New-York tribune., 1920-01-24
Premier Denies
British Plan to
Raid Caucasus
No Truth in Report That
Churchill and General
Staff Advocate Expcdi-
ton, Says Lloyd George
Press Criticizes Secrecy
Soviet Forces Are Reported
Virtually to Have Cut
Crimea From Mainland

LONDON, Jan. 23.--A statement is
sued to-day on behalf Of Premier LloyG
George says there is no truth In re.
ports that the British War Minister
Winston Spencer Churchill, and the
General Staff advocate the sending OF
troops to the Caucasus or any other
part of Russia.
Speculation as to the real purpose
behind the War Office order withdraw.
ing British troops from plebiscite
areas in Germany continues and full
official explanation is demanded by
newspapers.
1t is believed by "The Daily Mail
the troops will be sent to reinforce
General Mines forces in ConstantL
nople, which consist Of units engaged
in the Palestine campaign in 1918
These regiments are for the most part
made up of Indian soldiers and lack the
25 per cent of white personnel stipu-
lated by regulations. This, however
seems to be mere supposition and the
newspaper insists that the whole stu
alton should be cleared
End of Mystery Demanded.
In it's editorial comment this morn
ing "The Times" echoes the criticism
heard everywhere. 1t says:
at is desirable that the facts be
placed before the public and an end
put to all the mystery mongering. Full
est information is the right of the
public and its absence serves the con-
venience of no one but that of agita-
tors and the statesman who is still un-
certain of his own mind"
Russian Soviet forces have virtually
cut off the Crimean peninsula from the
ment issued at the War Office in Mos
COW and received here by wireless.
Our advancing troops are fighting
about six miles north of Pcrekop, and
have repelled enemy counter attacks
about nine miles west Of Genichesk, >,
the statement says. I'm the steppe re-
gion, further east, we have defeated
the Sd Kuban Division, capturing its
divisional staff"
Another Moscow dispatch reports
anti -Bolshevik forces evacuating Eliza
bethgrad, in the northern part of the
government of Kherson, and hurriedly
retreating toward the Black Sea coast
Sazonoff to Sec Denikine
Sorgius Sazonof, former Minister of
Foreign Affairs of Russia, has arrived
in Warsaw to confer on steps to be
taken in opposing the Bolshcviki. ac-
cording TO Copenhagen dispatch to
the Exchange Telegraph Company. 1t
is said that from Warsaw he will go to
Southern Russia to begin conferences
with General Denikine.
Lcttish forces have captured Resh-
TIA, railroad center about sixty miles
northeast Of Dvinsk, according to an
announcement of The Lcttish Press Blu
reau received here to-day.
Dispatches under Thursdays date
said the Bolsheviki had concentrated d
strong forces of troops for the defense
OF Reshitza, which was considered an
important railway junction point. Sue
cesses for the Let's were recounted in
troops forced the "Reds" TO withdraw
from nearly dozen villages in the
vicinity of Reshltza
PARIS, Jan. 23.--The recent an
nounccment Of the imminent dispatch
of an extensive military expedition tc
the Caucasus was an erroneous deduc
tion caused by the fact that the Britt sh
had given notice of inability to fur
nish their quota Of troops for the
plebiscitc areas, according to d state
ment fsom the Foreign Office ycster
day.
The fact is, it is stated, the Supreme
Council has specifically rejected propo
sitions to send even small contingent
of troops to help the Georgians ant
Azerbaijans, and has decided 10 confint
it's aid to material and supplies.
L. S. Red Cross Near Petrograd
American Red Cross workers hav,
established headquarters within twen
ty-fve miles of Pctrograd and arc pre-
pairing consde rably to extend the &C
tivitics Of their organization there,
serious situation has arisen in eastern
Finland, and necesstates immediate re
lief measures in Karelia and Iuger
mainland, two small Independent state.
lying along the shores of Lake Da
doga.
The base of supplies for this worl
VIII be IN Niborg, and distribution il
the interior will be made by means O
sleds. Reports indicate that condition,
are almost critical, and it is expected
that 800 tons OF supplies Will be nee
cssary to feed the people. Colone
Edward +. Ryan, Of Washington, y. c.
in command of the Red Cross organza
tion for western Russia, is in charg,
/ in the new field.
STOCKHOLM, Jan. Peaceful rev
o'ution has broken out in Kamchatk;
, Peninsula, where the military, in Ieagu,
with the population, has arrested Off
GERS and civil officials, according TO ad
vices received here from Helsingfors
Violent fighting is said to be in prog
ress at lrkutsk, where the All-Russar
| government has had its headouarters
bctween partisans Of General Kolchak
former All-Russian commander, ans
rebels. Some Cossack regiments pre-
Hlously supporting General Kolcha}
now arc declared TO have joined the in.
surgcnts.