Evening star., 1922-01-03
ABSORBS
SMALL REPUBLICS
independence of the Caucas-
ian Federation Suddenly
Is Terminated.
NIPPED IN BUD BY MOSCOW
Note to Angoran Government An
nounces Incorporation Of Georgia,
Armenia and Azerbaidian.

tBy Cable to Tho Star and the Chicago Daily
News. Copyright, 1911
CONSTANTINOPLlG. Turkey, Janu-
ary 3.-The independent life of the
Caucasian republics Of Georgia. Ar
menla and Azerbaidjan was short
lived. 1t is reported here that the
Angora government has received a
note from NJ. Tchltcherin, the Rus
sian commissar of foreign affairs,
making this announcement:
TN view of the fact that the fed
Grafton of Caucasian republics has
been Incorporated into the central
soviets of Russia. the right of the
Caucasian republics to have their own
diplomatic representative abroad has
ceased to exist. Consequently the
mission of the representatives of
these countries at Angora has ended
and the Russian ambassador will
henceforth take charge OF the Cau-
caSuS interests
Too Much Independence.
Though recent news from Titlis in
dicated that the Moscow government
was gradually taking over the ad-
ministration of the Caucasus repub-
lies. it was believed that the boil
sheviki would allow them at least
seeming freedom for some time to
come. The republics in question
showed more independence than was
agre eable to Moscow and the soviets
decided to suppress the spirit at once.
Though Lenin has frequently de-
clared that the policy of the soviets
Russian empire to decide their own
fate and rule themselves according
to their own wishes. the soviets aim
to reconstitute Russia within the old
limits of the empire.
Immediately after the defeat of the
Wrange1 army the attitude of Mos
COW toward Armenia and Georgia be-
came threatening. and. finally. Trot-
sky sent several red divisions TO help
the Armenian and Georgian commu-
nists to establish soviet republics.
Under the pressure of the Muscovite
divisions last year the socialist gov
ernments in Armenia and Georgia
were ousted and replaced by local
communists, to whom Lenin prom
ised complete economic freedom and a
certain amount of political independ-
ence. The Caucasian republic devel-
oped more quickly than Moscow ex-
pected. and. realizing that the welfare
friendly relations with the outside
world than with Moscow. they decided
to cling to their independence
Take Steps to Safeguard.
In order to avoid bullying by the
central soviets it was planned to form
a confederation OF Caucasus states.
of tne three repub-
lies met in kars and laid the foun-
dations of the new federation The
nationalists, who, in spite of
the Angora-Moscow alliance. do not
trust Russia, saw in the development
of this confederation reliable future
support against bolshevist imperial
ism and encouraged the movement,
promising to join in 1t eventually.
Worried over the new developments,
the Moscow government decided to
curtail the freedom Of the small states
by sending commissars to rule the
Caucasus as in the Gays Of the czar.
Another reason which prompted the
TO act hurriedly was that
the allies. who do not wish 10 get
through The soviets, were
trying to obtain them in the Cau-
casus. British, French and Italian
concerns have been very active lately.
in Baku. where they have
been trying to induce the local soviets
20 allow them to exploit the oil fields
on profit-sharing basis. Moscow