Licking Valley courier., 1918-01-17

IOTIn.
>~~o~~~~~~~~-o.~~~~
he KoynO district had deserted be-
cause they were about to be moved to
the west front.
NJ. Radek, one of the Russian dele
gates, asserted Monday that the Rus,
slams were strengthening the front and
would send home every soldier who
was not willing to fight. He asserted
they wanted no help from the allies or
America because their strength lay in
their weakness; that the country for
many miles was destitute, and that
while the Germans could drive them
back 1t would do them no good and
they would not want to have millions
of starving people on their hands.
Conditions In Petrograd are becoln-
ing more desperate daily. The city is
full of crime, disorder and dirt, and
the people have little food and coal.
Very severe winter weather is adding
to the distress there.
Break.Up Of Russia Continues.
Inc 9oJSies7ikd Soon ~ f-oc'.s't1tea'
present, to permit the breaking up OF
Russia into separate nationolltles. A
kind Of q truce has been patched up
with the Ukrainians, and the many
other new governments" apparently
are not molested. Llthuania is the
latest to declare itself independent
Finland IL Well on the way TO indepen-
dence, having been recognized by Ger
many. Sweden and France, and Its rep.
resentutives being well received by
other governments.
The Cossacks Of the south were hav-
ing II harder time; official dispatches
from Petrograd reporting that they
had been defeated and put 70 flight by
the bolsheviki forces.
The Bulgarian parliament was In
formed by Premier RadOslavoff that n
peace compact had been formed be-
tween Bulgaria and Russia, with the
consent Of the other central powers
On the other hand, the bolshevlki gov
, ernment rejected the separate peace
proposals made by Turkey, asking the
latter to participate In the general con
ference.
Col. William y. Thompson, who com
manded the American Red Cross mis-
sion to Russia. has just returned Il
this country and has much good to 81!
OF the bolshevikl government. He 4
convinced Its leaders nre honest an,
sincere and not In the pay of the Ger
mans, and he believes the mOvemen
they have set on foot may result In
world peace.
Fighting Of the Week.
A number OF attacks In force an
continuous activity of the artlller
marked the week along the west from
but there was no great battle and n
serious attempt to break through tn
lines by either side. The sector S,
! lected by the German high comman
for the expected big offensive was nj
revealed, but the belief grows that
will be In Belgium and that the mai
objective Of the kaiser will be the cal
ture Of Calais. Possession of this poi
of course, would be of inestlmabl
value to Germany, both In the submi
rine campaign and In threatening EN-
land with direct attack, as well as i
terruptlng the short route betwee
England and France.
In Italy the weather and possib
shortage of ammunition brought d
most to standstll the attempts
the Austro-Germans to break throul
into the Venetian plains. Heavy snoy
fell in the Alps and threatened to sh
of communication between the Tire
I tho and The fighting line, and 4
n weather was stormy all the way FRI
n the mountains to the Adrlatlc.
i Vice Admiral Sims reported the /,
pedong of the American steumsf
y Harry Luckenbach, nine members
A. llp NItW utllk hliSHilks lhV OH
admiralty announced that the hospl
\. ship Rewa was torpedoed and sunk
,s the Bristol channel, She was full
!, wounded soldiers, but all of them W,
:. safely landed though three L0scars
Is the crew were lost. This new bru
\ crime OF the Germans afforded
,f London Times opportunity for m
criticism of President Wilson's h
lde9llsm, the paper asking: us {
TO- peace tPlnkable with the authors Q
=. supporters "a system by which 81
:. crimes are coldly sanctioned as leg
n. mate acts OF wnrr
q. The Rewa was displaying au
u. lights and markings required ~
is Hague convention and was not wit
he the so-called barred zone, but 81
,d facts no longer mean anything to
ms Germans. II indeed they ever did.
r. Baker Defends Himself.
IT. The investigation OF war preps
,r tlons by the senate committee reacl
M the stage on Thursday where the pl
in ence OF Secretary Baker was reQulI