RUSSIA.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 March 1918, Page 5

RUSSIA.

THE PEACE TREATY. § ___ SIGNED BY RUSSIANS. WITHOUT DISCUSSING CONTENTS Renter .Service. Received March 4, 5.5 p.m. Pctrogrnd, "March 3. The Germans, at r-skoff, deported to Germany nil the men under 42. The delegation at Brest Litovsk wired on Marcli -2 that, as anticipated, 'lie deliberations on the peace treaty were absolutely useless and could only make tilings worse, even leading to the presentation of another ultimatum. In view thereof, and of the refusal of the Germans to cease military action until peace was signed, we resolved to sign a treaty without discussing the contents. We therefore requested a train, intending to sign the treaty to-day and leave afterwards. FIGHTING WILL CONTINUE. TIGHTENING ECONOMIC NOOSE. ROUND GERMAN NECKS. t Received Marcli 4, "».5 p ni. London, March 3. Mr- fihaplen, the United Press' Petro-. srad correspondent, interviewed M. Kalegayeff, Commissione. of Agriculture, who said the war will continue irrespective of the signing of peace at Brest Litovsk. The Germans occupy only the breadless provinces, and if they take Petrograd they must feed three million inhabitants. The military successes, therefore, will simply tighten the economic noose round the Germans' necks. ' "VICTORY OR DEATH." PEACE DELEGATES' PROCLAMATION Petroprad, March 3. The Germans have begun an encircling movement southward of Petrograd, apparently to cut oil' the capital from Moscow. The former peace delegates have issued a proclamation which says: "We have decided in favor of war. The enemy will enter' Petrograd only over our bodies. Our slogan is victory or death." SEIZURE OF MUNITIONS. T' CONTRADICTORY REPORTS. Tokio, Marcli 3. The Maximalists aro reported to have seized the munitions at Vladivostok. New York, March 3. The United Press Tokio correspondent, says the report that the Bolsheviks have seizor! the piers at Vladivostock, containing munitions and supplies valued-at a hundred million roubles, is not confirmed. The Bolsheviks threatened to requisition foreign merchantmen, whereupon the Allied warships in the harbor prepared to land marines. After a meeting of the Emperor and Cabinet on Friday, Admiral Tunaki hurriedly departed for Vladivostock. ESTHONIAN INDEPENDENCE. REPORTED PROCLAMATION. / Berlin, March 3. It is reported that the Town Council of Reval has proclaimed the independence and neutrality of Esthonia. A provisional government is being formed, and Esthonian soldiers have been recalled from the Russian army. COWARDICE PREVAILS. Petrograd, March 3. lhe Revolutionary Committee has summoned all officers on the military Ust to co-operate in the. defence of the country. The peace delegation wired the Council of Commissaries ordering it not to surrender- anything without' a struggle, " r S' n g to fight to the last, adding: '.ibe Germans are only small detachments." Nevertheless it appears tlnrt the delegates decided to sign the peace, jrcgardless of the conditions. Under the latest Kusso-Gcrman agreement Russia hands over the districts ot Batum, Kara, and Karaglian. LIBERATED ENEMY PRISONERS ARMED. Tokio, March 1. It is reported that 200,000 AustroGerman prisoners in Siberia have been liberated and supplied with arms. They are regarded as a serious menace. AUSTRIAN" OPERATIONS. London, March 3. Wireless Austrian official: We have reached the Lacsowy-Proskurov-Lipkany line, and occupied Chotin, Kamentos, and Podolsky, where the staffs of two Russian corps surrendered. Three hundred guns, 200 field kitchens, one complete radio station, and much material have been captured. GERMANS CUTTING OFF FOOD SUPPLIES. Petrograd, Marcli 3. The Germans have resumed their advance t'roin Pskoff and occupied TChastitea. It is expected that they will attempt to capture Bologovi, which 5s the main channel for the Petrograd food supply, with a view to starving the capital. A GERMAN REPORT. London, March 3. A German official message states: We ha,ve captured Gomel (on the Dneipii-). The Ukrainians and Saxons liberated Kleff.