Evening journal., 1918-03-18
ARNENIANS BLOCK
FOES WAY TO INDIA
With GeorgianS, They Have
25O,OOO Men Defending
TranScaucaSia
OUTNUMBER THE
TURKISH TROOPS


received here from Armenian sources 4
indicates that the German plans for a
clear line through TO the frontiers Of
India are likely to meet a considerable .
cheek in a central pari Of that line.
the Caucasus Isthmus The treaty OF
peace signed by One BolsheyiLi aban-
doned not only ihc conque,ts made by
the Russian army undor ine Grand Duke
Nicholas in iqiG. embracing nearly an
of Turkish Armenia. but also ihc front
icr governments of BaiOum, kars and
FriVan which have been Russian terri
tor, since 1878.
Dispatches had previously announced
that the new government Of the eau
casts refused to accept ihis treaty. and
~ was said yesterday that me Russian
frontier was being defended by an army
of lrmenian and Georgian troops mum
berIng at least 100000.
Tho situation rs described boy n man
acquainted with ar1'rs In thc eau
easus Is as follows
Tho bulk Of the population Of Turk
ish Armenia was slaughtered or depOri
ed in the great massacres of 1915 Of
those who survived, about 3500O fed
across The Russian frontier and some
10000 men, women and children were
lsfi In the regions which were con
Gucred by ihe Grand Duke Nicholas IN
tho following year
Then came the Russian revolution.
with The demoralizati0n or The armies
aud the movement toward local au-
ionomy one OF the local governments
formed was the republic OF The eau
casus. with IFS capital at Ti1s or Us
Council OF Ministers, fouraof the eleven
members were Armenian fWo Ge0rc-
ians and five Russians or Tirlars rep
resenting the various racial elements or
fhe country. In response 10 this move
wont the Armenian and Georgian troops
I'M The Russian army. raised in the
1ranscaucssi1n districts. asked io be
transferred from Poland and Lifhuania
% their h0m territories. and the keren-
sky government decided to do This In
formation just received here indicates
That tho transfers have been completed
and that there are now 10000 Armenian
and Georgian troops. well disciplined
and most OF them veterans huldilc the
old Russian frontier covering kars and
R4foum.
Nided by French and British.
The Armenian troops are commanded
hv General Nagarhegon d general OF
Armenian nationality. who commanded
i0 the Russian impera. army and the
teorcian troops also have comnlnAer
of their own race. Differences that
threatened TO arise between the two
races have been composed ion The last fe,y
weeks according TO advices just arriy-
Ing. by French and British miliiaEf mis-
ei0ns which have reached the Caucasus
front by way OF Persia. and arc coop
Grating IN the plans for the defense Of
the Armenian, Georgian and Russian
population Of TranScaucasia. The army
NJ the Caucasus has a its disposal The
arms munitions and supplies which
were abandoned by the Russian army
under the Grand Duke Nicholas when
a. dis'ntegrated last fall, and DO s de-
clared thai their supplies are amply
sufficient 90 conduct q vigorous cam
paicn. Financial assistance and such
other aid as can be given have been
promised by the British and French
governments.
The armies thus organized hold On,
territory between lhe Black sea and Tho
Caspisn. and consequently the railroad
from Batoum to Raku. which had Poo
counted on as a link ia the German
line running through the Ukraine thC
Caucasus. and Persia 10 Afghanistsr
and the frontiers OF India It is ASSERTED
that there is absolutely no doubt NJ their
ability 90 hold ihe old Russo-Turkisf
frontier against the Turks Tho --latest
information from eastern sources credit.
fhe entire Turkish army at present will
strength of only forty-seven divisions
averaging 1900 men each. " which
only twenty are on the Caucasus front
The Armenian Georgian troops thu.
have a slight advantage ia numbers
and their nghting power is believed q
Doe considerably superior 20 that OF th'
Turks
The dangers foo their positions are tw'
Inc FIRST a possible rising m ihei
rear by lhe Mohammed1u population
in the Caucasus: ihe second. more seTi
Gus. a possible attack by the German
across cor around the Black Sea. Ger
man troops. moving without opposition
through the Ukraine. have occupies
odessa, Bussia's principal port ON ih
Black Sea. and lhe German press ma
talked of Odessa as lhe starting poin
FOR the movement toward Afghanislal
and India Whether o German army 90
any importance could be mONer 1roun
by land rs doubtful. but The RUSSIA
Black sea fleet has collapsed as com
pietely as have ihc Russian armies, an
fhe Turkish fee, would protect h
shipment of an army by water which
since the Germans now control iho bul
of the merchant shipping possessed b
INumania and Russia, might be quit
feasible But unless iho Germans 81
tack from the rear. 70 is asserted ma
fne Caucasus frontier viii hold
Fighting in Turkish Armenia.
Meanwhile fighting is going on
Turkish Armenia. which the Russian
have abandoned Recent dispatches 10
dicaiing thai the Turks were ovel
coming Armenian resistance have bee
held TO be mere excuses for iurih,
rnassacres of the civilian population
but information given from oth'
sources indicates that there is real iish
ing When the last Russian lro0I
definitely abandoned their positions
November and dispersed they left %
lines which they had held in the hanC
0f hastily organized Armenia mliti
The skirmishes around Erzingan n
ported from peirograd i'm N0vcmh'
were apparently between these trooI
and the Turks
The sole purpose Of the campaia
which ihe Armenians have been carr
ing on here Is 90 night delaying rea
guard actions so as 90 enable the rem
nant OF women and children o. escal
into Russian territory. owing io q