Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1918-02-28

must. as things stand to-day, in the name
Of the German empire and her allies,
decline this court as prejudiced, joyfully
as would greet 1t, IL an impartial court
of arbitration existed and gladly as !
would cooperate to realize such ideals.
CRITICIzEs ENGLAND.
Unfortunately, however, there is no
trace of similar state Of mind on the
part Of the leading powers in the entente.
When England talks about peoples right
Of self-determination she does not think
of applying the principle to Ireland, Egypt
or India
Declaring that the German operations
against Russia were taken at the request
Of the populations to restore order and
that they did not aim at conQuests, the
chancellor continued:
Our war aims from the beginning were
the defense of the Fatherland, the main
tenance of our territorial integrity and
the freedom of our economic development.
I lay especial stress upon that just now
in order that no misunderstanding shall
arise about our operations in the east.
Their sole aim is to secure the fruits
of our peace with Ukraine.
I'VE do not intend to establish our.
selves, for example. in Esthonia or
Livonia. In Courland and Lithuania
our chief object is to create organs
of self determination and self-admin.
istration.
News was received yesterday that
Petrograd had accepted our conditions
and had sent its representatives to
Brest-Litovsk for further negotiations
Accordingly. our delegates travelled
thither last evening.
ITO safeguard the fruits of our
peace with Ukraine. our army COM
mand drew the sword. Peace with
Russia will be the happy result.
DESIRES TO MAKE FRIENDS.
Peace negotiations with Roumania
began at Bucharest yesterday. With
regard to Roumania, too, the guiding
principle will be that we must, and
desire to convert into friends the
states with which on the basis Of the
success of our army we now conclude
peace.
Regarding Poland, that country al
! we know, was freed by Germany and
! Austria Hungary from oppressive de-
pendence. with the intention of call.
ing an Independent state into exist.
ence. Peace with Ukraine at first pro.
duced great unrest in Poland I hope,
however. that with good will a com.
promise on the conflicting claims will
| be reached.
1.-THE entente are fighting for the 40.
QUESTION Of portions Of Austro- Hungarian
territory by Italy and for the severance
| of Palestine. Syria and Arabia from the
Turkish empire. England hopes by the
! creation of a dependent protectorate to
annex new portions of territory to the
British empire and to increase and round
off the British possessions. especially In
Africa.
I'm the face of this policy entente states
men dare to represent Germany as the dis
turber of peace, who, in the interest OF
world peace, must be confined within the
! narrowest bounds.
TRIES TO SHIFT BLAME.
THE world yearns for peace and desires
nothing more than that the sufferings Of
war under which 1t groans should come
to an end. But the governments Of the
enemy states contrive ever anew to stir
the war fury among the peoples. A con.
tinuation Of the war to the utmost was.
so far as has transpired. the most recent
watchword issued by the conference at
Versailles. and in the English premier's
speeches it again finds loud echo There
are. however, other voices to be heard
in England; 1t is to be hoped that these
voices will multiply.
THE OLD LINE OF TALK.
THE world now stands before the final
decision. Either our enemies will decide to
conclude peace-they know on what condi.
tons we are ready to begin discussion
or they will continue the insanity by
their criminal war of conquest.
"Our people will hold out further. but
the blood Of the fallen. the agonies Of the
mutilated and the distress and sufferings
I of the peoples will fall on the hands Of
those who insistently refuse to listen -
I the voice Of reason and humanity"
Meanwhile, although the Russians have
accepted Germany's proposals for peace,
the Germans are continuing their inroads
both into Great and Little Russia. In the
north some opposition Is being placed in
| the oath Of the invaders. but evidently the
pressure had not yet been sufficient to
stay the progress of the enemy. Con-
siderable fighting has taken place around
the town of Pskov, which, according to
latest advices, has changed hands several
times. In Volhynia, the town Of Kolen-
kowitz has been captured after some
| fighting and according to the Berlin Off.
cial communication bands of the Boil
sheviki in Ukraine have been put to flight
! by the Germans.
An official proclamation issued in Petro.
cause of Russia IL the Bolshevik govern-
ment is to be saved. A call also has
been issued to the people of the capital
to come out and aid in the digging of de-
fensive trenches and the general arming