The sun., 1918-07-28
Americas Wonderful Response With
Fighting Men Most Encouraging
Feature for the Entente

paused at the Tagliamento and then
retired until 1t rested on the Piave,
almost within sight Of Venice. Here
the Italian army reformed it's coll
umns, consolidated its positions by
withdrawing from the Rhaetian noun
tains to the Asago plateau, and, as
sisted by the French requirements
brought to that battle front. stood at
bay.
Events in the meanwhile had been
moving swiftly in Russia. On No
vember l, while the offensive against
Italy was under way, Alexander +.
Kerensky, then the Russian Premier,
announced that Russia was worn out
by the war and that the Allies must
shoulder the burden thenceforward.
Seven days later Kerensky was de-
posed by the Bolsheviki.
Ukraine Republic Formed.
The fall and flight OF Kerensky was
the signal for Germany and Austria
to enter into peace negotiations with
Russia. On November 80 the Boil
sheviki announced that Russia was
out of the war and proposed that all
the Allies join in negotiations for an
armistice. Russian and German rep
resentatives met at Brest- Litovsk on
December % and terms of peace we're
! exchanged. No progress was made
with the negotiations, and the con-
ference was broken up on January IL.
In the meantime a new republic
had sprung from the side of Russia.
1t was Ukraine. a territory extend
ing along the Rumanian and Galician
frontier from the Black Sea north
ward to Cholm, in ancient Poland.
With this republic the Central EN-
pires made peace late in January.
The failure Of the Bo,shevist au-
thorities to reach any agreement with
the Germans resulted in the renewal
of hostilities on February IS, and the
German armies moved forward once
more. This brought about a renewal
Of the peace negotiations, and at
Brest-Litovsk the Bolsheviki were
given to understand that Germany
would recognize the kingdom of Po-
land, the republic of Ukraine, the in
dependence of Finland and the sep
arate governmental status of Lith-
uania, Esthonia and Livonia- Turkey,
as an ally of the Central Powers. was
given a great area to the east Of the
Black Sea, including Batum, Kars and
Erivan.
With the announcement Of the final
signing Of the treaty between the
Bolsheviki and Germany the Allies
gave up hope that Russia would re-
main in the conflict and at once they
began to strengthen their lines
against the coming of the great Ger
man offe rsive by which Berlin and
Vienna hoped to force the Entente to
make peace.
With the greater part Of her terri
tory occupied by the Germans. Aus
TRANS and Bulgarans, with her Gov
eminent driven from Bucharest to
Jassy and with the Russian Bolsheviki
openly hostile toward her. Rumania
found herself in a critical situation.
} Rumanian troops during February
and March advanced into Bessarabia,
a part Of the new republic Of Ukraine,
but they were hemmed in by the en-
J envy forces and obliged to withdraw.
At last, on May s. Rumania signed a
|, treaty OF peace with the Central Pow
, ers.
Peace Tentative Covered Winter.
By this treaty Rumania lost the
province OF Dobrudja. on the south
side of the Danube, which she had
received after the Balkan war, and
, agreed to a rectifcation OF her west
ern frontier Economic concessions
also were made under pressure from
the Teutonic alliance.
The period between December /
1917, and March /, 1918, may be called
the period Of peace tentatives. 1t is
true that before the end Of the sum-
mer Pope Benedict made an appeal to
the warning nations to enter into
peace negotiationsl the basis for
: ponrpdrlers being the restoration OF
Belgium and Serbia and the return to
Germany of her lost colonies. This
appeal. made on August 49, was an
swered by President Wilson on Au-
gust 20, when the President an
nounced that the German Govern
ment, as constituted. could not be be-
lieved and that the United States was
ready to enter into negotiations when