The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1918-02-22
DEFENSE TO THE DEATH"
PROCLAIM RUSS LEADERS
Order Issued at Midnight Thursday From Boil
shevik Headquarters Calls for Resistance to
German Invaders and Declares PetrO-
grad in State Of Siege

the peace terms offered at Brest-
Litovsk.
defense to the Death"
London, Feb. 22.-"Defense to the
death against Germany" 10 ordered in
the proclamation of the Russian COM
rnissioners, Reuters Fetrograd CORE.
spondent teIegraphs. The commission
ers appeal to the soldiers to destroy
railways and provisions and compel
the bourgeoisie to dig trenches under
penalty of death.
The commissioners appeal to the
mans plan the capture of Petrograd
''The German generals" it says, de
sire to establish their own order in
Petrograd and Kiev. The republic is
in the gravest danger. The duty of
Russian workmen and peasants is de-
Tense to the death Of the republic
against the masses of bourgeoisie and
imperialists of Germany"
An Exchange Telegraph dispatch
from Petrograd says the evacuation of
Finland has been ordered by the COM
missioners.
Fatneridno IN Danger.
In the appeal for reorganization of
a defense 'of the revolution against
Germany the council of commissioners
says:
{ "The socialist fatherland is in
danger. In order to save the country
in it's exhaustion from further trials
of war we resigned ourselves to max
ing immense sacrifices. Our delegates
on Feb. 20 left Regitsky for Dvinsk,
but up to the present no news from
them has been received"
After stating that it is the duty of
workmen and peasants to defend the
republic to the death, the appeal con-
tinues:
German militarism wishes to
smother the working classes and the
Ukrainian masses, to give back the
land to the land owners. factories and
workshops to the bankers, and power
to a monarchy
Points Urged in Appeal.
Following are the points urged in
the appeal:
'First--AlI the forces in the
/ country in their entirety must
place themselves at the service of
the defense OF the revolution.
Second - All the council of
workmen's and soldiers revolu-
tionary organizations must enter
into the compulsory defense of
each position to the last drop Of
their blood.
Third Organizations on rail-
way and the soviets connected
there are obliged with all their
strength to check attempts of the
enemy to profit by the equipment
of lines of communication. In their
retreat they must destroy the rail-
= rAn
rolling stock and locomotives must
be sent eastward and into the in
terror of the country without de-
lay.
"Fourth-Corn and provisions in
general are placed on the same
footing as. valuable property when
in danger of falling into the
hands of the enemy and must
then be destroyed without contra
diction. The local soviets must see
that these decisions are carried
out and the responsibility falls
upon their representatives.
"Fifth-Workmen and peasants
of Petrograd, Kiev and all towns,
villages and hamlets on the line of
the new front must raise battalions
to dig trenches under direction OF
the military socialists.
"Sixth-All members of the
bourgeoise class, the women as
well as the men, must enter these
battalions under surveillance of the
red guards and in case of resist
ance must be shot.
"Seventh-sAll institutions which t
offer resistance to the action of the
revolution on the defensive and
pass to the side of the German
bourgeoise. or which have ten
dency to profit by the invasion of +
the imperialistic masses in order 4
to overthrow the authority of the
soviets, must be closed. Directors I
of and collaborators with these in
stitutions who are capable of work
must mobilize themselves to dig
trenches and engage In other de- n
fensive work.
Eighth - Foreign agents and !,
SPECTATORS are counted as revolu-
tionary agitators and German
spies and must be shot at sight. =
The socialist fatherland is in !
danger. Long live the national so" y
cial revolution" =