The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-03-06
RUSSIA LOSES
oil FIELD And
THE CAUCASUS
Strong Forts That Guarded
Rich Mineral Region to
Pass to Enemy.
DRIVE AT DARDANELLES
Peace Treaty Is Staggering
Blow to Sweden and
Other Neutrals.
DRIVE AT DARDANELLES
Specie, Caois Despatch TO THE srN.

e'pe'Wt '0otS "Spu0" ~ ihh ctN'
Copyright. 1918: all riohts reserved.
LONDON, March 5.--As the terms OF
the peace treaty made at Brest-Litovsk
by the Bolshevik delegates with the Cen
tral Powers. or rather the conditions
imposed by Germany. for the Bolshevik
ENJOYS admit they. signed the treaty
without discussion. gradually are being
revealed II il clear that the additional
price exacted between the FIRST apd Sec
ond peace agreements was enormous in
amount and Of the highest Importance.
In addition to the huge territories. tho
surrender Of which previously had been
agreed upon. Russia now must give up
the key to the great Baku oil fields and
practically the whole Of the Caucasus.
one Of the richest mineral regions in
the world. This is the meaning Of the
surrender to the Turks, which means
the Germans. for the Turks would have
no use for them. Of the three fortresses
of Batum. kars and Ardakham. which,
with the prolongation Of the Armenian
mountains in which they stand. have
constituted since 1878 defensive screen
for Russian Transcausasia.
BY holding Batum the Germans will
be in a position to control the entire ex-
ports and all the output of these great
fields, which before the war produced an
annual total Of 100000 tons of
petroleum.
Rude shock TO sweden.
Germanys decision to occupy Finland
has brought an unpleasant awakening to
Sweden. The announcement by the
Berlin Government that the Aland
Islands will be occupied as a military
base for the forthcoming expedition
means that Pruzsianism will be planted
in a position In which the safety Of
Stockholm itself will be at It's mercy.
The project Of making the Baltic Sea
q German lake will be . severe blow at
-Sweden's commercial interests. which
have a Jealous regard for every mile Of
tho not very extensive part Of Sweden's
sea cosAt which Is not threatened by
some nation that suddenly may become
hostile. -
The Aiand archipelago. which has
been In Russian hands for a century. al
ways has been a source Of acute nervous
ness 70 the swedish people, to whom the
idea OF it's fertilization has been 4
chronic nightmare 1t now has been
seised by n Power which lets no trifies
like international rights obstruct action
based upon what 1t considers its military
necessities and tine value of whose as
eurances to Sweden must he regarded IN
the light OF its prccedents In Belgium
and elsewhere.
Rumanian Rear Menaced.
The armies of the Central Powers
have been pushed forward on a front ex-
tending from Pskov far down into
Podolia. threatening the connections OF
Petrograf and Moscow. and toward the
south they are within striking distance
Of the principal Black Sea ports There
are two possible explanations for the
invasion OF Podolia by Austro-Hun-
garian troops In apparent breach Of the
official pledge given but few days ago
Austrian newspapers which have just ar
rived here indicate that this invasion is
intended as threat to the Rumanian
Pear. with the intention Of compelling
Rumania to make a separate peace
There Is another explanation. which
will not be found in the Austrian papers
This is that the Austro- hungarian ac-
ton was prompted by jealousy OF Ger
many. In the Ukraine, Austria moved
more slowly than Germany and there Is
reason to believe she did not want to
move at all and would. not have moved
hut for the action OF her ally.
Germany proceeded promptly to lay
hands on the food stores OF the Ukraine.
that was one rea son for Austrlas action
Then Germany. by military Intervention.
began to establish a German predom!-
nance in the Ukraine. The Austrian
hope and desire was that the Ukraine
should fall into the Austrian sphere OF in
huencs, but the Dual Monarchy awokc
with start to the realization that Ger
many had stolen a march on her in as
suming the position OF protector to the
bourgeois Ukraine Government. Then IL
was that Austrian soldiers were sent in,
following the German troops.
Rivalry Over Ukraine.
This episode reveals that Germany is
determined TO he predominant in the
Ukraine and that rivalry over that great
region between Germany and Austria al
ready has begun. The new German
policy in the Ukraine may cause a
breach with Austria and with Turkey ::
with Austria because both Powers are
seeking the same spoils with Turkey
because Germany's new opening on the
Black Sea gives her an alternative route
TO the East and makes Turkey no longer
Indispensable to her.
In short. Germany has acquired
through her dependency the Ukraine. a
positive interest in taking from Turkey
the control of the Dardanelles and as
suminT II herself.