A RUSSIAN RESURRECTION.

Taihape Daily Times, 15 June 1918, Page 4

A RUSSIAN RESURRECTION.

The dead armies of Russia have evidently been resurrected and revivified to a stage at which they can no longer be regarded as negligible. The heavy pall over Slavdom is lifting and glints of light and sunshine are observable here and there, but not even those who have remained optimistic about Russia through all its dark days could scarcely have been prepared for the cheering news that came yesterday. About three or four months ago five hundred American experts were despatched to Siberia for some undetailed purpose. It was thought that Japan and America had decided upon some action in that quarter, .one expected the accomplishment qfj an organisation of Russian force such as warranted its

recognition by British, and other Allied governments. Tho Britisn Minister for Foreign Affairs has publicly intimated that the Czcch-Slovak movement has been recognised by thty Allies and a British liason officer is to be attached to the Czech-Slovaks army. The Czech-Slovaks if well organised and officered, constitute a force that even Germany would not now be able to counter, It is numbered in millions and is as threatening in Austro-Hungary as it is in various parts of Russia. It was reported that an army of sixty-five thousand had been formed and equipped in Austria and that more were deserting from the Austrian army and joining it. With the assistance of Italy this army is doubtless much better fed than it is possible to foedbtho Austrians, and as the Czech-Slov&k-l? longstanding grievance against the Magyars now has some chance of being settled they have decided to strike for freedom from Magyar domination. The growth of this movement will probably minimise to an extreme Italian fear of an Austrian offensive of any great and distressing magnitude. Then, CzechSlovak uprisings are .rife in many parts of Siberia; huge armies have been organised from the prisoners taken by Russia in the earlier days of the war, and these armies are fighting Bolsheviks and Germans with a considerable degree of success. There is little doubt about a large majority of the Russian people flocking to the standard hoisted by the Czech-Slovaks so soon as it becomes obvious that they constitute a force able to stem Bblshevik murdbr and German robbery. Bolsheviks and Czech-Slovaks are also fighting in the Ukraine and other parts of European Russia with remarkable and significant success. The newly recognised Czech-Slovaks are capturing important towns and destroying railway systems by which Bolsheviks, Germans and Magyars receive their supplies. Where the new force is getting the equipment to constitute it such a menace to German occupation of Russia and to the enslavement of the Russsan people by Germany is now. discovered Sn the fact that they are officially recognised by Britain and her Allies. This new phase of the Russian question adds to the importance of Germany striving for something decisive so desperately on the West front. There are distinct evidences that the Allies are organising serious trouble for Germany in all quarters.