The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-02-28
WHAT ENEMY CAN : GET
OUT Of THE UKRAINE
Granary of Eastern Europe In Not
Likely TO he Garden of Eden for
Huns.

When the news Of the separate peace
concluded between the central powers
and the new Ukraine peoples repub-
he reached this country the first
thought that occurred to Americans
was. What can our enemies get out
Of the EkraineH' SO little definite
can be said of Russia since she fell
into the chaos that followed the rev.
olutiou of last March that anything
like an authoritative answer to this
question IL impossible. Many believe
that Russias condition is so awful that
not even German efficiency can sue
coed In getting the products of the
Ukraine into the central empires. even
II reserve stocks of what the Teutons
need are now in existence or can be
supplied In time TO meet the desper-
ate shortages Of our foes. Others are
not so optimistic, they see in the sep
arate peace treaty source of inval
liable economic aid Of the hard pressed
Teutons, Which is right the next few
months win tell All that can be
done now is to show that, in times OF
peace, the Ukraine fully justifes its
claim OF being the granary Of Eas-
tern Europe. and Is also In other ways
the richest part Of Russia.
n the government Of the Ckrainian
state can assert it's control over all
the territory 10 which II lays claim,
the new republic will embrace $4,000
square kilometers. contain about rs
100000 Inhabitants. and include the
great cities of Kieff, Odessa, KharkoY.
Kherson, Ekaterinoslay. and others.
OF these the most important CONNER
ctally is the great port of Odessa on
the Black sea, whence, before the war,
20 per cent of all Russias exports
went to foreign lands.
Ukraines principal wealth lies III
its enormous acreage of fertile farm
lands. Though it comprises only one
sixth of European Russia it has 30 per
cent Of all the farm land. OF the to-
tai area OF the Ukraine SO per cent
Is farmed. OF all the other European
countries only France. with So per
cent, surpasses this record
Despite primitive methods OF cul-
tivation the Ukraine produces annual
ly In wheat, rye and barley alone, So,
5000 600 pounds, which liz eduiva-
liant to one-third of the output of all
Russia. The sugar beet production OF
the Ukraine is flve-sixths that Of all
Russia
In peace times the Ukraine had 80
100000 head of cattle, or one-third of
the Russian total In sheep. goats.
pigs, and poultry the region possessed
one-half the entire Russian supply,
The Ukraine is also rich in iron
the mines of which lie principally In
the region of Kherson From these
mines in 1905 so per cent of the en-
tire Russian output was taken. One
sixth of the worlds whole supply of
manganese and all the mercury pro-
du"ed in Russia also come from the
Ukraine.
The coat deposits on the Donetz
have produced as much as IS per
cent OF all the coal mined in Euro
pean and Asiatic Russia, and 80 per
cent OF Russia Is anthracite coal came
from the Ukraine before the war.
The production of coal in the Donetz
region in one pre-war year was over
$4,000. 100000 pounds, Other forms
of mineral wealth are petroleum,
ozocerite, peat, phosphorite, kaolin,
&C.
The region is also rich in game.
AS for fish the fisheries of the Black
sea and the Sea of Azov have yielded
over 50,000000 pounds in a normal
year. Fresh water fishing is also
profitable.
A big crop of tobacco has also
been produced in the Ukraine; and it
possesses the finest orchards and vine
yards In Russia Another source OF
potential wealth is the great area OF
exploitable forest lands. totaling
Ito: SQUARE kilometera.