RUSSIA.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 February 1917, Page 5

RUSSIA.

SEVERE FIGHTING AT JACOBENI. I NIGHT AND DAY STRUGGLE. RUSSIANS FORCED TO RETREAT. Wireless, per Admiralty Press. Received Feb. 15, 5.45 p.m. London, Feb. 14. Russian, Official.—The Germans, after it bombardment with chemical shells, penetrated the trenches southward of Drisvot Late, but were driven out. Strong German forces on Monday made attacks on both sides of the JacobeniKimpolung road, and occupied a height eastward of Jacobeni. An all-night battle resulted in dislodging the enemy, who, on Tuesday, renewed the struggle, and after an all-day battle they captured two heights eastward of Jacobeni. •We withdrew two-thirds of a mile, and consolidated our position.

LABOR DELEGATES' LOYALTY

DISTRUSTED BY PREMIER, POYS OF 18 CALLED UP. ' ' Petrograd, Feb. 14. i. correspondent, commenting on the arrest of the leaders of tlhe Moderate Labor organisations on a charge of revolutionary conspiracy, states, that the Premier and a majority of the Cabinet favored workmen's representation on tie Central Munitions Board. M. iProtopopoff disagreed, revived the talk of revolution, and sent the police to raid the leaders' houses, where tliev are alleged to have found documents disclosing a secret organisation controlling ptrikes. The correspond<|it adds that the Russian Labor movement has hitherto not been revolutionary, and the strikes have not interfered with the production of munitions, but M. Protopopoff has also instituted an intense censorship, and banished leading writers from Petrograd. The arrest of members of the Munitions Committee is attributed to M. Protopopoff, who is already announced no believe that all public bodies in Russia are animated by revolutionary ideas. It is understood the majority of the Ministers, including the Premier, Prince Golitzin, favor official recognised representatives of Labor. M. Protopopoff, being in a minority, instituted a midnight raid to test the loyalty of the Labor delegates, and discovered incriminating documents, indicating a secret organisation which was #hen directing strikes. The policy of the repression of Labor is likely ito interfere #ith the production of munitions and the distribution of- food, in which the unions have beet co-operat-ing .with the authorities. There are indications that M. Protopopoff is introducing a censorship of all newspapers. Russia has called up the 1897-1898 classes, meaning a million new effectives.

MESOPOTAMIA.

AJT OFFICIAL REFOBT, JJeSopotamia, Official.—We made a direct ihit on the enemy bridge at Shumran, and sank some shipping. We resumed the advance on Sunday on the right bank of the Tigris, and drove lack the enemy to the last line of trenches in the bend westward of Kut. VfS established our line in the evening tcross the hend from bank to bank on A frontage of 5600 yards, completely {tesuaiag in the enemy.