Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-05-15
MAKE OF RUSSIA
HUN DEPENDENCY
Kaiser Proposes to Occupy All
Principal Cities and Domi-
nate Slavic Nation.
WILL DEMAND INDEMNITlES
Return of War Prisoners and
Complete Disarmament Part
of Berlin's Program.
WILL DEMAND INDEMNITIES

wAsIIINC;TON. May lt-Conclusivc
evidence Of Gcrmany's purpose In Rus
sia was received here to-day through
diplomatic channels. The plan to or
ganizc the vast resources Of the cap
'ured territory and convert the coun-
try into n political dependency has
been set in motion
Count Mirba ch. German amba gsatlor
az Moscow. revealed tho scheme in {,
formal note. which has been delivered
to the authorities of the existing RUS
sian government. The communication
is said TO have been in the form Of an
ultinatum.
IT demanded in the name Of the
Kaiser that certain financial matters
be effected. Details as 10 the amount
OF money required and the manner in
which 1t was TO he raised are lacking.
Comment contained in tho information
received here was as follows:
The proposal to govern financial
matters would probably make Russia
"A German colony"
WOULD MAKE RUSSIA
ABSOLUTELY HELPLESS
And this was only small part of
the German demands. The note in
sisted upon an immediate solution Of
questions, including an exchange of
war prisoners, the complete abolish
mcnt OF armamcnts and the disSolu-
tion OF military units recently formed.
The final proposal was accepted as
completing the evidence Of the kuiscr's
purpose TO completely dominate the
Russian people and any form OF gov
crnment they may cndcavor to main
tain. Count Mirbach suggested that
the agreement stipulate permission for
the immediate occupation of Moscow
and other large Russian cities By Ger
man forces.
The information relating 10 the Ger
man ultimatum reached the State De-
partmcnt through German diplomatic
sources in Sweden. but was given out
as unofficial as the text of the note
has not yet become available.
The ultimatum from Germany 10
Russia as aralyZed here is but the full
fillment of the policy tho Berlin gov.
ernment is cndcavoT!nS 10 saddle upon
all sections of the east which have
been ovcrpowercd by the German mil
itary forces. That the attempt is be-
ing made so soon TO carry out the plan
a. =
still greatly disturbed, is regarded as
certain proof Of the reported cXhaua-
tion of German resources.
WANT TO PUT PRISONERS
BACK ON FIRING LINE
Haste in demanding the return OF
German and Austrian prisoners Of war
is possible OF but one construction. IL
is dclarcd. This is the urgent need OF
man power in Germany and of reserves
for the HindenburE armies, which have
been fought 10 q standstill on the west
ern front.
A considerable number OF German
prisoners already have managed TO get
out OF Russia, and nave been pressed
back into service. The men Of this class
were sent to munition factories rather
than 10 the battle fronts through fear
that Bolshcvik propa sanda might Sc
rlously affect the German soldiers. 1t is
thought now that this precaution must
be abandoned owing to the great need
Of German lighting men.
The German demand upon Russia
for money is expected to take the form
OF indcmnitics. TO which additional sums
will be added periodically as long as the
war lasts.
MEANS KAISER WILL
TAKE POSSESSION SOON
The announcement that Russia must
abolish armaments an demobilizc all
military units is said to constitute no
ticc that the Kaiser proposes TO take
immediate possession. No other con-
struction of such sweeping proposals
can be made, il is declared.
The chief anxiety at the White House
and the State Department Is that the
Russian people arc too greatly cN-