The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1918-02-22
SLAvS FORCED
TO ACCEPT PACT
Panicstricken by Enemy Invasion
BoIsheviki Leaders Agree to
Teuton Peace Terms.
SUDDEN FOE DRIVE WINS
fered in Response to kaiser's De-
mands-Peace May Deprive
Teutons of Spells.

London. Feb. 21.-According to the
official statement issued by the Boil
sheviki government, in order to stay
the invasion already begun by the
Germans, Russia is ready to give up
her richest provinces.
Courland Lithuania and Poland
will go to Germany and probably en-
able her to obtain food sufficient to
relieve a shortage that was seriously
menacing the nation.
These provinces, together with vir-
tual domination of Ukrainia by rea-
son of the recent peace pact and the
additional safeguard of territorial iSO-
lation will force the new republic to
give economic aid to the quadruple
alliance
To Gain Sea Coast.
With the exception of those parts of
Russia fronting on the Black sea, and
Petrograd, Russia's ports and seaboaro
are to be taken, and Germany will
gain many miles of sea coast. Petro-
grad is an inland port and for the
most part of the year is frozen over.
Germany will receive Riga and Moon
sound. Russia's most important ports.
In addition, the Germans will doml-
nate Petrograd, the narrow channel
leading from the Baltic sea to the
capital being fringed by territory
which Germany will receive.
The decision of Lenine and Trotzky
is considered amazing in light OF
previous performances of the Boil.
sheviki. Radically pacific in their
views, nevertheless they stoutly re-
sisted at the Brest-Litovsk negotia-
lions all Teuton attempts to force re-
linquishments of the land they now
offer to the kaiser in their frantic
effort to stay the onrushing armies.
Cause of Brest Split.
The primary cause for the Bresi
split was the refusal of the Germans
to withdraw from occupied territories
and the brutality frank admission OF
General Hoffman that Germany in
tended to force an annexationist peace
down the Russian throat.
The Bolsheviki awoke with a start
and determined to withstand by force
of arms if necessary all enemy ag-
gressions, but the determination soon
died. When the Brest conference f.
nally broke, Trotzky, while refusing
to sign a peace agreement, announced
Russia's withdrawal from the war, ana
ordered the rehabilitation of all Rus
sian forces. Germany thereupon an
nounced it considered that instead of
ending the war, it merely ended the
armistice and the invasion followed
promptly. German armies promptly
marched through Russia as through
a meadow. Not a sign of opposition,
with the exception of a futile attempt
to blow up bridge across the Dvina
river near Dvinsk, met the troops.
Leaders Panicstricken.
AS they came on, Trotzky and lie
nine, panicstricken, offered to Ger
many all they demanded at the peace
conference. Whether the German
greed will stop there is question.
They may demand wider concessions
cause of their stronger position, and
the belief they have Russia in the
hollow of their hands.
1t is unlikely that unless Germany
wins a smashing victory on the west
front, and brushes the Allies abso-
lutely, condition regarded as i'm
possible, Germany will not be allowed
to retain her new provinces. They
constitute greater militaristic men
ace than the present Germany, and
would create a Germany vastly more
able to Withstand siege such as the
Teutons have been under for three
700-CANARY THREE
years and a half. Wilson'S self-deter-
mination of people demanded as a
cardinal point in peace issues will rob
Germany of her new spoils