The Washington herald., 1917-12-13
VARY
AS TO TRUTH
FROM RUSSIA
Allies Receive Cheering
News that Cossacks Are
Sweeping Country.

London, Dec. 12-Reports of fra
I tricidal battles in Southwestern Rus
sia, of impending Russo-G + m a n
peace negotiations, of the crumbling
of Bolsheviki power and the rise OF
Cossack influence. then of an exactly
reverse state of affairs, and finally of
the resumption of the armistice dick
erings with the Germans followed one
another today in a tumble of conflict
! ing dispatches.
From this maze two things seem es-
ia blished:
THAT the Bolsheviki are still in
cont ol but that the KaledinesK
/ lon counter revolution is making head
way.
2-That thirteen Russian delegates
! are OIL the way to Brest-Litovsk TO
| resume the armistice negotiations
with the Germans. Austrians, Turks
and Bulgars.
To the allies the most cheering news
OF the day was a cirCumstantial story
given out by Russian officials in Lon
don picturing the Cossacks as sweep
ing the country and foreshadowing
Russia's return to sanity and order
! by spring when. these officials hope,
the Muscovites will come back to the
allied fold with a united front and u
determination to fight the central
powers TO a finish. They predicted
, that Kaledines soon will have a Cos
sack army OF 10000 behind him: and
! that the BoIsheviki stand no chance
! TO retain their power
Says KornIIon Defeated.
In sharp contrast with this optimis-
| tic forecast were advices from the
! Russo-Swedish frontier reporting that
Gen. Korniloff lost his first battle
/ with the Bolsheviki. the latter defeat
ing him near Tananovka. some SO
miles south of Moscow. Gen. KaIe-
! dimes was said 10 be hastenipg to
! korniloff's assistance.
| Then came a dispatch from Copen-
hagen. quoting the German semi-offi-
cial news agency as saying tlIat Rus
&, sic was denobilizinE and had author
lied peace negotiations with the CEN
tral powers. This dispatch indicated
that the Bolsheviki had abandoned
their original program of insisting on
general armistice and peace, and
, were ready TO deal separately with
the Teutons and the Iatter's eastern
allies.
Gen. Tscherbatchen. who led one
of Brusiloff's armies in the latter's
/ last great drive. was said to have been
named Russian commander-in-chief
with the assistance of the ,TeutoniCD
allies" and empowered 10 discuss
peace with Germany.
RumanIa Signs ArmIstice.
From Jassy. the temporary Ruma-
| nian capital. came on apparently au-
thentic dispatch saying Rumania has
definitely signed an armistice. which is
to be operative until further notice"
The Russian armistice mission COM
prises thirteen members, according to
Petrograd advices. Germany, it was
said. has demanded the immediate
stopping Of Russian propaganda
, among the Teuton troops in the East.
I She complained particularly about the
distribution. Of S.000.00c leaflets by the
Russian agitators.
The Germans have dropped the de-
mand that Russian troops in Fiance
and Macedonia be included in the al
mistice. The Bolsheviki explained
! these troops were beyond their prov.
ince of authority.
! The Russian officials here who pre-
dicted a happy ending Of the Rus
sian upheaval declared an American
! expeditionary force to Russia would
be of tremendous moral value.
The BolshevikI foreign minister.
Leon Trotzky. dismissed today all
Russian diplomats abroad who re-
fused to recognize the Lerine govern
ment.