RUSSIA.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 February 1918, Page 5

RUSSIA.

BROKEN UP. BREST LITOVSK PEACE PROCEEDINGS. Received Feb. 7, 930 p.m. London, Feb. 7. The Exchange Telegraph's correspondent at Petrograd reports that peace negotiations at Brest Litovsk have brokon up. The Central Powers decline to modify their fundamental terms or 'to allow Russian delegates to visit Moscow and Vilna. Copenhagen, Feb- 0. Private messages state that the Russian delegates have left Brest Litovsk. A SANGUINARY CONFLICT. SOLDIERS AND MOB RUN AMUCK. Received Feb, 7, 830 p.m. London, Feb. 6. A most critical and sanguinary conflict occurred on Sunday night at Vosnesensky Prospect, the result of looting a wine and spirit store. The soldiers joined the. mob, and all became drunk and commenced shooting one another until armored cars and machine-guns dispersed the mob, after 120 had been killed- The bodies were heaved into the icebound canal, BOLSHEVIKS AND ORTHODOX CHURCH.

DECREE ISSUED SEPARATING CHURCH FROM STATE. London, Feb. 6. Tlie Daily Chronicle's Petrograd correspondent says that the Bolsheviks are now up against the Russian Orthodox Church. Prior to October the revolutionaries and churches disregarded each other. The Church then elected, a patriarch named Tikhon, formerly Metropolitan of Moscow, replacing the ex-Czar as the Church's nominal head. The Bolsheviks began a propaganda ultimately aiming at the Church's complete extinction. An anti-religious agitation was started in villages on a pretext of counteracting the anti-revolutionary activities of priests, and church lands were

declared common property. The Ministry of Public Welfare a few days ago annexed the Alexandronevsky Lavra in Petrograd, one of the most important and wealthiest of the monasteries in Russia, converting all the buildings except the churches into homes for the aged and infirm. This action resulted in free, fights in the Lavra grounds between the monks and the Red Guards. The latter remain in occupation of the monastery, whose buildings and property are the size of a small city. Many religious protest processions tire expected in Petrograd, and bloodshed is predicted. The Bolsheviks issued a decree separating the Church from tho State, declaring complete freedom of conscience, forbidding religious teaching in schools, and declaring that religious bodies were incapable of owning property. The doings of four anarchist parties are attracting attention. The anarchists in Petrograd dress entirely in black and are always armed. It is predicted that the anarchists will shortly assert themselves. A bomb exploded in an anarchist club on Sunday, wounding eleven. • Mr. Ransorae Writes from Petrograd that an immense anti-Bolshevik religious procession was held on Monday. The priests were clad in gold, green, silver and purple robes, each church being represented by a'cluater of rich banners and a group of ikons. The Bolsheviks wisely kept the Red Guards off the streets, and thus trouble was avoided. The'day passed quietly. Pood difficulties in Petrograd are acute. Many trains bringing food have been held up and looted by armed robbers, The peasants are disinclined to sell flour and produce and prices are soaring. A chicken realises 265, a small hare 30s, potatoes 2s 6d per lb., butter almost unobtainable at 24s per b., and sugar 14s per lb. Under these conditions it is not surprising that crime .and typhus are spreading together. REORGANISATION OF NAVY.

ON ANGLO-AMERICAN LINES. Petrograd, Feb. 6. Under the new decrees the supreme command of the army is vested in the Council of Commissaries. The naval conference decided to reorganise the navy on Anglo-American lines, with a maximum personnel of 42,000, and to pay sailors and officers j alike 160 roubles monthly. LETTISH PROCLAMATION. DEMAND FOR UNDIVIDED J NATIONAL EXISTENCE. , London, Feb. 0. A wireless Russian message says that Lettish plenipotentiaries have issued a proclamation which demands the undivided existence of the Lettish nation. It denies the Austro-German claim that the populations of Lettonia, Courland and Riga desire separation from Russia, and demands the withdrawal of military forces, enabling «, f re e expression of opinion. Russia agreed to withdraw her army, declaring that the Central Powers could not object if they believed the population desired separation. POSITION OF UKRAINE. DUKE NICHOLAS BEHIND KALEDIN Received Feb. 8, 1.6 a.m. A , ( , London, Feb. 7. The position of Ukraine continues to excite public discussion. A Berlin message puts a new aspect on the Ukraine problem. It states that the Grand Duke Nicholas is behind General Kaledin, who with 160,000 men, joined Ukraine. It adds' that a mass of the people at Petrograd are ready to join the movement.