RUSSIA.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 December 1917, Page 5

RUSSIA.

ARMISTICE CONDITIONS. ENTENTE NAVIES AFFECTED. SEVEN COMMISSIONERS APPOINTED London, Dec. 18. The text of the armistice has been published at Vienna, The armistice extends from noon on December 19 to noon on January 14, and applies to the Eusso-Turkish theatres in Asia. Troops on the present fronts will not bo strengthened nor transferred unless the transfers had already begun at the time of signature. It prescribes conditions for the development of fraternisation. Intercourse will be permissible between sunrise and sunset at certain ptaccs where not more than 25 persons may assemble simultaneously. The exchange of newspapers and letters and the sale of goods is permitted. The armistice applies to the naval and aurial forces in the Black Soa and Baltic Attacks on merchantmen and warships will cease as far as possible. The Russian Government undertakes to guarantee that the naval forces of the Entente in these waters behave similarly to those of Russia. Seven armistice commissions shall meet at Riga, Ovinsk, Brest Litovsk, Berditchev, Kolosdvar, Foesani, and Odessa to carry out the details. GERMANS DUMPING GOODS. FOOD WANTED IN EXCHANGE. London, Dec. 18. The Petrograd correspondent of the Morning Post states that the Germa_ns are commencing to flood Russia with their manufactures already, and trading commenced on The fighting front. The Germans are bartering their manu> factures for foodstuffs on a large scale. INITIATING A GENERAL PEACE. UKRAINE THREATENED WITH WAR. UNLESS SUPPORT OF KALEDIN RENOUNCED. Reuter Service. S Received Dec. 10, 8.30 p.m. Petrograd, Dee, 18. Dr. von Kuehlmann (Foreign Minister) and. Count Czernir. telegraph that they will arrive at Brest Litovsk to-morrow. They invite Trotsky to join them in order to initiate a general peace. The Maximalist newspaper Pravda announces that Maximalist commissioners have sent the Ukraine Rada a fortyeight /hours' ultimatum, declaring that unless the Rada renounces all further attempts to support Kaledin, the Maximalists will declare war on Ukraine. . AN INDEPENDENT PERSIA. PROVIDED FOR IN ARMISTICE. Received Dec. 19, 11.15 p.m. London, Dec. 18.

An additional clause of the armistice provides for an early military withdrawal from Persia, to the principle of freedom and independence of a neutral Persia.

AUTOCRACY OP BOLSHEVIKS. Now York, Dec. IS. The Petrograd correspondent of the New York Sun interviewed M. Trotsky, who said that the Bolsheviks were the sole powerful party in Russia. They were absolute masters and would rule Russia as they liked. Millions of the peace decrees would .be dropped in the German trenches and distributed in England, France, and Italy. Kerensky was a coward The Bolsheviks would win because they were audacious,