RUSSIA.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 November 1917, Page 5

RUSSIA.

CHAOTIC CONDITIONS.

PILLAGE, MURDER, AND VICE BAMPANT. (London, Nov. ft. The Petrojrffid correspondent of the Morning Post states that it is time to tell the truth, about the conditions. Whole regions of European [Russia arc terrorised by armed bands known a*i ffovarisci, who are laying waste the countryside;. Horses and cattle are slaughtered, and the. carcases ,are left rotting in ' the fields, breadstult's are deliberately set alight, and spirit stores burnt.; Tho peasantry have joined the bands to share in the piling"'. Debauches of drunkenness are alarmingly increasing,,; and. thousands are drinking methylated spirit ; others are instituting, private, stills.

At Moscow tli?.. revolt In 1905 fizzled out in a, pandemonium of drink and vice, and it looks as if the Petrograd revolt were doing the same thing. The Tovarisei are wearing the uniforms of soldiers, but acting like professional criminals. Several hundred robberies' with violence are reported at Petrograd daily, though many sufferers do not trouble to lodge complaints. Murders are committed with impunity in numbers bevond estimate.

Gangs of Tovarisei openly and in daylight rob houses and shops, currying off the proceeds on motdr lori-ies. Yesterday a score of Tovarisei held up a main thoroughfare and robbed every passer of money and valuables. Occasionally the crowd lynches a few robbers. All the shops are clearing their goods into the cellars, and private houses are barricading the lower floors. As Germany is exporting into Russia arms and agents capable of becoming leaders the revolt is not strange. Petrograd is in a perpetual state of alarm and confusion. TEXTILE WORKERS STRIKE. Received Nor. 7, 10 p.m. Petrograd, Nov. fl. Three hundred thousand textile workers in Moscow have struck, DESIRE FOR PEACE. Petrograd, Nov. fl. At the meeting of the preliminary Parliament General f'kohelcfl', who represents the Russian democracy at the forthcoming Allies' Conference, admitted that the army was in a sad state and urged the Allies to invite the enemy to discuss peace. M. Terostcjicnko, Foreign Minister, declared that the anarchy in Russia was growing worse. The whole .vorld desired peace. It" must be a. peace without annexations, but Russia would not accept apy sort of peace. WILD PEACE RUMORS. Amsterdam, Nj-iv G. The wildest rumors of an early peace are being circulated at Berlin. Tt is stated that Dr. Hertling's maiden speech in the Reichstag on November 22 will contain a proposal for holding a preparatory peace conference at delegates. The Vossische Zeitnng states that now is the time for Germany to goffer easy peace terms to Russia, and Italy. They must see that England is unable to help them and that, only the Central Powers can ilve their food difficulties. SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN GERMANY. Some, Nov. 6. Telegrams from Berne show that the efforts to evoke enthusiasm in Germany by bell-ringing and flags in celebration of the invasion of Italy ended in disappointment. People realise that it is likelier to prolong the war than to bring peace. Many declare that the succesß in Italy does not balance the reverses in the west, also that the masses of guns employed in Italy would be more useful on the west front. THE 'PASSING OP AUTOCRACY. New York, Nov. 0. Herr Erzeberger, leader of the Roman Catholic Centre iParty, announces that Germany has already changed from an autocracy into a democracy.