The Washington herald., 1918-03-05
BOthnIan Gulf Bottled Up.

bothnian Gulf Bottled Up.
Occupation by a foreign power OF the
Aland Isles mean the virtual bottlinR
up Of the Bothnian Gulf, and thereby
the cutting of of the two Northern
thirds Of Sweden's east coast. At this
particular season the menace 10 Sve-
den is doUbly great, because Of the
Ice connection. The largest isle lies
less than twenty-five miles from the
Swedish coast and only seventy-one
miles from Stockholm. the Kingdoms
capital.
At the same time, il is pointed out,
the Germans by seiEinE these islands
complete their strangIe hold on the
bottled-up Russian feet in the Gulf OF
Finland. and their control OF Finland
itself.
Rescue" Of the Firms from the RED
Guards is given by Berlin as the rea-
son for the seizure which, Germany
asserts in a note 10 Sweden, will only
be provisional" The Firms them
selves. the note declares. urgently ap-
pealed for this rescue"
Sweden in a highly diplomatic note
TO the powers does not commit herself
directly as opposing the German ac-
ton. but points out that certain i'm
portant objections and dangers have
been emphasized TO the Berlin govern
ment - reply 70 the German an
nouncems7lt.
Germany's announced plan TO ''ro-
store order" in Finland spells added
menace not only TO PetrogTads flank.
, but to Russia's access to the White
I Sea, since a German nortbWard dash
across Finland TO ArchangeI IN ro-
garded her as entirely likeIv 10 ne
part OF the program.
STechBIcaI" Peace,
Meanwhile Russia and German an.
at Teace-but only technically. The
Russian delegation at Brest-Litovsll
| has signed the German conditiops
though IN doing so announced that II
was surrender to extortion bv for,
or arms. krylenko has ordered the
ked Guards 10 cease fighting, but 10
! remain on the front. Germany has
halted her operations in great Rus
/ Sia but continues her military move
/ ments against Finland and in the
/ Ukraine.
The peace treaty IS 10 be ratified
/ by the Russians March :. but will NOT
! be finally voted upon BY the pru-
SoNlets executive council until Mar n
[ L.
In Petrograd the spirit OF defan,t
Keeps glowing at fever heat ana
: preparations for defeuSc 20 'irish
I continue unabated. The Bolshevfs.
chIeftains are Unsh8ken in their h,.-
! lief that "class war Holy war.
I will ultimately turn the tables on
the invaders. Their determination mss
been strengthened by the many me-s
sages sent by the Russian deIcCai.-.
at Brest-LitOvsk. who. while admit
tlnC that signing the German DO. 30.
is the only salvation at this momc,.
emphasized throughout that the prom
Use TO keep the peace Is eNaCted by
the force OF arms and is. therefore.
null and void.
German agents are IN the meantirn.
making desperate efforts TO strike q
bargain with the rea .Jionaircs for the
establishment of stable govern
ment 70 replace tn" Reds"
Tear Up Tracks.
The only news from siberia up 10
, late this evening was the news thai
, the Russians have begun 10 tear W
the railroad tracks and destroy the
bridges along the great trans-Siberi-
an railroad The generally accepted
theory rs that this action has been
I prompted by Russian fear Of the much
/ discussed japanese march into Siberia.
There are those. however. who believe
Teuton prisoners in Siberia have a
! hand in this work OF destruction.
Further Austrian progress ia the
J CErainie was reported by Vienna to-
I day, as Was the capture by the in
vaders OF 10 guns and l,lOO machine
/ guns.