Evening star., 1918-02-24

is the SPIDER, Russia the ny. After
toying with the Slavs, watching
the chains of intrigue. bind the
hands and feet of the great Rus
sian nation, the Teuton now is
dashing forth to make an end to
Slavic ambitions 1t seeks to
claim a great empire as its very
own.
The hour has come for the Germans TO
disregard their hirelings in Petrograd
The hour has
Not Moment come wh e n
Lost by Germans. nosa c., hos,
be realized and insured by strictly
German action Not moment is being
lost, the armies of the kaiser are driv-
ing for the very heart of Russia and
meeting no opposition condition
well prepared for through the actions
of Trotzky and Lenine in Petrograd.
The Germans wished that there be no
resistance. and the resistance they now
will encounter-all the proc1amations
of the bolshevik leaders in PetTograd
to the contrary-will amount to moth
ing. The Germans will go as far as
they like. They will take such Russia n
territory as they wish. and mayhap
completely dominate the Russian nation
for the next several years If not for
decades through the medium of the
agreements and alliances that will be
effected during the period of. their as
cendancy in Sfavland.
he nf fba 2 ! a O.
tice arranged between the bolsheviki
and Germans had apSed--during E
which period the bolshevik leaders
had ample time to clear the way for
Just such things as are happening in
the east today-the Germans announc-
ed that their. armies would move for
ward on the northern section of the
eastern front. The pretext that Ger
mans in Livonia and ESthonia We're
imperiled and that the bolsheviki in
tended to slaughter the more than
25.ooe German prisoners in Petrograd
were pretexts for the action. There
necessarily would have TO be some ex-
cuses from the government in view of
the protestations of good intentions
made to the German socialists and the
world at large.
Dvinsk, Lutsk and numerous other
points already have fallen into Ger
man hands. Reval is invested and may
be expected to be taken at any juno
ture. A fleet of forty-fve German war
ships which is approaching the Gull
of Finland, in which the Russian fleets
lie. is expected to make end to the
Slavic naval power The Russians may
destroy the vessels themselves, how
ever. but this is doubtful.
In Volhynis the Austrians and Ger
mans are moving forward presumably
against the bolsheviki. but in fact to
insure Teutonic domination of the
whole of the southern section of Rus
sia, a control endangered by the activ-
tiles of Russian forces sent TO comba
ton by the Germans. The TeutonS can
not risk losing the Ukrainian regions
and it is but natural that any military
operations they might attempt would
also embrace those regions of Russia
known as the granarieS of the empire
The militarists of Germany are in
sfstent upon the occupation of Petro-
grad and the taking over of all things
Russian with a view of perpetuatine
forever German interests in the Slavic
empire. Won Kuehlmannites declare
that Germany only should occupy tha,
territory which includes Courland, Es-
thonia, Libvonia, the Moon Islands anG
sections of Kovno and Grodno which
1t was stipulated in the latest German
peace conditions. should be ceded tt
Germany with an indemnity of nearly
ments it is argued that this territory
should only be held as guarantee OF
the demanded indemnity. but in view
or Germany's aspirations in the cas-
ana the possibility of profting in th'
next Few years by complete contro
over the richer sections of Russia, il
cannot be expected that the German.
VIII in anywise relax or modify theil
plans to completely dominate tn.
country.
Were they not tragic. the actions o
the bolshevik leaders in Petrogra,
during the pas
Tragic Actions week would b
Of the Bolsheviki. nnhi,,.tan y. Al' qe
Russian army, but insisting that n.
peace treaty would be signed, the Ger
mans began their present drive, whel
the bolsheviki saw this they. possibl.
imagining that they now had ample ex
cuse for doing SO. at least possible jus
tification in the eyes of all Russian peo
pie. announced to Germany that Russi
would capitulate and accept German
terms: That the leaders, Lenine an,
Trotzky, do not always take their fol
lowers into their confidence Is indicate,
by the SURPRISE created by this action
The intelligent classes of Russia hun;
their heads in shame when the an
nouncement was made.
Gen. Hoffman, the German militar
representative at the Brest-I.itovsl
conference. announced that the 4Ayssial
proposals must be in writing and con
veyed to the Russian commander a
Dyinsk. Trotzky was assigned to thi
mission, it is reported, and the Russia
document now is in the hands of tn
Germans. The Teutons in demandin
the written statement, rather than capitu
lation by wireless, played for time. Befor
.any acceptance can he made the Teuton:
armies will have occupied all of thos
regions demanded in peace terms.
they do not go even further. The fac
aof the matter is, it is more likely tina
little consideration will be given tn
proposals. Germany has nothing I
gain by accepting them and Germany
not doing things in the present wa
where theSe is nothing to be achieve