The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1918-04-27


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evidently not daring to come out to
the rescue. The fact that the British
were engaged in clearing the Kattegat
of mines may portend naval operations
Of moment.
Turning to the east, we find the parts
of the former state of Russia being ex-
plotted as fields for German ruthless
ness comparable to that which devas-
tated Belgium. According to advices
in Washington, the Huns intend to
make Ukraine an AustroG German col
ony, and are about to dissolve the rada
and install Teuton government. AL
ready they are putting Austr0-Germans
into all the offices and have cut
Ukraine off from all communication
with Russia proper. All entente Off
GERS in the state have been ordered I'M
der arrest Finland is running red
with the blood Of the people Of the
working class and others who oppose
the White guard and the Finnish feu-
dial class. They are pointed out to the
, German troops, which have occupied
Helsingfors, and are murdered by the
latter in conjunction with the White
| guard. The provisional government Of
Finland and tens Of thousands of Firms
have retired to Petrograd. The bru-
talities of the Huns are being exhibited
also in Russia itself as the troops push
| their way north and east. In one viii
| lage the inhabitants resisted an armed
requisition for money by German
| forces and an officer was killed in the
resulting scuffie. Thereupon the Ger
mans burned the town and with ma
chine guns slaughtered the inhabitants
as they fled from their blazing homes.
! Against this and other similar outrages
ITchitcherin, Russian minister Of for
reign affairs, protested to Berlin, ask
| ing the punishment of the guilty But
\ can anyone recall the infection of pun
ishment on the Huns who perpetrated
! like outrages in Belgium and northern
France?
Any hope that the relations between
Germany and Austria-Hungary might
be disrupted by the exposure Of En-
peror Charles letter concerning peace
and the French claim to Alsace-Lor-
raine was dispelled by the appointment
of Baron Burian as minister of for
eign affairs to succeed Count Czernin,
the official goat. Burian Is recognized
as firm supporter Of the policy OF a
continued alliance with Germany and
the press of both Austria and Germany
assert that the country's foreign pol
icy will not be changed by him. DR..
| Won Seydler the Austrian premier,
was emphatic in stating the same view,
and said those who looked to the en-
tente for salvation would always be
regarded and treated as enemies of the
| state. In this category he must in
clude many of the people of Bohemia,
for at great mass meeting In Prague
President Wilson was cheered and the
kaiser jeered. In Vienna there has
been serious rioting by the hungry pe0-
pie.
Bolo Pasha, the spectacular French
traitor, was executed at Vincennes on
Wednesday, after having made confess
sions that are believed to involve many
others in his infamies. In the United
States men equally guilty of treason
are allowed to live, and II arrested are
usually let out on bail to continue their
vile practices until the time comes for
their trial. This may be remedied,
however by the passage Of the Cham
berlain bill introduced In the senate,
declaring the United States part of
the military zone and making spies
and disloyalists subject to trial by
court-martial. Among those who ap-
peared before the senate committee to
urge the passage of this measure, was
w. B. Bloodgood, chairman of the Mil
waukee council of defense. He warn
ed the senator's that dire consequences
might result in Wisconsin unless the
government deals more effectively with
disloyalty and sedition. "Feeling grows
stronger with the departure of every
army transport" said he, "and the peo-
pie are likely to go back to primitive
methods" Mr.. Bloodgood asserted
that pro-German propaganda has been
widely disseminated In the training
camps where Wisconsin troops have
been quartered, and that German
agents have purchased union cards and
obtained employment In munition fac
tories when they were unable to hit o
nail ON the head.
Extension Of the espionage law to
apply to women will lead to the ar
rest of numerous women, though many
of them already have fled from the
country. Most of the spies who rur
away go to Cuba, and 1t has been dis
covered that their headquarters are In
Havana.
-n-
The week was marked by the death
of United States Senator William Joe
Stone OF Missouri.