SOVIET MACHINATIONS.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 October 1920, Page 5

SOVIET MACHINATIONS.

AFGHANISTAN INVOLVED. A NEST OF INTRIGUE. By lelegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. London, (at. 2. Much enlightenment on the reai aims Of the Soviet in regarl to India and Afghanistan is gained through news that has reached London, via tho Caucasus, giving the actual proposals of the Soviet representatives submitted at Kabul recently. The Bolshevik envoy there was authorised to propose td tt» Amir a formal agreement in \which the Soviet undertook to give considerable military,and financial assistance to AfghanistiWi demanding in return facilities for transport'ng rifles and ammurUtion to tribes un the north-west frontier of India; rJm ior agents to manufacture ptcpa* ganda unmolested and pass freely with it into India, The Soviet further demanded the right to establish repre* eentatives in such places as might be, and a written pledge of ih* Amir not to Conclude a tieaty or agree* inert with any State, other than Bolshevik Russia, without the latter's prior consent.

The latter stipulation doubtless waa Intended to make abortive the AfghanIndian negotiations or to entrap the Amir into a betrayal of the Emir of Bokhara, whose overthrow by the Bolsheviks since they accomplished the capture of Bokhara has caused the greatest excitement in Afghanistan. It is stated that the fugitive Emir of Bokhara is on his way to Kabul in order to enlist the active support of Afghanistan against the Bokheviks. There is ground for believing that the Amir of Afghanistan, learning of further trouble with the Reds, will send a deputation to India to endeavour to bring about a definite alliauce with England, In Kabul itself, General Nadir Khan, the Afghan commander-in-chief, has formed an anti-British party, which includes some unimportant members of the recent Afghan mission to India. Djemal Pasha, the Turkish commander-in-chief, has reached Herat with a large mission of Bolsheviks and Turks!— Reuter.