Middletown transcript., 1917-09-29


erent powers toward the end of this
month, and they will be more speclhc
and enter into more details than the
former proposals. Germany's reply to
the pope's first note is said to accept
the greater part of his plan but con-
tains no specific declarations concern
ing Belgium. Austria'S answer has
been sent, but is negligible.
Argentina to Break Relations.
Germany's diplomatic bungling has
added another to the list of her enc
mics, for the Luxburg incident and
Berlin's inadequate explanations have
induced the Argentina senate to vote
to break off relations with Ger
many. 1t was the last great food
producing nation in the list OF
neutrals, and its action will result
in big benefit to the allies in the re-
strictiOn of exports of meat and grain
to neutral countries from which they
might find their way to the central ma
tions. If Argentina takes an active
part in the war, she can muster an
army of 19S,000 men and has navy
that includes many powerful and mod
ern vessels.
Sweden-the poor goats still in
distress over the trouble into which
German duplicity has dragged her, and
is demanding explanations from Berlin
and sending evasive notes to Washing
ton and BuenoS Aires. Her leaders as
sert that she shall not be forced into
| the war on either side. Meanwhile
she is pleading with America for food
stuffs 10 keep from suffering the peo-
pie who are likely to be the innocent
victims of the stupidity of the officials.
Situation in Russia.
Premier Kerensky started the week
off with a stirring proclamation declar-
ing Russia to be republic. He then,
with four of his colleagues, undertook
to conduct the government until the
| first congress meets on September %
to frame q constitution and name a
new ministry. Next he sent Scath-
ing telegram to the Baltic fleet de-
manling that the men cease their eX-
cesses and restore order, and the fol-
lowing day he undertook the reorgani-
zation Cf the army, beginning by sup
pressing the activities of the self-con-
stituted committees among the SOL
diers; he also ordered the arrest of
General Kaledines. hetman of the Cos
sacks, whose loyalty to the govern
ment was doubtful. At this point
Kerensky ran against two snags The
radicals gained control of the cOun-
Gil of soldiers and wOrkmen and de-
manded that the power of ruling the
republic should be assumed at once
by the council, acting in conjunction
with the council of peasants. The
leaders Of the former council, who
have linked it with the government,
at once resigned. The Maximalists in
the army groups strongly opposed the
order barring politics from the army.
The other snag was the attitude of the
Cossacks. They demanded that the
order for the arrest of Kaledines be
Cancelled. and a delegation Of loyalists
went to Cossack headquarters to in
vestigate conditions.
Kerensky and the new republic are
by no means out of the woods yet, but
it begins to look as if they would tri-
umph over the forces of disorder and
disloyalty. Certainly the soldiers at
the front are making better showing
than for some time past. The north
ern armies stopped their retreat to.
ward Petrograd and turned on the
pursuing Germans. driving them back
toward Riga and retaking number
of towns. In the south Russian troops
co-operated with the ROumanians in
their stout attacks on the invading
Teutons.
Coming to Their Senses.
Mayor Thompson of Chicago, fol
long in his petty way one of our mos1
persistent opponents of the govern
ment's conduct of the war, has seen g
great light and issued proclamation
calling on "all patriotic citizens t(
stand by our country in times of con
troverSy" and bidding Godspeed to the
men of the National army. Thompson:
friends say he never has been unpa
triOtc, but was misled by certain
dark forces" among his associates
which is defending his loyalty at the
expense of his intelligence.
1t is gratifying to note, also, tht
signs of change of outward expression
if not of heart on the part of some
of the GermanAmerican newspapers
following the governments raid on the
office of one of the worst of them il
Philadelphia. One of the milwaukee,
papers has become suddenly patriotic
and another. in Oregon. has change'
its name to the Portland American
! and will be printed wholly in English
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