Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1918-02-28

lbers. 3-Scene during the enforced re
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the Chinese border to take the railway.
The Tartars occupied Yalta, in the
government of Taurida, and were ad-
vancing to Sebastopol, the great naval
base on the Black sea.
Adding to their own troubles, the
bolsheviki decreed the separation of
church and state and seized all church
property for the people, which aroused
the patriarch of Russia to excommuni-
cate some of them and to call for
holy war.
An unconfirned report said Polish
troops had captured Mohilev, head
quarters of the bolsheviki army, and
had captured Commander in Chief
Krylenko and his staff.
A deadlock over the question of the
Ukraine put an end, for the present
at least, to the peace negotiations at
Brest-Litovsk. The Germans, 1t was
said, then demanded their terms be ac-
cepted at once, threatening otherwise
to march on Petrograd. The Russian
soldiers council at Moscow called on
the government to form volunteer
socialist army and continue resistance.
Meanwhile economic and food cOndi-
tons in Petrograd and other parts of
Russia are growing steadily worse.
IA
It is quite evident that Trotzky has
been counting on n real revolution of
the workers of Germany, and 1t is
equally evident that no such revolution
is forthcoming in the near future. The
widespread strikes which were hailed
with joy by the foolishly optimistic
were quickly crushed by the military
power of the government, many of the
leaders forced into the army and the
rank and file of the workers driven
back to their labor. In this internal
struggle the German autocracy seem
ingly did not yield single point to the
democracy, though some effect Of the
strikes may appear in the future. The
radical leaders in the empire are not
backing water, any more than are their
autocratic opponents, and the situation
| there is still critical.
RI
AS a substitute for the war cabinet
and munitions directorate bills which
he so firmly opposes, President VIII
son on Wednesday had introduced in
the senate by Senator Overman a bill
designed to do away with bureaucratic
inef1ciency and to give the chief exec
utive vast powers. 1t was drafted for
Mr.. Wilson by the attorney general
and authorizes the president during
the war to distribute, coordinate, con-
solidate and otherwise reorganize any
and all existing administrative func-
lions and agencies and create such
new agencies as he deems necessary
for the conduct Of the war. He is also
authorized to transfer appropriations
from one department, bureau or com,
mission to any other agency he may
designate.
Those who support the measure say
1t properly confers on the president
as commander in chief Of the nations
armed forces, whatever power hi
deems necessary to perform his tasl
with efficiency. Other congressmeI
declared the bill actually creates a mil
itary dictatorship. There doesn't seen
to be much difference between thes'
two views.
Ships, ships and more ships, is still
the cry of the United States and tn,
entente allies, and all are agreed tina
ultimate victory hangs largely on tn
ability of America to turn out the re
quired amount of tonnage to transpor
its troops and the immense quantitie
Of food and munitions necessary. TIL
present lack is not shipyards and ma
ment Is operating great yards on bot
coasts, and others are being rapid
completed, but even those now In OF
Grafton are working but one shift o
men where three should be worked
The appeal for laborers in the yard
, is urgent and should meet with ampl
response. not only for patriotic res
sons, but for selfish reasons, too, 70
the pay assured is large. The Unite
States now has in all services abou
100000 tons of shipping, approx
t mately one-fourth Of which is engage
r in bringing in materials that have bee
; considered industrial essentials. TIL
: government is considering a plan I
make so per cent reduction in import
: by eliminating articles that are not e.
: sential to the winning of the war. TIL
= would help some, and of course tn
e allies can supply certain amount {
! tonnage, but there will still be left
a wide discrepancy between the awaits
$ BILE amount of shipping and the amour
q we must have in order that SecretaI
G Bakers promise Of half a million me
n in Europe by spring and a million an