The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-03-04

ceased.
 It was reported on Saturday by the bolshevik commissioners that they were about to sign the treaty. This re- port was telegraphed to Lenine and Trotzky after the delegates sent to
 Brest-Litovsk had met the German emissaries. There is little information available as to the details of the meet ing between the peace delegations. but the bolsheviki said they realized that any further delay would mean more onerous conditions and they would sign the treaty without further dis cussions.
 Russia lost by the delay that en- sued and Trotzky announced that the war. so far as Russia was concerned, had ended. but refused to sign the for maj treaty. In the interval between the breaking up of the first Brest- Litovsk meeting and the one held late last week, the central powers added materially to the demands which were outlined when the now famous "Hoff- man line" was drawn by the comman- der of the German forces on the east ern front.
 Turkey was the beneficiary of these changes in the peace terms. The new demands included that Russia relin- quish the regions of Batoum, Kars and karaband (Karabagh) to the Turks. These regions are in transcaucasia and mark considerable addition to the Sul- tan's dominions in that section of the world The doctrine of the right of peoples to self f-determination was the pretext upon which the new terms were added to the treaty It is prob able that the bolshevik delegation ac- ceded to the new demands.
 While it is understood that all the Teutonic allies have signed the formal treaty ending the war with Russia, 1t is said that the economic and legal phases of resuming peaceful relations will be taken up individually by each country.
 The German socialists have bitterly attacked the peace treaty with Russia. In debate In the Reichstag there were charges that Germany and Austria are already quarrelling over the spells of war and that the real i, truth of the situation in the east Is being kept from the German public While Berlin says that the German in- vasion has ceased. Austrian troops have occupied three more towns in Ukraine and have captured three divisions of Russian infantry. as well as the statts of two Russian army corps. Attacks by the Germans in various sec tors along the French front have rea- tured the official reports from Paris for the past couple of days. In one raid near Rheims. the Germans occupied a small position, but were immediately busted by the French. In other engage ments the French beat off their assail- ants.
 No further fighting has been reported on the American-held sectors near
 Chemin Des Danes and north of Tou.. Semi official German and Austrian stdteiheHtS say mat peace negotiations between the central powers and Ru-
 mania "are progressing favorably" One of the demands made by the Teutons was that King eFrdinand of Rumania relinquish his throne to his brother, Prince William of Hohenzolern. German troops are reported to have been sent into Finland. and 1t is sad that the Aland Islands are being used as the base of operations. The Alands are under guard of Swedish troops sent there by agreement with the Russian factions.
 Priceless treasures of art in Venice have been greatly damaged by Teu- tonic air raiders, who appeared to select buildings and monuments as their tar- igetS. The casualties wera very ernal