATEMENT BY JOHN DILLON.

Received 11.30.

LONDON, March 17,

Mr. John Dillon, the new National-, ist leader, replying to Inniskilling congratulations, (said his first step would be to tell England that her statesmen must cease talking about a League of Nations and pretending to carry on a war of defence for small nations unless she frees a nation groaning under her mismanagement for seven centuries. He hoped within the next few days Ireland would be allowed to know the result of the Convention. If a settlement was not reached the blame must rest on members or a certain section of them. If the Convention failed the Irish question would assume a formidable shape. Mr. Dillon asked the Sinn Feiners to drop their dangerous blu4 and unite with eheir fellow-country-men.

At the Irish Club Sir Thomas Mackenzie said he was never able to understand why the Dominion were entrusted with the management of their own affairs while the right was denied to Ireland.