Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-08-23
RUSSIA T0TTERING:
CALLS FOR AID


mediate adequate and continuing as
sistance she would be unable To con.
tinue in the wal Semioiiicial con.
frmation was obtained by The State
Department that Germany has enter
ed into an economic convention with
Switzerland
The announcement Of similar com
mercial relation between Holland and
Germany Is expected at any time.
The military situation IN the Rus
sian fronts is admittedly dangerous
10 the allies Moldavia is expected
to succumb to AustroGerman pres
sure In three weeks Russia is abSo
mtely helpless to arrest the enemy IS
advance, having lost. through the dis
organization amounting to musiay all
. her guns and supplies
Confirming the threatening aspect
o. the military situation tonight's Of
fetal report from the PetrOgrad war
office says the Germans have launch
ed determined offensive against the
entire northern wing Of the republi-
can army
Rumors Of important and alerming
news from Russia which reached
Washington last night and continued
TO attract attention today, when trlc-
ed To authoritative sources, were dis
covered to relate to. the economic 81.
uation
Secretary of State Lansing declined
TO discuss the rumors. refusing, how.
ever, to deny that alarming reports
have been received
In Danger of Defeat.
One authority, in a position 10 know
the situation, said;
Russian has stated her case ~ her
associates in the war She is in
imminent danger of being oVarrun by
the enemy She was demanded 40
pendable assurances, amounting %
guarantees. that materials and provis.
ions shall be furnished her immedi-
ately. adequately and continuously.
There is not the least suggestion OF
politices, internal or International, in
Russia's demand She cannot fight eff.
fectively without materials and sup
plies, and unless she is furnished
bnn ho mil hn al N
in the, war, no matter how DESTROYS
she is of not accepting absolute de-
feat.
II was partly in response to Rus
sia's representations that The An
glo French armies and the Italian
troops have been pushed forward in
desperate fighting. RECKLESS in a
sense to waste. 1t had not been plan
ned to launch these oifensives so
soon, but the Russian situation made
il absolutely imperative that the
strength of the western allies should
be thrown into the situation. actively
to relieve the tremendous pressure
upon Russia
Washington, Au9 23.--Dehnite RI
mors of further disasters to the Rus
sian military forces. including one re
port that the Germans have taken the
city of Riga from which an assault
can be directed against Petrograd
We're widely circulated here today
They were unconfirmed from any Of
fetal source but caused deep concern
nevertheless when taken in connec
ton with reports that Won linden
burg had launched the greatest Of
fensive Of the war in the north
against the demoralized Russian ar
mics,
Officials made no effort to disguise
their fears that the general situation
in Russia again is very serious. II
was admitted that the dispatches
from Ambassador Francis contained
both political and military informa
ton of the utmost Importance, The
State Department is Withholding thC
information contained III these de
spatches and Secretary Lansing ha'
declined to discuss the Russian situa
ton at this time
Petrograd. Aug. 23-The railroad tC
Fladivostok on the Pacific, may be
suspended because of the lack of coal
The Aftonbadet said that it has learn
ed that the American Railway Com
mission to Russia declared that un
less an adequate coal supply can be
assured the railway will disclaim al
responsibility for the operating.