The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-02-11

Amsterdam, Feb. 11.-Rus- |
sia has declared the state OF
war to be at an end and has or
dered rehabilitation of Russian
forces on all fronts, according
10 a dispatch received here to-
day, dated Brest Litovsk on
Sunday.
The dispatch follows:
"The president of the Rus
sian delegation at today's
(Sunday's) sitting, stated that
while Russia was desisting from
signing a formal peace treaty,
it declared the state of war to
be ended with Germany, Aus
tria-Hungary, Turkey and Bull
garia, simultaneously giving
orders for complete demobil-
ization of Russian forces on all
fronts"
Russia steps formally out Of the war
by the act OF the boshevist government
which seized the reins Of power in Pc
trograd last November and almost i'm
| mediately began peace negotiations with
the central empires. Authority Of this
| government seems virtually unques.
| toned at present in northern Russia
and the Teutonic powers have already
| assured the cessation Of even nominal
hostlities along virtually all the re
| mainder of the original long line in the
| east by signing a peace treaty with the
| Ukraine and isolating Rumania.
| Although cutting little figure in the
war for nearly a year past, Russia's
great indeed vital part in the conflict.
| comes forcibly TO mind as the circum-
stances leading up to her exit are re
| viewed. Becoming belligerent on Ang
| 1, 1914, through Germans declaration
of war upon her, her troops were soon
sweeping through East Prussia Great.
| ing a diversion which hampered the
Germans in their first dash through
Belgium
Russians Comeback.
Though disastrously defeated by Hin
lenburg at Tanneberg Russia rallied
and by winter was hammering again at
the German borders and her great
armies, overrunning Austrian terri,
tories in Galicia, were at the crest of
the Carpathians and threatening an in
yasion of Hungary.
1t took the bulk of the Austrian
armies and a large proportion of Ger
manys armies virtually an entire
years campaigning in 1915 to break
Russia's hold in territory, drive her out
Of Poland and the lower Baltic terri
tory and force her armies under Grand
Duke Nicholas back to the line of which
Brest Litovsk, scene Of the recent peace
negotiations, formed the keystone.
Beaten back, but not yet disorgan-
lied, she fought through 1916, creating
havoc among the Austrian armies in
Volhynia and Galicia and in Asia Minor,
driving the Turks out Of virtually all
Turkish Armenia.
Comes to End OF Tether.
The opening Of last year however,
found Russia under the old bureau.
cratic regime, virtually at the end of
her tether. Her oppressed war-worn
people were ripe for the revolution, the
L. latent flames Of which German propa.
gandists had skillfully famed, and in
March, 1917, came the crash, the deposl
/ ton of Emperor Nicholas and the
foundation of the first provisional gov.
ernment
The conservative element among the
revolutionists first held sway, and the
determination of Russia to remain In
the war was frequently affirmed In
deed, under Kerensky, as minister OF
war, her armies in July, 1917, began ar
offensive in Volhynia and Galicia which
was in the full tide of success under
General korniloff when the fatal dis
ease of disaffecuon among her troops
which for some time had been manifest
broke out epidemically and stopped tn,
effort.
Since August last, Russia has figured
in the great world conflict as a military
factor only by reason that she still helC
numbers of German and Austrian
troops on her frontiers, awaiting tn,
forces Of disorganization within t.
, bring about her final disintegration.
Kerensliy Is Weakened.
This process, struggled against il
vain by Kerensky as premier through
the summer and early fall of last year
was constantly accelerated by virtue Of
! the divided authority set up at Petro
grad The council Of soldiers and work
men, representing the proletariat, anc
claiming virtually supreme power, sys
teInatically antagonized the constituted
government, clamoring for opening o
peace negotiations; and finally, in No
+ vember last, formally took over thu
power it had long in fact exercised.
S The rest is comparatively recent his
e tory. Under Lenine and Trotzky, al
e armistice was brought about on all Rus
D sian fronts on Dec. and peace nego
! tiations with the central powers wer
: opened at Brest Litovsk on Dec. %
The central empires agreed to adhere L