The Washington herald., 1918-03-01
NAVAL DRIVE
|. BEGINS WHEN
ARMIES HALT
German Fleet Steaming for
Finland with Purpose
Yet Uncertain.
D. S. DIPLOMAT LEAVES
Huns Seem Determined to
Annihilate Bolsheviki or
Force Peace Pact.

Amsterdam, Feb. 2S.-Simulta-
nsously with the arrival of the new
Russian peace delegation at Brest-
| Litovsk the German drive on Pet
rograd stopped short, but a strong
German fleet is reported steaming
northward in the direction OF Fin
land. This new naval move is be-
| lieved to have one of three objec-
tives:
Purpose of Fleet.
1-Landing German forces in
FINLAND to clear that republic COM
pfetely of Red Guards. at the same
Stfme holding the club" of a flank
King move on Petrograd over the
heads of the Russian peace negotia-
ytorss~
2-Occupation of 113 miles of
Russian coast strip up to and in
! cluding Narva, IS miles southwest
OF Petrograd with the object OF
kdrawing a straight line OF occupa-
tion from Narva down to Odessa.
EHalf-way penetration into Gulf of
FINLAND to bottle up the Russian
Baltic fleet to enforce its demolish-
ment. possibly its surrender.
From land, as well as from sea.
. Germany aims to have her hands at
the throats of the BoIsheviki and tell
them to sign the unconditional sur
render or be throttled
Meanwhile the true revolutionaries
OF Russia are swarming to the de-
fsnse of their capital and country.
trying to stem a prairie fire. The
soldiers still refuse to fight. but the
workers and peasants are forming
red guards, which to them means
red death cheerfully suffered so the
revolution may live.
Diplomats Depart.
The United States Ambassador and
his embassy stsff, it lis reported.
haxe.3eft Petrograd for Yologda. 375
1mHks to the east of the threatened
-apital. With him, il is said. went
the diplomatic representatives of
Japan. Brazil and Siam.
This move is believed to be due
4 to the American enYoy's expectation
| of complete Bolshevist surrender at
kBrest, rather than to the fear that
he capital is about to be taken by
he invaders. The German advance
Rhs slackened all along the line in
he center and south, while in the
north operations are confined to
clearing Livonia and Esthonia of
Russians. At Pskoff and in the
south miniature battles arc in prog
Fess between red guards and Ger
man advance forces.
At 'Minsk the invaders bagged
O.0Oa rifles and 1000 machine guns,
Berlin announced today.
Denounce Socialists.
Vienna dispatches are TO the effect
the Austrians refuse to have any
Ything whatever to do with the new
military moves, even in the Ukraine.
The theory advanced in these dis
patches two days ago and reiterated
yesterday that the Germans will con-
tent themselves with stopping where
4 they now are. was strengthened by
today's news that Gen. Won Hoffman,
informed the Russians that Germany
proposed to protect" Finland, Ii
sonia- Esthonia and Ukrania until the
German peace stipulations have been
} fuldlIed. This would leave room for
further operations on Finnish soil, but
would leave the invasion Of Russia
proper practically where 1t Is now,
with the possible exception Of the oc-
z cupation Of NarvG as an outpost.
The Bolsheviki today charged the
German military command with arm
ing released Teuton prisoners against
them and denounced the German So
= cialists for acquiescence In this course.