The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-03-16
The War for the Week

War developments for the week
have been numerous and Of great i'm
portance.
Some Of the most interesting fea-
lures Of the war news were: the
first American offensive; the visit Of
Secretary Baker to Paris; German
complications with Holland and the
Scandinavian countries; the ratifca-
ton of the Russian peace; the re-
moval Of the Bolshevik government
to Moscow; the revolution in Tibet;
and the capture Of Odessa
The Russian situation, as usual,
holds the spotlight again this week.
A brief resume Of conditions is in
order. The peace treaty negotiated
at Brest- Ldtovsk was approved and
ratified by the Congress Of Soviets at
Moscow on Thursday. Under it's
terms Russia refinquishes all right to
the territory that has been occupied
by Germany and also certain prov
inces between the Black and Caspian
seas, which revert to Turkey. Rus
STA also agrees to discontinue all
propaganda work in the coded terri
tory.
While waiting for the ratification,
the Germans hurriedly pushed for
ward and occupied Odessa, and con-
tinued their advance east Of Kiev in
the Ukraine. They are now 100 miles
east Of that important city. That
means that Odessa undoubtedly will
be considered a part of the Ukraine,
and this new country will be one of
vast Importance. II contains the
richest provinces in Russia, and it
will be almost as large as the old
German Empire, containing at least
two cities Of half a million people
each, Kiev and Odessa. 1t is the
granary Of the Russia, and includes
the great grain shipping port of
Odessa.
Plans Well Developed.
German plans in the east are now
fully enough developed to become
clear, even at this distance. The
Ukraine is an immense new province
Of Germany, under German con-
troll and open to German exploitation,
1t, with Poland, Courland, Livonia
and Esthonia forms a complete bar.
rier between Germany and Russia,
IN. - u.-,nf~Ir~ - T1,,~z9, -.rf11 bs
open to exploitation by German bust
ness men, through the most favored
nation" treaty. The Baltic sea will
become a German lake, surrounded
by Germany, Courland, Esthonia, and
Finland, the latter three German
provinces, Russia is left but a tiny
window at Petrograd, and Germany
can close this window any time she
desires. On the other side of the
Baltic, Sweden will become virtually
a German province with the occupa-
ton Of the Aland islands, and their
fertilization, for Stockholm and the
entire coast OF Sweden are at the
mercy of the German navy.
India Not Threatened.
That the Germans plan an invasion
of India by the route across the Black
sea, Persia and Afghanistan, does not
seem plausible, Notwithstanding
what certain war writer's say. 1t is
true that railways were built between
the Black sea and the Caspian tc
develop the oil fields in that region
but they would be Of little use in
such an invasion, as they run but q
short distance toward India. Aftei
leaving these railways there is
stretch Of some 400 miles before
India is reached, and then the British
| forces in India have to be reczonet
with. 1t would be fighting at Ions
range, for which the Germans hav,
little taste. They have learned tht
value Of supply lines too well to un.
dertake such an invasion. They ma!
and probably win attempt to stir VI
a holy war, organizing the MOham
medans OF Turanian stock in thest
provinces, against the British.
The Germans have tried one invas
ion Of the east through an allie,
country and with railroad as
direct supply line. Il met with disas-