The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-12-23
Fighting in Petrograd and
Wholesale Arrests Made
by BOlsheviki.
UKRAINE JEWS RALLY
Jerusalem'S Capture Stirs
Important Element to
EspOuse Allies Cause.
KAISER MAY BE TRAPPED
Anger at Peace Terms May
Send Russian Armies to
the Front Again.
KAISER MAY BE TRAPPED
Special Cable DesDdich TO THE srs.

Copyright. 1917. oil rtohts roserrcd
LONDON. Dec. 22.-News from Petro-
grad In the last twenty-four hours
shows that disturbances in the capital
are increasing rapidly and becoming
more serious. Similar conditions pre-
vail in the provinces, and the country
generally appears to be nearing chaos.
Reports coming through Sweden say
that violent civil war has started over
most of Russia and severe fighting Is in
progress in Petrosrad. With these con.
ditions In the country. the capital under
martial law, the Cossack victories in
the Don region. the success of the
Ckrainian movement for independence,
the Lenne-Trotzky regime is confront
cd by the gravest problems it has
yet faced
Lenine Grows Desperate.
Lenine appears to be making a des-
perate fight to retain his position. Co
penhagen hears that he IL resorting to
wholesale arrests in Petrograd. Nu-
merous cadets and social revolutionsts
have been imprisoned and Bolshevik
numbers of them have disappeared.
Developments OF the last week have
greatly changed the face Of affairs. II
Is now apparent that while the Bolshe-
Wiki still dominate the northern and
central parts of European Russia never
thcless the power Of Lenine and Trotz.
KY is waning rapidly. and may end any
day.
The Jews of the Ukraine. who here
tnFn l.,
scouSneaa. are allying themselves now
with the anti-Bolshevl cause, on ac.
count Of their hatred Of the Poles and
because the conquest Of Palestine by
the British is causing a general revival
of Jewish national feeling.
BolsheVikt Angry at France.
The Bolshevik leadership in Pctroerad
is incensed agans. France. alleging
that French intrigue is encouraging
the Ukraine to declare its independence
Reports that the Allies have decided
70 accred.t diplomatic representatives
10 the Ukraine are positively denied
but the Entente nations recognize the
great Importance OF the Ukraine deyel-
opment. because II the Germans seize
the Ukraine it will give them control
or the Black Sea and a direct route TO
Asia Minor. Altogether the Russian
situation is regarded as more hopeful.
In regard 10 the peace negotiations
II Is pointed out that at the expiration
or the armistice. Germanys position
will he very embarrassing, because IT. was
extremely dangerous for her to show her
hand and to make excessive peace de-.
mands from the Ienine and Trotzky re-
gime when that regime is likely TO fall
before peace can be concluded
In her haste to conclude an a-mistice
that would enable her to shift to the
French and Italian front all the best
OF her troops in the East. Germany has
been compelled TO risk the danger Of
inspiring an outburst of indignant ma
tonal sentiment, which NAV become 40
strong that tn" country may make ons
more great war effort TO throw off the
German yoke.
Despite immense losses Of material
and considerable disintecration in tho
army. IL is pointed out to-day the
Russians still possess sufficient supplies.
nunitions and arms. if only national
sentiment is aroused and leadership
provided. to make an effective cam
pa ign which, under present conditions
and the weakened Austro-German forces
on the cast front. might intict a great
disaster on the Germans
Although no confirmation has been
received here OF the reported breaking
or OF the peace negotiations at Brest.
Litovsk, nevertheless the rcport is
symptomatic Of the great uncertainty
and the rapidly shifting conditions.