RUSSIA

Taranaki Daily News, 7 January 1919, Page 5

RUSSIA

UNDER BOLSHEVIK RULE.

GENERAL STARVATION THREATENED,

ANNIES. iON OP RUSSIAN CIVILISATION London, Jan- 0. Accounts from Russia show that the great mass of population are starving upon an ounce to four ounces of black bread and a little fish daily- The Bolshevik army is now half a million strong, weE fed,, and receiving £OO sterling monthly The situation in the provinces is worse than in Petrograd and Moscow. The local Soviets, called "The Committee of the Poor," consist of illiterate ruffians, often the possessors of a criminal past, supported by bands of brigands, who pillage the peopla, These committees sometimes so angered the peasantry that the latter buried them alive.

The Bolsheviks then wiped out the peasantry, being arfaid to requisition food from, the peasants for fear that the latter would hide their corn.

Accounts say that active help is required from the Allies, particularly in the Caucasus, in order to rehabilitate the country. Received Jan. 7, 12.15 a.m. , London, Jan. 6. Under the Bolshevist? the revolt of the peasantry continues, though ruthlessly suppressed. In despair the peasants have cut the railroads, thus stopping food transport. There is no fuel in Moscow. The laborers who moved into the palaces are suffering bitterly from the intense cold, and old homes have fallen to pieces, as repairing stopped when they moved into the, palaces. As many factories stopped working, the Soviet Government ordered the men to do any work provided without right of strike.

This compulsory labor decree aroused intense discontent.

The Soviet Government meanwhile assigned 64,000,000 roubles to the revolutionary propaganda fund for activity in foreign countries.

A delegation, representing all the moderates, including Socialists, has reached London via Odessa. They tell of the critical situation created by the Bolsheviks in northern and central Russia, which threatens general starvation and the annihilation of Russian civilisation All newspapers, except Bolshevist ones, are suppressed. Justice and law courts don't exist. For the most part youngsters of eighteen have replaced the dismissed magistrates. People are frequently shot by their guards while being taken from one prison to another. The Soviet is flooding the country with worthless paper money. The national food supply is based on the principle that only a Bolshevist is entitled to regular food.

BOMBARDING BOLSHEVIKS,

BRITISH SHIPS AT RIGA. Received Jan, 7, 1.20 a.m. New York, Jan. 6. Latest London telegrams announce that British warships are bombarding Bolshevik quarters at Riga—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assoc.

Copenhagen, Jan', a. British warships landed guna and ajiniimtion at Reval and "Riga, and bombarded the Bolshevists at Riga, whore they number forty thousand. ALLIED INTERVENTION A FAILURE.

WITHDRAWAL OF JAPANESE

TROOPS.

London, Jan. 5. The Tokio correspondent of the Daily Express states that the War Office has announced that 34,000 Japanese troops have been withdrawn from Siberia, Japan only maintaining very small forces there.

_ Allied and American observers criticise the intervention, which was a relative failure owing l to lack of unity among the Allies.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Association. BOLSHEVIKS AT RICA.

FIERCE STREET FIGHTING. Received Jan. 0, 7.40 p.m. Copenhagen, Jan. 5. A wireless message from a steamer off Riga, with refugees, states that Bolsheviks entered the town and fierce street fighting is proceeding.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc.

Received' Jan. C, 11.40 p.m.

London, J;

Advices from Berlin detail terrible street fighting at Riga. There are many murders.

The Bolshevists control the district, and are splendidly equipped, including artillery. They levied an indemnity of four and a half million roubles.—Aus, and N.Z. Cable Assoc.

CONFLICTS BETWEEN POLES AND GERMANS.

Copenhagen, Jan. 4.

The Posen correspondent of the National Tidende states that the situation is growing worse on the German front. The .troops are fighting the Poles at various points and driving them back by artillery.

The Baltic provinces are organising against the Bolsheviks, and a joint front is being formed through Livonia, Usthonia, and Courland to Lithuania. Travellers from Petrograd report that the Government is nervous and is mobilising all officers up to si.vty years and compelling them to enter the Bed Army. All tho bridges inside and outside of Petrograd are mined and preparations made for speedy departure. / The German troops who were withdrawn a short distance from Riga had to abandon thousands of their comrades and an enormous quantity of property to the Bolsheviks. —Reuter.

GORKY JOINS THE SOVIET.

Received Jan. 6, 2.15 p.m. London, Jau. 5.

The Matin states that Maxim Gorky hag become a member of the Petrograd