RUSSIA.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 August 1919, Page 5

RUSSIA.

-GOOD, IF TRUE.

BOLSHEVIK'S WANING POWER,

By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.

Geneva, Aug. 23. A traveller from Moscow reports an interview with Lenin, who is convinced of the impossibility of carrying out Bolshevik ideals. He is consulting business men with a view to ending the country's desperate situation. Lenin told the traveller that he was Willing to denationalise industries, convoke a National Assembly and personally retire.

It is reported that Lenin is negotiating with the anti-Bolshevik parties for the formation of a Coalition Government. Trotsky is still confident of a world-wide Soviet triumph, and is devising propaganda plans to cover Western Europe.

London, Aug. 24. Peasant risings against the Soviet power facilitated the rapid advance of Petlura's western Ukrainian combined armies, the whole line sweeping on irresistibly. There were great rejoicings in the liberated areas.

A Bolshevik communique admits extensive retreats involving the abandonment of Minsk, Kieff, and some provinces west of the Dnieper, including Podolia and Volhynia. The communique claims the recapture of Kamishin, where the Bolsheviks recently lost 11,000 men. The recapture will be a serious blow to Denikin's right flank.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc.

HIDEOUS TREATMENT OF PRISONERS. BRUTAL 'BOLSHEVIK WORK. Paris, Aug. 22. A correspondent in south Russia gives eye-witnesses' accounts of the scenes in Kharkoff following its recapture from the Bolsheviks. Tens of thousands of people crowded the vicinity of the fivestorev torture house, the various rooms of which were found literally crowded With corpses and blood-stained clothing. The walls were; spattered with blood. AH the victims had been tortured.

A pit six feet deep close to the house contained forty bodies. Strips of skin were torn off, and sonic of these bodies had nails driven into their heads and ribs. In another pit fifteen bodies, including that of a tyoman, all bore terrible indications of torture. One man and woman had been buried alive after their mouths had been filled with earth and their tongues jambed between their teeth.

Terrible scones of grief occurred as members of the crowd recognised relatives among the victims.—Reuter.

DEFENDING THE MURMAN COAST. Christiania, Aug. 23. The Tidens Tegn's correspondent on the Murraan coast states that huge British transports laden with troops and ammunition are arriving daily. Arrivals outnumber those leaving homewards.— Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc.

RED ARMY TIRED OF FIGHTING. Copenhagen, Aug. 22. The Esthonian Press Agency announces that a regiment of troops in the Pedseky district surrendered without fighting, also that the former com-mander-in-chief of the Red Army iu Livonia surrendered to the Lettish Government.

Helsingfors, Aug. 22. General Blakovitch predicts that Petrograd will be captured before October. He believes that half the Red Army is awaiting a favorable opportunity to surrender. His advance awaits further war material from the Entente.— Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc.