The New York herald., 1921-02-20
REDS ORGANIZING
BLACK SEA FLEET
TO SEIZE BATUM
Two BOlsheyist Cruisers
Are Shelling SOchi on the
Eastern Shore.
SOVIET NOW In TIFLIS
Georgian Government Said
to Have Fled From Cap
ital to Kutais.
DRIVE IN PERSIA FEARED
Moscow Forces Appear to Have
Overrun Completely Re-
public Of Georgia.
DRIVE IN PERSIA FEARED
By the Associated Press.


CoNsTANTINoPLE, Feb. 19.-The Boil
sheviki are organizing a Black Sea
fleet. Two Bolshevist auxiliary cruisers
are shelling Sochi, on the eastern shore
Of the Black Sea, In support of cavalry
columns operating against the Geor-
gians.
A provisional Soviet Government
has been set UP in Tiflis. which is
threatened, If not already occupied, by
the Bolsheviki.
Bolshevist troops appear to have
overrun the Republic of Georgia. COM
pleting the junction of the forces of
the Moscow Government with the
Turks. The Georgian Government
which fed from Tifiis before the So
Wet advance, Is reported TO have
halted at Kutais, on the railroad be-
tween Tiflis and Batum.
Skirrnishes which have occurred be-
tween Sochi and Gagri. on the Black
Sea, are taken to indicate a general
Bolshevist advance on all sides, with
Batum as It's ultimate object.
Tho French cruiser Waldeck- Rous-
seau has left Constantinople for Batum,
Charles II. Moser. American Com
missioner, formerly stationed at Tifiis.
has reported from Batum that so far
all Americans are safe. II is feared.
however, that the rich warehouses and
palaces at Tifis will be looted.
| Among the Americans who were In
Tihis were John Randolph and Hooker
A. Doolittle. respectively American
Consul and Vice-C Consul: Messrs. Grif-
| hn, Smythe and Pericard1s. American
trade agents: Capt, and Mrs. Ernest
! A. yarrow and three children OF Bing-
hsmtor n. "; the Rev. and Mrs.. Har-
rison a. Maynard and four children of
Topeka, Kan; Miss Ferguson and
Messrs. Elmer and Gillian, Near East
Relief workers. Capt Yarrow was d.
rector of the Near East Relief for
! Transcaucasia.
Belief Is expressed here that Moscow
desires to hold Tinis as base from
which the Soviet Government can d.
rect the advance OF troops through
Persia.
The work of establishing a Soviet
regime In Georgia is said TO have been
relatively easy. The intentions Of Mos
COW toward Georgia have appeared to
be unsettled during recent months. and
| It was declared she wished 10 keep the
| little republic as a neutral trading
| point with the Allies
| Tho Bolsheviki, however, sent enlis-
saries into Georgia, among them being
NJ. Shlemann. whose plans collapsed. his
failure resulting in his expulsion from
Georgia last month. In addition the
Eleventh Bolshevist army. with which
Moscow had intended to occupy Georgia,
had to be withdrawn TO cope with up
risings In Dagestan and Baku.
The advance upon Tiflis was osten-
sibly caused by controversy over n
neutral zone In the Borchalon district.
between Georgia and Armenia De-
mands were sent by Armenia to Georgia
asking that the latter withdraw its
forces from the neutral zone on Febru-
airy II. II being declared that Georgia
WAS bound to do this under an old
/ agreement
Georgia refused TO meet this demand.
ard then the Armenians advanced a few
troops. which were attacked by the
Georgians. The Russian Soviet Govern
ment then ordered its forces forward
10 assist its ally. Armenia.
The Georgian Government was not
composed OF men with the fightinr tenn
permanent. II is said. and mobllIzsi its
troops In an inefficient manner W10n
/ the Soviet forces advanced the Govern
ment fled, abandoning Tiflis to the
| RoIsheylst elements