Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-01-13

Conference of Various Pow
ers Soon for Creation of
Stable Government.
49, 100000 UNDER SOVIET

LONDON, December 20 Correspond
ence of the Associated Press).-It is
reported here that conferences soon
will be held in the south of Russia
in which will participate representa-
! tives of the various entente powers,
representatives of the Ukraine gov
eminent, the Don Cossacks. the Oren-
burg Cossacks and the provisional
governments of Armenia and Georgia.
| Their purpose will be to reach an IN
Outstanding as to the creation of a
government in south Russia, the
Caucasus and the TranscaucuS, with
which the entente powers can CO.
operate in restoring normal economic,
social and political conditions.
Although the bolsheviki have many
followers throughout the Ukraine,
they never were predominant. even in
the Shipbuilding cities of the Black
sea. In the Don region and in the
Caucasus and Transcausus their
hold has been even slighter. Cossacks
of all sorts have been enemies of the
bolsheviki, as they are all landholders
and unalterably opposed to the domi
nation of their districts by outsiders.
Many British naval and military Of
ficers, as we'll as civil officials have
left London for the Black sea district
since the signing of the armistice, and
commercial interests are also sending
representatives to look the situation
over preparatory to opening up the
extensive oil and grain districts.
Strain on Soviet Increases.
Siberia. the Ukraine, Finland and
the new government at Archangel
shut out bolshevik Russia entirely
from its ports. and the unfriendliness
of the governments in all these sec
tons to the Moscow government I'M
der Lenin is daily increasing the
strain on soviet Russia. The new
lions which have refused to accept
bolshevism are not as stable as the
entente powers might wish. While
they all express their desire to be-
come a part of Russia should feder
alton become possible under an ac-
ceptable central government, the
political differences in all the four
sections named have been keen, and
party auarrels and the ambition of
rival leaders have frequently ex-
ceeded patriotism in the struggle for
power.
Only about 10000, 600 inhabitants
now remain under bolshevik control
The total population of the Russian
empire as it existed before the revo-
luticn was estimated at 10000, 900.
The great majority of the popula-
ton is in the portion of Russia south
of bolsheYik rule. which is far the
richest and most popuIous portion of
the former empire.
Central Government the Key.
Consequently. developments in south
Russia are watched with great eager
ness by military and naval men and
government established at kiev.
odessa or Sevastopoi and recognized
by the entente powers would control
the great majority of Russia's nat
ural resources, especially ii it gained
control of the Folga and established
communication with the mineral de-
posits of the Urals and the grain
fields of Siberia.
Such a government would naturally
be the key to Russia's political and
economic future. Northern Russia is
sterile in contrast with the south.
It's lands are poor. Moscow and Petro-
grad industries depend entirely upon
distant centers for their raw prod
ucts. The factories and industrial
population of north Russia. or soviet
which cannot feed themselves. And
therein lies the greatest inherent
weakness of the Russian bolshevik
movement. 1t is based on theories
which are repugnant TO the districts
which produce the foodstuffs and can
starye soviet Russia as sign of
their disapproval.