The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-01-16
BRITISH AROUSED
OVER BOLSHEVIK
SUCCESS IN EAST
Cabinet Leaders in Paris to
Confer With Premier Lloyd
George Regarding Measures
10 Be Taken.

LONDON. Jan. 16.-Attention Of tho
British people Is fixed on the near
East, where recent Bolshevik successes
have carried the red Russian armies
almost up to the threshold OF mus,
Persia, Mesopotamiu and Astatic
Turkey. Cabinet members and chiefs
OF the British army and navy are to-
day In Paris, whittier they were hastily
summoned yesterday and are ConterrlnE
with Premier Lloyd George on military
n naval matters In connection. VI rs
believed, with conditions IN southwest
ern Asia.
Apprehension was aroused by the Is
suanee OF a semiofficial statement
yesterday pointing out the situation
that has arisen through the collapse OF
Gen. Denikine's army ia southern Rus
STA n BolshCVik penetration OF
trans-Caspia. Not only was It admit
ted the menace from a Russian Bol-
shevik Invasion Of the ear East was
very real, but Il WAS pointed out that
internal conditions In Persia, Turkey
and Afghanistan were threatening.
In Mesopotamia, too, the British are
forced TO contend with difficulties aris-
ing from racial dissension. II was said
that a soviet advance that captures the
Crimea would make the Black sea
virtually a Russian Bolshcvik lake, and
II was further indicated that Great
Britain could hope for little help from
the new republic Of Georgia, Dagh-
estan and AZerbaiian, which are d.
rectly In the path Of the soviet ad-
vance.
While there is a possibility the Boil
Eheviki may launch an overwhelming
attack against Poland, the statement
issued yesterday showed the greatest
p-reoccupation Of officialdom was over
the dehacle Of Deh,kine's armies and
the rapid advance OF the soviet forces
toward the Persian and Afghan from
tiers.
The situation which now confronts
Great Britain and more or less Japan
and China, is not OF sudden growth,
however. for the past two months or
more the Bolsheviki have had an al
most unbroken series OF successes
fronts whore their forces are believed
TO be formidable,
Kolchak Defeated.
Admiral Kolchak's army in Siberia
seems TO nave been completely defeated
ii not dispersed. The reds are today
far east OF KrasnOyarsk and are NOV
ing nearer Irkutsk,
While reports from Siberia nave dealt
almost entirely with operations along
the Siberian railroad. occasional ad-
vices have indicated the Bolshevikl
have moved far south of that line and
have established themselves nea the
Monaghan frontier southwest OF lrk-
utsk.
Further to the southwest the soviet
forces have passed Akmolinsk and are
believed to have moved southwark and
eastward toward the frontier OF Chi
nesa TurkestRn. The capture of Bokhara.
less than 200 miles from the Afghan
border. was announced from Moscow q
week & and II was said krasnodovsk.
on the eastern shore OF the Caspian
sea. was firmly in the hands Of the red
forces, Thus from the Yenisei river
to the Caspian, a distance of more than
a.200 miles, the Bolsheviki seem TO be
quite firmly established. From this
line Ii would appear they might be
able to essay incursions toward China
TO the southeast, or Afghanistan and
India to the south. Persia lies south
of the Caspian sea and Bolshevlk
agents are said to be active there.
Odessa Is virtually hemmed In by the
reds, who have moved southwark until
they have drawn their lines across the
base of the Crimean peninsula from
Nikopol to Melitipol.
Thinly yelled threats to resort Ia
methods of terrorism should the Boil.
sheviki be opposed by the entente arr
contained In a wireless message re,
ceived here from Moscow. II Is sale
capital punishment will be inflicted
upon enemies OF the soviet government
only when sentences are approved by
the All-Russian extraordinary commits,
sion. but a return to wholesale execu-
tons was limited should the entente ma
tons take steps to combat Bolshevism,