Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1917-12-15
OPEN FORUM
THE RUss1AN-eERMAN ARM1sT1oH
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To the Editor:
We have pursued the proposed ar
mistice in Russia as instigated and di-
rected by the kaiser and for pure un-
adulterated gall and audacity it GER
tainly takes the cake. We, in our gen
erosity loaned Russia several million
dollars, while in her dire distress, and
now we are told that unless we take
the dose prescribed by them and the
kaiser, the debt will be repudiated.
Could we have foresaw what has since
come to pass we should not have en-
trusted them as they are simply the
agitators and nihilists who were ban
ished to Siberia from time to time, and
now they propose to take the reins of
government and they order an armistice
at the instigation of Germany and here
is Germany's proposal, viz:
first-That Russia evacuate Petro-
grad until after the war.
Second:-That Russia disarm the Bal
tic fleet.
Third:-That Russia cede Urania to
Austria including the north chores of
the Black Sea.
The Bolsheviki have deferred action
for week and notified the allies so as
to give us an opportunity to Join in the
farce and we are told that if we do not
do this we will be held responsible for
all bloodshed, and carnage of the last
four years. We cannot blame the kaiser
for trying to shift the responsibility of
this awful war upon some one else. But
the kaiser has not notified us on what
conditions we will be admitted but ae-
eording to the above he would probably
ask the evacuation of Washington until
after the war. Disarm our Atlantic fleet
and cede him the country on the gulf of
Mexico. This would only be for an arm
istice of three months, and he would
probably not be so lenient with us in
a matter of extended peace and want
us to pay for the terrible devastation
wrought by his army in Belgium and in
France. He forbade us selling our pro
duets on theopen market or using the
high seas before we entered the war.
Well, Russia seems to agree to Germ
any proposition providing Germany
will not move her troops from the east
ern to the western border and will re-
move her boats from around Moonis-
land. This is all blind to deceive the
allies and was no doubt agreed upon in
advance. The German troops are nearly
all on the western front now, and the
rest would be by the time the armistice
came in force. But if not what then.
Then Petrograd would be evacuated.
The Russian fleet disarmed and her sol
diers withdrawn and the kaiser has
boasted that treaties were but scraps of
paper. As for withdrawing the boats
Germany would do
that anyway as she would have no far
ther use for them in that locality, but
at any rate, there would be no protest
from a Bolsheviki source. In order to
give Germany full swing on the eastern
front the Bolsheviki officials forced
Rumania to accept the armistiee byI
to cut off their food supply.
When Russia quit fighting Germany got
the tip forthwith but the allies were
kept in ignorance until after Germany
had withdrawn her soldiers from the
Russian front and made her raid on
Italy. But the trouble is not yet over In
Russia and the mass of the people win
have something to say and eventually
there win be staple government. The
ezar's domination was tyrannical but
the present state of affairs is abominab-
le with the kaiser as head of the Bolshe-
wiki as tail, and no body.
L. H. SUTER.