The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-10-18
END OF RUSSIAN
PROBLEM Is SEEN
Washington Heartened by Re-
ports of Crushing BOlshe-
visit Defeats.
Special Despatch TO THE Sun.

WAsHINGToN. Oct Incomplete COL
lapse of the Bolshevist power In Rus
STA at last is imminent according 10
officials here. The latest authentic news
to the State Department brings the stu
alton to point where - may be said
that the great Russian problem about
which governments have despaired is
en- a fair road to settlement.
Scattered unofficial advices are reach
ing Washington ahead of dispatches
coming through American Government
representatives. but aside from these the
information received now shows that
the armies of Kolchak, Denikine and
Iudenitch are crushing Bolshevik re-
sistance before them and that the COM
sired efforts assure complete success.
General Yudenitch, according to OFF,
cial information, has captured Tsarkoy-
Selo, the suburban home of the erstwhile
Gar, which is only about Is miles
from Petrograd. The State Department
has not yet heard of his having actually
occupied Petrograd, but the presence of
this force of some $4,000 well equipped
troops 50 close to the city is taken to
mean that Petrograd is lost to the Reds.
Driving ON Moscow.
Meanwhile Gen. Deniklne is driving
straight for MoscoX ", having taken the
important city of OreL Animal Kol-
chalk is also driving toward Moscow by
way of Samasa. having captured Kur-
gan. The armies of Denikine and Kol-
chalk are therefore converging toward
Moscow, while Yudenitch already has
Petrograd at his mercy The fall of
Cronstadt, the great naval base near
Petrograd, is regarded here as immml
nent. The British feet Is understood
to be assisting In this movement.
No comment is forthcoming from the
State Department as to the effective
blockade of Bolshevist Russia which Is
being carried on. but this is due, It is
expected. to the fact that this phase of
the campaign is being directed from
Paris II admittedly contributes toward
ending all hope for the Lenine- Trotsky
Government.
The understanding in diplomatic
circles here is that a programme to
restore Russia has already been decided
upon by Kolchak and his followers the
moment Bolshevist resistance ceases to
be factor. The plan is to call an all
Russian popular or national assembly to
determine the future form OF govern
ment and arrange for proper repre-
sentation of the Russian people.
Dissension Not Likely.
There is small likelihood of dissen-
sion between Kolchak,- Denikine and
Yudenitch at the conclusion of the pres
ent campaign according to diplomats,
because arrangements have been made
in advance TO guard against rivalry. II
was agreed months ago that Kolchak
would be first in line of procedure, Denl-
kline second and Yudenltch third. Kol-
chalk Is commander In chief of all the
Russian army. Denikine is commander
In chief Of the armed forces of the south
of Russia and Yudenitch Is commander
in chief of the army of the northwest.
Officials here are not in a position TO
explain just how 1t has happened that
the Bolshevist forces which seemed to
have matters all their own way a few
weeks ago are now on the verge OF COM
plete collapse, One cardinal mistake, ae-
cording to military experts, was made
when the Bolshevild extended their lines
too far east In Siberia. Kolchak's re-
treat to Omsk, prior to his advance
toward Kurgan, may have been a piece
Of strategy to lead the enemy on, At
any rate, his success began the moment
he started on his forward drive.
Another factor which may have con-
trihuted 10 the weakness of the Bolshe-
Nlst FORCES was the tdct thdt men BACK
OF the lines in the munitions plants and
other producing centres refused to obey
orders or deserted with the result that
the flow of supplies and ammunition fell
far below expectation.
The remnant of Bolshevist military
strength Is now concentra I'D for a de-
cisive struggle with Gen. Denikine's
forces in the south, according TO reports
reaching the State Department from
Stockholm. Denikine's penetration west
of Voronezh and the fall OF Kursk are
regarded as Immediately threatening
Moscow