Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-12-12
START PEACE
Farley WITH
ALLIES FOES
ENJOYS Loyal to Kerensky
Dismissed by Bolsheviki
Minister.

petr0grad. Monday, Dec. TO-
Leon Tr0izky, the B0lsheyiki for
eign minister. has issued decree
Diminishing all Russian ambassa.
ignored the B0Isheyiki demand
that they denonnee the Kerensky
government. "We hare declared
them deprived of all further rights
and PENSIONS Trotzky said.
Copenhagen. Dee. 12.-The SEMI
official German news agency says
rehabilitation OF the Russian
forces already has begun and that
peace negotiations restricted to
the Russian front have been aB.
th0rized.
The news agency's dispatch says
that General Oherhatehoff has been
appointed commander in chief, with
the assistance of the allies" tTeu-
tonic?D. and that he has been author
lied to open negotiations with Ger
many.
No word has been received from
Russia of any definite movement for
a separate peace, the professed aim
of the Bolsheviki being a general ces-
sation Of hostilities. Recently, how
ever, the Bolsheviki leaders have in
timated that If the entente govern
ments did not participate in the ar
mistice negotiations with the Germans
a separate peace might result.
There has been no announcement
from Russian sources of any change
in the chief command of the armies
since the appointment by the Bolshey
Xxi Of Ensign Krylenko to initiate the
armistice negotiations. The officer re-
ferred to as the new commander may
be Lieutenant General Stcherbatcneif.
who has been commander of the Rus
sian forces in Rumania.
Fight Bolsheviki Troops.
London, Dec. 12.-Reports OF fight
ing at the Mohilev Russian headquar-
ters between troops newly arrived
there and the Bolsheyiki garrison were
received in Petrograd on. Monday. ac-
cording to the correspondent of the
Times in the Russian capital. 1t is
also reported that shock battalions and
Cossacks advancing on Mohilev clash
ed with the Bolsheyiki. who were de-
feated.
The fighting at Tamanoyka, accord
ing to the Reuter- dispatch from Pet
rograd, appears TO have been between
detachments of anti-Bolsheviki shock
battalions and local troops assisted
by sailors, red guards, infantry and
armored cars sent from Petrograd, and
, f-e,
Slovo of Petrograd says the fighting
lasted all day and all night. 1t adds
that it was very severe and that there
were a great number of casualties.
A number OF professions, in which
banners upholding the constituent
assembly were carried, converged on
/ the Tauride palace in Petrograd on
Tuesday, according to a Reuter- dis
/ patch. A series OF extemporaneous
meetings was held outside the palace
Early Tuesday afternoon, ii is add
ed, a score or two Of members of the
/ constituent assembly met in one oil
4 the committee rooms. No disorders
were reported during the afternoon.
Dispense Highest Court.
Petrograd, Monday, Dec. 10.-Ths
Bolsheviki have dispersed the senate
the highest Russian court, and all ths
other courts of Petrograd, in keeping
/ with the recent decree of the people!
! commissaries, substituting new reyo
lutionary tribunals. The only oppo
sitien met was at the congress D
county judges who refused to be dis
persed. They were arrested BY TIL
soldiers.
Announcement was made today tina
revolutionary courts would be estab
iished throughout the country on Dec
20 to assist in carrying on the strug
gle Of the Bolsheviki government
against counter revolution. Accord
ing to the announcement, the court
will have free choice of means o
dealing with those who disobey tn
orders of the revolutionaries.
Constituent Assembly.
The constituent assembly will b
sopened by representatives OF the ma
tionaI commissaries on the arrival il
| Petrograd of more than four hnndre
members of the assembly, according t
a proclamation issued to-day from tn
Smolny institute. The evening news
.
papers say that according 10 TIE bes
available estimates only l23 delegate
so far have been elected. bat return
to be received will complete tbs cleo
ton of 407 members tomorrow.
Although the commissaries teda
, ordered all Offices closed, arrange
free matinees at the theatres and pre-
claimed tomorrow as day OF ger
eral rejoicing in honor of the openin
of the assembly, it appeared iikel
that a postponement would be prof.
able, perhaps only for few days
r The anti-Boisheviki elements Sc
in the Smolny institute an order
delay the assembly in which approx
: mately six hundred members shoul
t sit. The rules previously drawn
: the provisional government eommitts
provided that one-third Of the meI.
bershjn shoufd he a auorum