The Oskaloosa herald., 1918-02-28
RUSSIANS PUTTING
UP CAME FIGHT
BACK WITH BIG LOSS.
PEACE TERMS ARE IGNORED
The Hun Plan to Take Petrosrad BY
Force Is Exposed.-Their Capture
of Reval Was An Expensive
Victory.
(By Joseph ShapIen.)

(6y Joseph shaplen.)
-Petrograd, Feb. 27.-The Germans
have been hurled back at Vitebsk and
from Orsha.
Vitebsk is the capital of the pro-
vince of that name, three hundred
miles south of Petrograd. g..
Orsha is an important railroad juno.
ton on the Dnieper river, thirty miles
south of Vitebsk.
Where Napoleon Failed.
After terrifying Borissoff, thirty.
eight miles northeast of Minsk, the
Germans suddenly made a drive to.
wards Orsha.
The Russians made short cut and
pushed the Germans back eighteen
miles from the city.
The Russians then retired upon Or.
sha and blew up the bridge over the
Beresina, where Napoleon suffered
heavy losses in November 1912, and
began an orderly evacuation.
The Germans sought to occupy vi
tebsk where the first mobilization for
the defense of Petrograd took place
but they were thrown back by heavy
forces of Russians.
Peace Terms Are Ignored
The German command, advancing
towards the capital upon being inform.
ed that the Russians had accepted the
peace terms, queried their representa-
tives at Brest-Litoysk The reply
came back The advance must contin-
ue.'
The Germans evidently are deter
mined to occupy Petrograd and are
also seeking to cut off the Russian
capital from the south. 3
The battle for the possession OF
Pskoff which continued throughout the
night ended in a Russian victory.
The Russians were successful in re-
moving most all of the vast stores
of supplies there, valued at more than
four hundred million rubles into the
interior
Fierce Fight for RevaI
The cOmmonsariant has admitted
that Reval was occupied after a fierce
battle in which the sailors and Red
Guards fiercely contested every step.
The Germans surrounded the city in
the evening. They approached within
four and a half miles and then sent
their representatives forward. They
declared that in view of Esthonia's
indepenenCe they were coming as
guests.
The defenders fefused to accept
their altitude and the fierce battle was
on.
Reinforcements Rushed to Front.
Petrograd, Feb. 27.-Ten detach.
ments of revolutionary troops headed
by the executive committeeman have
been dispatched toward Pskoff it was
semi-officially announced today. A
large number of armored cars are in
Cluded.
Moscow has sent seventy thousand
troops towards Bologoe three hundred
miles west of Moscow. and the same
distance from Petrograd.
Russians Again Successful.
London, Feb. 27-The Revolution
AIRY forces have captured Novo Tcher-
kash, wireless dispatch from Petro-
grad stated this evening. The cadet
officers fed. Novo Tcherkash is a
district of the Don Cossack province
and is located twenty-five miles north
east of Rostov.
Germany's 5ombastie Report.
Berlin, Feb 27.-North of Derpat,
one hundred and seventeen miles
east of Riga, the German forces cap
tured two Russian regiments which
were retreating, the German war Of
fetal statement announced this after
noon.
South of JitOmia, capital of Volhy-
mia, the Germans pressed as far as
Berditchoff, thirty-five miles south of
Jitomia, in the province of Kieff, the
statement added.
Germany Refuses Armistiee.
Petrograd, Feb. 27.-"Germany has
formally refused to grant an arms
tice, and German detachments con.
tinue to advance" says an official
statement issued today. Resistance
thus becomes the principal task Of the
revolution.
"Russia's greatest strength lies in
her wide territories, and the govern
ment, If need be. will retreat. If the
threat against Petrograd increases
the government will remove to Mos
COW or another city"
Call To Arms.
Petrograd, Feb. 27.-An official pro
clamation issued today. calling upon
the people to defend the capital, says:
I'm spite of the fact that the
government has accepted the
peace conditions imposed by the
fc~nt;n,,..s ~, p.oa o4