Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-07-27

eAD~ ~ ~ VSAAN ASS-
ognize the, kingdom Of Poland, the
republic Of Ukraine, the independence
Of Finland. and the separate govern
mental status of Lithuania, Esthonia
and Livonta. Turkey, Is an ally Of the
central power, was given a great
area to the east of the Black sea, in
GLIDING the regions of Batum, Nars
and Erivan.
With the announcement of the final
Bolsheviki and Germany, the Allies
gave up hope that Russia would re-
main in the conflict. and at once they
began to strengthen their lines against
the coming of the great German Of
fensive by which Berlin and Vienna
hoped to force the entente nations to
make peace.
| Rumania Capitulates.
With the greater part of her terri
tory occupied by the Germans, Aus
TRANS and Bllgarians. with her gov
eminent driven from Bucharest to
Jassy and with the Russian Bolsheviki
openly hostile toward her, Rumania
found herself in a critical situation.
Rumanian troops during February
and March advanced into Bessarabia,
a part of the new republic of Ukraine,
but they were hemmed in by the enc
my forces and obliged to withdraw.
At last, on May 6, Rumania signed a
treaty of peace with the central pow
ers.
side of the Danube, which she had
received after the Balkan war, and
agreed tora' r~ectifcation of her west
ern frontier. Economic concessions
also were made under pressure from
the Teutonic alliance.
Peace Tentatives.
The period between December 1,
1917 and March 1, 1918, may be CALL
ed the period of peace tentatives. 1t
Is true that before the end of the
summer Pope Benedict made an APP
peal to the warning nations to enter
into peace negotiations, the basis for
pourparlors being the restoration of
Belgium and Serbia and the return
to Germany of her lost colonies. This
appeal, made OF August ,13, was an
swered by President Wilson on August
70, When h president announced
that the German government as con-
stituted could not be believed and that
the United States was ready to enter
into negotiations when the German
people showed they desired peace and
when they spoke through any author
ity which would be representative of
them. =
The German, answer to the Pope,s
appeal reached the Vatican on Sep
TENDER 81. 1t expressed hope that fur
ther warfare could be averted through
the good Offices Of the Pope, but de-
clined to enter into any engagement
to meet What the Allies had declared
to be their minimum war aims y
German Peace Offer.
German efforts to secure a peace
which would leave to Germany all the
fruits of her victory gained through
Russia's collapse, and with Belgium
and large portions of France to be
used as pawns at the council table.
began with the address of Count
Czernin, then Austrian foreign minis
ter, at Brest-L itovsk, on December
rs. The keynote of the address was
general peace without lamentations
and indemnities.
On January 8, President Wilson,
addressing congress, said that the
United States must know fos whom
the German rulers were speaking.
The address was a complement to an
address made on January 5 by David
Lloyd George. the British premier.
To these addresses reply was made
by Imperial Chancellor Won Hertling
of Germany, and Count Czernin. The
latter was pacific and cO~nciliatory in
tone. while the former, alluding to
"the good German sword" showed
he was speaking for the militarists
OF the Germanic powers.
-Four Principles" Enunciatad.
To these replies there was rejoiner
by President Wilson, who, on Febru-
airy II, again addressing congress, laid
down what have come to be known
as the -Four Principles" upon which
peace can be based. Briefly. these
principles were:
Final settlement must DO based on
essential justice.
Peoples and provinces are not to
be bartered about like chattels.,
Every territorial settlement must
be for the benefit and n.ths Interest
OF the populations concerned.
All well-defined national aspirations
shall be met with tho utmost satis-
faction consistent with the future
peace.
Pope Benedict. in 1 pastoral letter
issued Rt Easter, made another APP
peal TOR concord among tho peoples
OF tho world, but II brought forth no
tangible results. At the Pope's behest.
prayers for peace were offered In
Catholic churches throughout the
world on 81. Peters day, June %.
In April there came reveIations
from Paris that Emperor Charles OF
Austria had written letters to Prince
Gixtus Of Bourbon, b relative. In
theAe communications the Austrian
monarch conceded the claim OF
France 70. Alsace and LORRAINE ana
limited that peace oyeFtures would be
welcomed.