The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1918-01-12
Germany'S Plans for Annexation
Disgust Russia and Check
Peace Negotiations.
OPPOSED BY ALL SOCIALISTS
French Troops in Italy Whip the Aus
trians-American Ordnance De-
partment Is Reorganized-
Plans Made to Hurry Our
Forces to France.
BY EDWARD w. PIcKARD.

Prussian and Austrian greed and
duplicity exposed themselves, last
week in the peace negotiations at
Brest-Litovsk, and in consequence the
meeting broke up with fair prospects
that hostilities would be resumed be-
tween Russia and the central powers.
After making all sorts of promises to
refrain from fOrcible anneXations and
to permit self-deinition by occupied
territories, the Germans made it clear
that they intend to impose an Aus
trian monarchy ON Poland and to
make German duchies out of Lithua-
MIA and Courland. Their contention
was that these countries already have
declared their desire to be severed
from Russia. Furthermore, they de-
clined to consider the evacuation of
Riga, Libau and other occupied cities
until certain that all Russia sane
toned the peace.
Whether or not Lenine and Trotzky
be in reality German agents, they
could not stomach such terms, and the
foreign minister of the bOlsheviki de-
clared the government of the Russian
workers would not consent to the Ger
man proposals. PetrOgrad leaders
said the government might put an
army of 100000 in the field, and the
bolsheviki red guard was reported to
be already moving back to the fighting
front. The resumption of hostilities,
of course, would upset German plans
| for great offensive on the west front,
as many of the troops removed from
the east front would have to be re-
turned to the line there. That the sit
| uation was considered critical by the
central powers was shown by the hur-
ried conferences of leaders in Berlin
and Vienna. The negotiations at
Brest-Litovsk were interrupted, at
least temporarily, and the Russian del.
egates demanded that if they were re-
sumed it be in Stockholm.
In Bad All Around.
The German official attitude, as ex'
pressed by DR.. Won Kuehlmann, didn't
seem to be pleasing to anyone. In
Russia all factions, even the most rad
ical and peace-loying, denounced il
and began to perceive that they must
! fight to save their revolution. In Ger
many the leaders of both the regular
and the independent socialists ex
pressed great dissatisfaction with the
governments evident aims concerning
occupied territory, and told Vor
Kuehlmann his course justified en-
tente statesmen in declining to place
confidence in the word of Germany's
leaders and rulers The Leipsig
Volkszeitung went so far as to declare
that everyone now knows Germany is
not aiming at just peace without an
nexations and indemnities, that she in
tends to annex all territories she new
holds, and that these intentions must
strengthen the war will of the entente
Also the pan-Germans are highly dis
ment will abandon those very inten
tions that the others are denouncing.
From southern and eastern Russia
and Siberia came repeated stories OF
civil war and disorder, and of the set.
ting up of independent governments
| The Ukrainian rada sent an ultimatum
to Petrograd demanding the immediate
withdrawal of the bolshevik troops
and cut off shipments Of sugar and
grain to northern Russia The entire
population of the Don valley was
modified and all Of it's men Joined
! Kaledines, who WAS said to have fought
a bloody battle with The bolsheviki be
tween Moscow and RostOy.