The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-12-20
CAPITAL UNDER
MILITARY LAW
DUE TO LOOTINC
BOISheyiki Proclaim State of
Siege at PetrOgrad.
Edict Includes Ukrainia, Where
Revolt Is Now On.
SPURN BOLSHEVIKl ULTlMATUM
Governing Body of Ukrainia
Sends Negative Answer.
Invaders Force Italians Back
Slightly in Bitter Fight.
Edict Includes Ukrainia, Where
ReVO OIt Is Now On.
SPURN BOL LSHEVIKI ULTIMATUM
lBy the Associated Press }


A state of siege has been proclaimed
in Petrograd and the Ukrainian Rada
refused to obey an ultimatum present
ed by the Bolsheviki government Dis
orders in the capital, due. it is said,
to the looting' of wine cellars and
shops made necessary the proclama-
tion of a state of siege.
Relations of the Ukraine and the
Bolsheviki government have not been
cordial. The Ukraine has refused to
permit Maximalist troops to cross its
territory to attack General Kaledines
and several days ago Bolsheviki troops
attacked the Rada as it was sitting in
! Odessa and were defeated by UkraIn-
ian troops. The Bolsheviki govern
ment has accused the Ukrainian Rada
of being friendly to the constitutional
4 Democrats and the Cossa cks, the main
factors behind the counter revolution.
Conflicting Reports on Cossacks.
Rostov- on-the-Don. recently report
/ ed captured by the BolSheviki is now
/ said to have been occupied Monday by
| the Cossacks of General Kaledines,
! who, according to another recent ru-
| NOR had been robbed by his own Of
| ficers. The Cossack leader. according
/ to dispatches reaching London from
/ Petrograd, has proposed to the
/ Bolsheviki that civil strife come to
an end by declaring the independence
! of the Don territory and providing
I
| Between Monte Grappa and the
| Brenta, on the Italian northern front,
! the Italians are resisting desperately
! renewed AuStrO-German efforts to
! break thru the hills to the plains. The
| Italians after WithStanding strong at
| tacks and inflicting heavy losses on
! the enemy were forced to retire to
/ new positions when the invaders
/ brought up reserves. On the southern
end of the Piave line the Austro-Ger-
mans have been checked in several
attempts to cross the river.
German Guns Were Active.
On the western front the Germans
have not yet given strong indication
| of where their advertised drive is to
begin. The German guns continue to
! lombard various sectors along the
front from the North sea to the Swiss
border, including the Ypres and
/ Champagne sectors and many raiding
| parties are harassing the British and
! French soldiers. Enemy raids have
been repulsed by the British in the
! Arras area and northeast of YpreS
/ while the French have repulsed an at
tack at Regenville, northwest of Yer
dun.
Germany's present strength on the
western front is estimated to approx
! mate the maximum reached last July
( when it was 115 divisions. The allies
however, are believed to have a super
iority in numbers.
British shipping losses for the pas
| week total II, a decrease of four com
pared with the previous week. The
numbe of ships of more than 1,60(
tons lost remained stationery, the re-
duction being in vessels under 1,6OC
tons.
Reply to UItimatum.
Petrograd, Wednesday, Dec. 10
The Rada, the governing body of the
Ukraine, has sent a negative answer
to the ultimatum of the council o.
peoples commissaries, the Bolshevik
government.
COsSacks Occupy Town.
Petrograd. Wednesday, Dec 49,
Orenburg Cossacks opposing the Boil
sheViki, have occupied Tcheliabinsk, 6
junction on the Transsibar rian rail
road, according to a report received
by the Den.
25 Million in Revolt District.
London. Dec. 2O.-The Bolshevik
government, according to PetrograC
advices, has sent an ultimatum to thu
Ukrainian Rada. 1t demands tha
within 4S hours decision be mad'
whether the Ukraine will cease tt
assist General Kaledines by sending
him troops while forbidding passag,
to BolsheViki government troops anC
also whether it will stop disarminJ
troops in the Ukraine. In case of re
fusal the Rada will be considered a
war with the congress of workmen'
and soldiers delegates.
The Ukraine. which means a from
tier. is part of the old kingdom O
Poland. 1t is made up of parts of tn
government of Poltava. Kiev, Podolia
/ KharkoV, EkaterinoSlaV and KherSOn
These governments have combine'
area of about 127, 900 square miles an
a population of about 25,O0O,0O0.