The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1918-02-01
DEFINITE DEMANDS
MADE BY GERMANS
BIG SLICE OF RICH RUSSIAN TER.
RlTORY DEMANDED IN
PEACE TERMS.
RUSS DELEGATES AMAZED
This Is Grudgingly Giveh.-
Germans Announce This Is
Last Postponement.

London, Jan. 26.-After weeks of
vacillation, the Germans at last have
made their demands at the peace con-
ference at Brest-Litovsk, and the Rus
slams hace declined to accede to them.
| Notwithstanding the fact that the
| imperial German chancellor in his
many times postponed speech to the
main committee of the reichstag an
nounces that he still holds the hope
that an early and satisfactory conclu
sion of the Brest-Litovsk conference
will be reached, the terms of the Ger
mans as enunciated by General HOff-
man. one of their chief delegates TO the
peace conference, so far form an in
superable barrier for the Bolsheviki
government, which has expressed de-
termination to carry out policy of
no anneXations and no indemnities.
COurland in its entirety and all of
Russians Baltic provinces are to be re-
tanned by Germany. according to Gen
eral Hoffman, in what is termed as
Germany's last proposal to the Rus
slams, and the added threat was given
that if the Russians failed TO acquiesce
in the demands, further inroads into
their territory would follow and the |
important port of Reval. near the
mouth of the Gulf of Finland would |
be occupied.
In theatrical fashion Hoffman, de-
noted on map before the astonished |
Russian delegates the new Russian
frontier as the Germans intend it to
run-from the shores of the Gulf of
islands and then to the west of MinSk
Finland eastward TO the Moon Sound
and thence to misunderstanding
within German boundaries some of
Russia'S choicest territory
Amazed by Audacity.
Amazed at +the audacity of the Ger
man program, the Russian delegates
asked for time to consider the de-
mands. This was grudgingly given.
together with the announcement that
it was the last postponement that
could be expected. The latest advices
have unanimously rejected the Ger
man terms.
AS to Future.
What the new situation will bring I
'orth is problematical. With the polit-
al situation in Russia still in turmoil
md the battle line depleted of fighting
men through OBJECTIONS, it is hardly
that the Russians will be able
o withstand at the present moment .
my great show of force by the Ger
mans toward the capture of Reval. /
which would prove a handy base from
Which to operate against Petrograd, or
o push their line further eastward
rom the old battle line.
OF great interest as regards the mil
-ary situation is the withdrawal of
he Austr0-German armies along the
Italian front from the Piave river west
ard. The retrograde movement was ri
due to harrassing attacks :,
he Italians, reinforced by the French ~
nd British have been delivering for -
everal weeks past. The indications =;
re that the enemy has now given up
Or the time being at least his ambi- -
on to drive through the mountains h,
nd out upon the Venetian plains. ~
On the other fronts the beligerents al
re keeping up their intensive bonn a
ardmentS on various sectors and here tc
nd there sending out bands of in 81
lntry on raiding and accommodating n,
perations. al