The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-03-16
BY
1853 TO 80 VOTE
T0RATIFY PACT
Little Doubt That Soviet
Congress. Though Split,
Will Accept Treaty.
GERMANS PRESSING ON
More Russian Territory Occu-
pied and Lithuania Re-
ceiveS a New Rebuff.

contingent In the Moscow conference. ac-
cording TO despatch sent yesterday
from Petrograd. has decided by vote
of 4j3 10 80 to support the Lenine treaty
with Germany and her allies. Appar-
emily this was only caucus of the ma
jor!ty party since there we're to be more
than 1000 delegates In the conference,
but the opposition Is made up Of so many
minor parties that the Bolsheviki seem
to have an overwhelming preponderance
Of strength and will have little or no
difficulty In ratifying the treaty when It
comes to a vote.
That there is opposition within the
Bolshevik!. however. is indicated by the
resignation from the party after the vote
Of NJ. Ryazonov. a prominent Bolshevik
and representative OF all the profess
sional unions. The members Of all. par
ties and factions. moreover. are assert
ing freely that the peace necessarily will
he only temporary. affording respite
for the demobilization OF the remaining
fragment of the old army and the or
ganzation Of a Socialistic army.
Caucasus Rejects Treaty.
A despatch from Petrograd says the
Caucasus Government has issued
statement In which 1t refuses to indorse
the Brest-Litovsk peace treaty. which
cedes Kars. Batoum and Ardahan to
Turkey. and declares that peace with
Turkey can he signed only by the
Caucasus Government. which has sent
its own delegation to Trcbizond TO dis
Cuss peace.
In view OF the repeated violations by
both the Germans and the Russians Of
the line of demarcathon fixed for the
Pskov front. the Germans have de-
manded the establishment OF a new line
ten versts east Of the present Russian
position. A German official explanation
of this change In the line Is that II IL
necessary to strengthen Germany's stra-
teEic position.
Peace negotiations between the Boil
shevik Government Of Russia and the
indepe ndent Government ofsths Ukraine
have been opened. according to a Vienna
despatch to the Vossis0he Zeitun0 Of
signed signed at sts s{3iSsT tna. h WI III. Sci.
shevik campaign against tho Ukraine
should cease.
More Seizures Are Made.
In the meantime the Central Powers
are pushing their anneXations and seiz-
ures of territory with all possible eXpe-
dition SO as to have as much as possible
in their possession when the fighting
ceases Berlin announces to-day the oc.
cupation OF the town OF Bachmach, 100
miles northeast of Kiev, while the Aus
trian War Office reports that the last
narrow stretch Of Austro- Hungarian ter
ritory occupied by the Eumanians has
been evacuated.
To repeated requests from Iithuaria
for recognition OF her Independence Ger
many has replied tina: such recognition
must he dependent upon Lithuanian
agreement for military. customs. railway
and currency conventions, says For-
racrts. the leading Socialist newspaper
OF Germany, which points out that such
conditions are rot reconcilable with the
declaration made by the Imperial
Chancellor November 20, when he eX-
pressed the wish that Poland. Courland
and i.i;huania might have the right to
choose their own governments Of the
political form that corresponded TO their
conditions and culture. On February &c
Won Her,lng added that Germany's chief
object in Lithuania was TO create organs
Of self-determination and self-adminis-
tration.
Heavy FIahttna in TurI<estsn.
Fierce battles between Soviet adher-
ents and natives have occurred in
Turkestan. according to a despatch from
Petrograd under Wednesdays date. More
than 10000 casualties are reported to
have resulted,
The report OF the establishment OF n
new Russian Government in the Far
East. headed by Prince Lvofr, the first
Premier OF the provisional Government
in Russia after the revolution. is with
out foundation, according to Reuter-
despatch received to-day from Pekin.
The report, the message states. probably
refers to a conference held In Pekin by
prominent Russians on February rs. and
it Is assumed that Prince Nicholas
Kudacher, Russian Minister to China,
who tool; part in the conference, was
confused with Prince Lvoff.
Ministries Now In Moscow.
I.enine and virtually al! the govern
mental comm saioners except Leon Trot.
zky arrived at Moscow Monday night
and officially opened the various Min
istrtes the next day, preparatory to the
session Of the All-Russan Congress,