Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-03-22
FRANC|S BAREs
GERMAN TRICK
Warns Russians Against
Huns; Pledges U. S.
Friendship !.
IBy Associated Press stan

MOSCOW, M6rCQ l6.-(Dcl2y euJ-
Russia eventually will become = Ger
man province and Russians will lose
their liberty If they submit to the
peace forced by the central powers,
David r. Francis, the American am
bassador declared In a statement to
the Russian people, issued from the
American embassy at Vologda.
The admassador pledged American
help to any government In Russia that
would resist the German penetration.
He urged them to forget their political
differences and said that he would not
leaye RusSiA until compelled by
AMERICA STILL FRIENDLY
The ambassadors statement said:
"The friendship between Russia and
the United States, which has existed
for a century or more, should be augu-
mented rather than impaired by Rus
sia becoming a republic, and Amer
leans are sincerely desirous that Rus
SLAMS be permitted to continue free
and independent and not become sub
Jects Of Germany.
'T have not seen an authentic copy
of tho peace treaty but am suf-
ficiently acquainted with its provisions
to know that IL the Russian people
should submit to it, Russia will not
only be robbed Of vast areas OF its
territory but her people eventually
would become subjects of Germany.
INVASION ALARMS sLAVS
"My government still considers
America an ally Of the Russian people,
who surely will not reject the prefer
red assistance we would be prompt to
render to any government In Russia
that will offer sincere and organized
resistance to the German invasion"
The uneasiness caused by the
seizure of Odessa and the gaining by
the central powers Of control OF the
Black sea has intensified the panic in
north Russia and has strengthened the
belief, now general, that in q short
time the Germans will advance on
Moscow and Retrograd. The trans
Caucasian constituent assembly meet
ing at Tihis has refused to ratify the
peace treaty with Germany and has
urged an immediate war on Germany.
GERMAN TRICKS TRANSPARENT
The Germans explanation that they
are not fighting Russia when they as
sist Ukrainians to defeat bolshevik
forces is hooted In the Russian press
generally. which contends that Ger
many's peace treaty with Ukrainia is
only flimsy pretext to dismember
Russia
Leon Trotzky has arrived in Mos
COW from Petrograd and announces he
will remain here to assume the duties
Of minister Of war II there is war,
but otherwise he will decline the post.
The commander Of the Moscow de-
fenses today reviewed four regiments
of volunteers who declared unequi-
vocally for war Many experienced
army officers have joined the bolshe-
vik general staf which welcomes them
regardless of their politics.
TO RESTORE DISCIPLINE
Indications points to the adoption
of rigid discipline among the new
forces and the restoration OF trained
officers to their commands. The boil
shevik leaders insist that the new
organizations must be purely volun-
tary.
Reports from northern Russia say
that the Corelia district in which Kola.
the only ice free port on the Arctic
shore is located. has asked Finland to
annex 1t. This is regarded as part of
the German plan to help the Finnish
government forces to isolate Russia
from the Baltic and Arctic.
The evacuation Of Petrograd con.
tinues and the government bureaus
are. being transferred to Moscow
Nizhni-Noveorod and Perm as rapidly
as the disabled railways permit.
UKRAINE CITY CAPTURED
Berlin, March 21.--Kherson, in the
Ukraine, nineiy-two miles northeast of