Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1919-02-28

cording to report, were striving TO RI
tain their old military jobs by organ
izing a strong movement agairst Po-
land.
General Denikine and his antisoviet
army, 1t was announced, had reached
the Caspian, having scattered a great
body of anarchist troops ard captured
$1,000 prisoners and large quantities
of material. In Esthonia, however, the
soviet armies, which had resumed
their activities with a general attack,
were said to be making considerable
progress, especially in the region
Pskov. This continuation of hostili-
ties by the LenineJTrotzky forces again
makes doubtful the holding of the pro
posed conference at Princes Island.
Moreover, three of the Russian govern
ments, those of Siberia, Archangel and
southern Russia, have formally de-
clined to take part in the conference.
stating that there can be no concilia-
ton between them and the bolshevik'
who are denounced as traitors and 70
mentors of anarchy.
Information from Petrograd shows
nine anarchists is increasing among
the more intelligent workers. Sixty
thousand workmen in that city are on
strike, demanding the end of civil war
and the establishment Of free trade.
The United States and Great Britain
have announced that their forces in
northern Russia are to be withdrawn
when weather conditions permit, and
will be REINFORCED to facilitate this
movement. Meanwhile those who have
been worried by alarmist stores of
the distressing conditions under which
our boys there are existing may be +
lieved by the cablegram from Col.
George F. Stewart, commanding the
Americans. He says the reports are
not warranted by the facts; that the
health of the entire command is excel
lent, the sick and wounded are well
cared for and the entire allied expe-
dition is capable of taking care Of it
self against the whole bolshevik army.
The Spartacan anarchists Of Ger
many were extremely busy throughout
the week, organizing here an6 there
and in Westphalia going so far as to
start a bombardment Of the town of
Rotterop. In the Ruhr industrial re-
gion along the Rhine the ~Spartacans
occupied several towns and declared a
general strike, terrifying the water
works and powerhouses and preparing
to resist the government troops. Muhl
helm is the center Of the movement
and the anarchists have gathered there
in large numbers.
Congressman-elect Victor L. Berger
Of Wisconsin and his fellow defend
ants, Engdahl, Germer, Tucker and
Kruse, convicted of violating the es-
pionage act and conspiring to OBJ
struct the United States war program,
were sentenced by Judge Lands to
twenty years Imprisonment each at
Leavenworth. Appealing to the fed
eral circuit court Of appeals, they
were released on bonds, but only after
giving their solemn pledges that they
would neither by word nor act do any
of the things for which they were con-
victed pending final decision of their
cases.
The senate judiciary committee took
a step toward curling the activities of
the anarchists when 1t unanimously OPP
proved a bill to punish such activities
and to prohibit the display of red flags
or other emblems of violence.
There were interesting develop
ments in the scandals and charges
that inevitably follow a war. Governor
Allen of Kansas, supporting a motion
of Representative Campbell for an II
vestigation Of the story that the cas-
ualties of the Thirty-fifth division were
needlessly large, told the house com-
mittee on rules O shocking story of in
efficiency and blunders and lack of
artillery and equipment. Summing up
in a sentence the record of the Ameri-
can army in France. he said everyt dg
fell down except the raw man mate
rial. The inquiry into these conditions
will not be made by congress until the
next session, when the entire conduc'
Of the war will be sifted.
Following an investigation ordered
by Secretary Daniels, seven naval Off
GERS and 40 yeomen were arrested in
the Third naval district, which in
cludes New York, on charges of graft
ing. 1t is asserted that a great many
sons of wealthy families paid largt
sums for special f~avors. easy sssign-
ments and promotions.