RUSSIA.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 January 1918, Page 5

RUSSIA.

FIERCE FIGHTING AT IRKUTSK. 6ETWEEX BOLSHEVIKS AND OTHERS. Received Jan. i, 5.5 p.m. Tokio. Jan. 1. Despatches frnm Harbin report fierce Hunting at Irkuisk, between the Bolsheviks and regulars, Cadets and Cossacks. The Bolsheviks w.UTiVred the l'rcneii consular agent and two other i'rencii residents. ' The town of Irkutsk is afinmc. The Maximalists are being reinforced from K<trshojursk. BOLSHEVIKS AND CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY. London, Jan. 1. The Petrograd correspondent of the Daily Express says the Bolsheviks are now inclined to'allow the-Constituent Assembly to meet on Wednesday. FRENCH SOCIALISTS NOT ALLOWED TO VISIT PKTROGRAD. Paris, Jan. 1. M. Clemcneeau received a delegation of Socialists, including M. Thomas, but refused a request to grant Socialists passports' for Tetrograd with the view of preventing n separate peace. M. Clamenceau added he did not doubt the Socialists' patriotism and good intention, but the situation in l'etrograd was too troubled. If passports were given many would assert that Frame was participating in the pourparlers with a viaw to peace, which was by no means in the Allies' mind in the absence of sarioua proposals from the enemy.

M. Cleraenceau said he had no reason to believe the Allies had changed their views since the Stockholm Conference. PREDICTION OF KERENSKY'S PRI*'*TE SECRETARY. Stockholm, Nov. 22. "No matter how dark the situation in Russia is to-day—and it is dark, indeed—it must not be forgotten that Russia is a country of unlimited possibilities,'' said Dr. David Soskiee, confidential secretary td A. F. Kerensky, the deposed Russian Premier, and his right-hand man, to-day to the American Associated Press correspondent.

"The Bols-heviki were in control of Petrogra'd and many other places when I left tlia capital on Friday," continued Dr. Spskice, "but they cannot maintain power. I consider four weeks the utmost length of time they can last. They have no support, except that which they have won by faU? promises. They :ire fe)-day saying to their adherents: - We have given you peace and land,' the decree on Friday declaring all the factories and workshops now the property of the workmen." Trie future Government, Dr. Soskics believes, will be a homogeneous, allSocialist, Government. In regard to whether the future Gov'ernment in Russia would be forced to conclude peace, Dr. Soskiee expressed the opinion that this would not be the case.

"But," he continued, "the future Gov-

ernment will have as one of the planks of its platform a demand that the Alii/s again state their war aims, and thus ent the ground from under the feet of tbe German militarists."